Just got back from Chautauqua, NY, where The Silk Road Ensemble was performing, originally curated by Yo Yo Ma, but now under Rhiannon Giddens.
Thr basic idea of the Silk Road performances is to present a sequence of (folk) performances from a variety of cultures, transitioning smoothly from one piece to another. They feature nearly a dozen expert musicians—African, European, Oriental, Asian, Indian, and so on; I could not identify them all.
Featured instruments were a Cello, an Accordion, several Violins, a Flute, Marimba, a Banjo-like instrument, a guitar, and several Drums of different sizes, from different traditions, including a Tabla set, a pair of Indian drums. There was also a digital keyboard, that provided a drone background.
Rhiannon Giddens led a column of the performers, right through the aisle, leading a sort of audience participation routine. (The chant she got the audience to join in sounded vaguely African, which made me wonder who this woman was. It was only later I learned who it had been.)
Kay
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