The first time that I heard Tom Teasley’s CD Painting Time, I wrote his publicist and raved about the music. I do not pretend to even be remotely knowledgeable about some of the more exotic percussion instruments that Teasley has mastered, but I do recognize excellent music when I hear it. In addition to releasing this phenomenal disc, Teasley has just finished a run as the Music Director for Arabian Nights at the Source Theater in Washington, D.C.

When I asked Teasley how he would describe his music to someone unfamiliar with it, he said, “What you are posing has been both my blessing and my curse, throughout the later years of my career. Were I trying to explain it to somebody who had not heard my music before, I would probably say that it is world music, with very much of a jazz influence.  In terms of the business aspect of the music, when it is being marketed to radio, they do not know whether to play it in the world section or in the jazz section. As a result, I get more exposure than I would if it were more clearly defined in (just) one genre. It becomes more difficult (however), for me to chart, and make the big imprint that I would like to make.”

As has been the case with numerous very talented artists that I have spoken to and do not fit into the tight format of commercial radio, Teasley has discovered that the cyber airwaves have served him well. “I have noticed with the advent of people finding music via the internet, that those things (fitting into a particular genre), become a little less important. When you start looking globally, I am surprised at how quickly the word of mouth spreads. Recently I received emails from people in South Africa, the Netherlands and Denmark, all in one day. I get emails from people, who say, ‘A friend of mine turned me on to this, and now I’m going to tell somebody about it,” says Teasley. 

Teasley provides an interesting perspective on how he wound up playing what at least in part can be described as world music, “I don’t think that I have a choice, because when artists find themselves, it is much less them choosing the music, as much as it is the music choosing them. There were times in my career, when I could have gone in another direction. This was just something that kept tugging at me, and it was like wherever the music took me, is where I needed to go. I am not beholden to anyone else, and that allows me the freedom to pursue my artistic vision. As long as there are people who find the music to be compelling, that gives me strength to know that I am going in the right direction.

“Most of the work that I do is not so much with an ensemble, but as a solo percussionist, which is an unusual thing unto itself. What I do in that situation is use a variety of instruments such as frame drums, tambourines and hand drums. I combine those with western instruments such as a vibraphone or a drum set. I take that even further and use some electronic cymbals. I am very interested in trying to maintain the timeline with those instruments that go back thousands of years, and are among the first instruments to be every played. I combine that (approach) with some of the most recent advances in midi technology. It is a very organic way to be respectful to both genres (jazz and world music). It allows me to continue in a tradition that developed thousands of years before, and then when I use more recent technology, it makes it feel like it comes from a deep place, versus what I believe that I can create electronically,” says Teasley.

Whereas, the percussionist’s previous CD Word Beat The Soul Dances, reflected his solo live performances, he began this project with the intent to involve more instruments.

Teasley says, “It (Painting Time) is a creative piece versus starting with a concept and creating a composition. (It started with my) taking an Indian rhythm and interpreting it on frame drums, then combining it with Brazilian rhythms. After I recorded it, I lived with it for a while.”

After that, Teasley wrote out some melodic sketches before turning to his friend Chris Battistone, asking him to elaborate on them, and to harmonize the melodies with horns. “I wanted to make sure that the horn lines were being fully integrated into the rhythm that was created. Unlike a more traditional approach (that consists of) a melody, a set of chord changes, a groove and that the percussion specific rhythms would compliment those,” he says.

Teasley’s creation, Painting Time, was inspired by music from several cultural and religious backgrounds. He utilized musical influences from Turkish traditions such as whirling dervishes, Sufi, and African religions.  He noticed that all of those cultures had one thing in common, a trance like quality, with a lot of activity occurring within a repetitive figure. That common thread also became a basis of the arrangement for “The Awakening,” the opening track of Painting Time. He used the marimba, a repetitive rhythm, and varied sounds of the wha shaker to recreate that mood. 

The percussionist delighted in sharing with me the thinking behind using some of the instruments that appear in “The Awakening.” “The wha shaker is like a very tiny wok that you can hold in the palm of your hand. When you shake it, you are putting pressure on the two sides that raise or lower the pitch, in much the same way that a wha wha pedal works. The percussion for that track is pretty thick, and it is based on a lot of Afro Cuban syncopated style of rhythms. When we began, there was nothing but the marimba part and the wha shaker. That was the seed from which “The Awakening,” grew. The surdo is a big bass instrument that they use in Brazilian music. They use it in samba music. For this tune, it is used to define the backbeat.”

“The Awakening,” merges with western music and Teasley collaborated with Chris Battistone who created the horn arrangements. The trombone (John Jensen), saxophone (Bruce Swaim) and trumpet (Chris Battistone), provide the melody, and augment the rhythm but the foundation is established by the percussion instruments.

As the CD slides into the second track “Amber Waters,” the order is reversed with drums, and in particular, the African udu and the idiophonic caxixi leading the way.

Perhaps more than any other song on Painting Time, “Good Foot Dervish,” brings together the two minds and creative spirits of Tom Teasley. After experiencing the music and dance of Persian whirling dervishes, what Teasley refers to as his overactive imagination took over.

“I couldn’t help hearing (and seeing) in my mind, what it might sound or look like if these dervishes were to be dancing around to a James Brown groove. That’s where the whole thing began. The horn section represents a James Brown or Tower of Power kind of thing. I thought, that is cool, but now what is missing is the Middle Eastern musical influences. I took an Egyptian instrument called a riq, and the doumbek, another Middle Eastern instrument, and used them to punctuate the horn lines. This is a perfect example of taking instruments from the Middle East, and interpreting Tower of Power styles on them,” says Teasley.

We have barely scratched the surface of the percussion instruments that appear on Painting Time, or the ones that Teasley has mastered. In response to my question concerning how many percussion instruments he owns, he paused and thoughtfully answered it would be in the three digits, before adding that he does not think that it has yet reached four digits.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Painting Time. It is a musical experience you will not want to miss.

Interview by Joe Montague for Riveting Riffs (www.rivetingriffs.com) ©

October  2007

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