Muisca

Originally written for guitar, this arrangement has the vibraphone primarily carrying the melody with the marimba providing the rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment, perhaps at times resulting in a sound reminiscent (to me) of the classic vibraphone/piano duets between Chick Corea and Gary Burton.

With its restless time signatures, a gentle liveliness inhabits Muisca’s first movement Soledad, while elsewhere certain syncopated figures recall the strum-based rhythms of the work’s original incarnation for guitar. Sleepy yet mysterious, the second movement Chia sees the marimba and vibraphone enjoy some gentle melodic interplay, with the marimba then settling into a lightly swinging rhythmic bed in its rich lower register, allowing room for the vibraphone’s statements in its resonant lower voice. The gentle, odd metered marimba groove that opens the final movement El Dorado lays a foundation for the vibraphone’s own groove based melodies to interlock with, their lines tumbling through shifting time signatures reminiscent of the first movement before the duo’s increasingly busy interplay is peppered with quickfire synchronised runs. - Publisher Notes

Originally written for guitar, the majority of this arrangement has the vibraphone carrying the melodic burden of the piece with the marimba providing the rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment. Along with the general “Spanish” feel of the work, this arrangement resulted in a sound reminiscent to me of the classic duets of Chick Corea and Gary Burton off of the Crystal Silence album.

This is all perhaps best summed up by a coincidental quote from the percussionist Tyler Tolles, who gave the premiere performance of the work: “It sounds like [Chick Corea’s] Señor Mouse and Spain had a love child!” - Omar Carmenates