BRATTLEBORO-What's the secret ingredient that connects the bass line of the Temptations' "My Girl" to Brazilian choro music? Come to ByWay Books, 399 Canal St., on Wednesday, May 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to celebrate the launch of Rhythm: Pattern in Time by Julian Gerstin to find out.
Brattleboro musician and teacher Gerstin "writes with a flair for unpacking musical sound in plain language," organizers wrote in a news release.
"Whether you're a practiced musician or an avid listener, Rhythm is full of intriguing insights," they said.
This book and the event launching it contain answers to questions such as, "Why do jazz songs swing? How does music connect to the body and dance? Why do you find similar rhythmic patterns in Bulgarian dances, Egyptian pop, and African drumming?"
Gerstin is a lifelong student and teacher of music, specializing in the drumming traditions of Africa and the Caribbean, as well as the Balkan and Arabic worlds. As an ethnomusicologist, he has undertaken research in Martinique, Cuba, and Ghana, and worked with numerous African and Caribbean musicians in the U.S.
Readers will find a breakdown of polyrhythms in James Brown's "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" on one page, flamenco on the next, drum and bass after that.
Gerstin says he has long been concerned with how to present rhythm clearly to beginners and nonmusicians as well as advanced players. When he discovered the British publisher, Wooden Press, he said he made the connection.
"I approached them about my pet topic, and they'd been looking for just that thing," he says.
A composer as well as percussionist, Gerstin has a particular interest in the rhythmic foundations of melody. This book includes many songs and instrumental compositions beyond the consideration of drums or percussion alone. Most of the presentations are in a graphic notation that's easily accessible to people who don't read music, organizers said.
For more information, call 802-490-8014, email [email protected], or visit bywaybooks.co.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.