The range of the didgeridoo

Balanda Dancing
Didgeridoo: Alastair Black
Music: Stephan Richter
Reviewed by Jill Hickson

Balanda Dancing explores the versatility of the didgeridoo. In this collection, the didgeridoo is joined by a range of other instruments: saxophone, mandolin, cello, violin and a bass guitar as well as percussion instruments.

The didgeridoo is becoming a popular instrument as musicians develop its musical capacity to its fullest. There are wonderful sounds a didgeridoo can make, especially in combination with percussion and melodic instruments.

In “Terra Rossa”, one didgeridoo plays a percussive role while another creates animal sounds, and this is combined with solo percussion instruments giving the whole piece a decidedly Latin flavour. In contrast, “Mirage” has an oriental feel to it. “Nowhere to Go” is based on different concepts, with lots of spontaneous interaction between the instruments to create the feeling of a live jam session.

“Vast Space” has a reggae flavour and “Oasis” incorporates both Latin and jazz influences. “Before Time”, played by five didgeridoos, creates sounds of the rainforest and jungle.

Both lovers of the unusual in musical sounds and those uninitiated in the scope of the didgeridoo as a musical instrument should add Balanda Dancing to their collections.

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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