Search - Peter Alexander :: Aus Bohmen Kommt Die Musik

First released in 1957, this paean to the volcano goddess Pele represents a pinnacle for exotica pioneer Arthur Lyman. The music is highly episodic, making allusion to Hawaiian and Polynesian chanting and percussion traditions to great dramatic effect. A willing party in exoticizing cultural otherness, Lyman nonetheless stands solidly as a boundary-stretcher. Complicated by clichés, much of his music also attempts to envision ways for international pop to develop on the shoulders of an all-percussion ensemble. Pele is great for its tug away from Lyman's vibraphone and into more shimmering bells and small shell percussion, giving the music an overall rhythmic looseness that's very compelling. Yes, exotica fans will be the most wowed, but don't underestimate Lyman's viability as a world music figure before the genre's time. --Andrew Bartlett