Supermoon by Itai Kriss & Telavana
What happens when Latin and Middle Eastern musicians meet on a Caribbean island (conveniently with instruments in hand)? Musicians being musicians, they jam. Sounds could go awry as egos flare, but that’s not the case with Supermoon, as the effortless combination of idioms, both musical and cultural, get along on this note-tied utopia.
New York-based flutist and composer Itai Kriss, along with his multicultural ensemble Telavana, connects each composition similarly to astrological signs on the zodiac wheel. Supermoon, Kriss’ third album, is an existential exploration within the universe. Tracks are titled according to astrological signs as he discovers their unique sounds and shapes; when combined, Kriss creates a system between each melody.
Compositions are underpinned with traditional sounds of a certain cultural ilk, yet they are more curious than settled. “The Cusp,” for example, begins with classic, Middle Eastern “dum-tok-tok” rhythm and deftly shifts to a salsa beat. Traditional phrasing is revisited with contemporary instruments, such as flugelhorns, synthesizers and Fender Rhodes, and played by talented musicians from Puerto Rico, Israel, Cuba and New York. As Kriss reflects, “This album is about all of us, our planet, our universe and the most powerful and potent force which helps us make sense of it.”
