Adam Rudolph: conjuring music’s global essence (Spotlight On : 182)

The legendary percussionist discusses his musical philosophy, what he learned working with the likes of Yusef Lateef, and Timeless, his album with Hu: Vibrational.

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The Spotlight shines On composer, improviser, and master percussionist Adam Rudolph.

A global performer - and global citizen - Adam has been called "a pioneer in world music" by the New York Times. With dozens of recordings to his credit, he joined us upon the release of Timeless from his percussion group, Hu: Vibrational, on his own Meta Records.

Adam has worked with artists including Don Cherry, Jon Hassell, Sam Rivers, Pharaoh Sanders, and many others but had a particularly extensive collaboration with Yusef Lateef over many years, releases, and ensemble configurations.

Adam and I connected immediately and had a terrific conversation, which I am ever-so-pleased to share with you. Enjoy.

(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from Hu: Vibrational's latest album, Timeless)

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00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:35 Spotlight on Adam Rudolph
01:35 Adam's Musical Journey and Influences
01:43 Early Experiences in Chicago
06:44 Adam's Musical Philosophy and Influences
12:35 Experiences in Ghana
27:00 Adam's Approach to Music and Collaboration
30:04 Connection with Bill Laswell
32:30 The Latest Record: Timeless
35:46 Adam's Approach to Music Production
37:30 The Art of Detail in Music Production
37:59 The Studio as a Creative Instrument
38:38 The Evolution of Record Making
39:01 The Distinction Between Records and Live Performances
39:16 The Art of Live Performance
40:19 The Concept of Sonic Mandala
40:54 The Virtuosity of Mandala
42:50 The Philosophy of Non-Trying in Music
43:58 The Mystical Experience of Music
44:29 The Intersection of Vibration, Transformation, Mysticism, and Entertainment
45:03 Music as a Commodity and a Human Activity
49:34 The Role of Imagination in Music
51:13 The Evolution of an Artist
55:16 The Influence of Mentors in Music
01:00:42 The Role of Love in Music
01:03:23 The Journey of a Musician
01:06:07 The Process of Integrating Different Music Styles
01:10:47 The Closing Remarks

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Check out Hu: Vibrational's Timeless on Bandcamp → https://huvibrational.bandcamp.com/album/timeless
or your [streaming platform of choice → https://songwhip.com/huvibrational/timeless)

Find out more about Adam Rudolph on his homepage → https://metarecords.com/adam.html
and YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkmhSHiqenzhty3VAO_8e_A)

Visit Adam's label, Meta Records, on Bandcamp → https://metarecords.bandcamp.com/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/metarecordings
or https://metarecords.com/

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