DuoJalal Rhythm & Melody: A Conversation Innova 793   Kathryn Lockwood: Viola Yousif Sheronick: Percussion   1.     Klezmer a la Bechet – David Krakauer                                                                4:48 2.     Thracian Sketches – Derek Bermel                                                   8:57 3.     Jubb Jannin – Yousif Sheronick                                                             7:02 4.     A Different World – Enzo Rao Camemi                                   5:03   Lost & Found – Kenji Bunch 5.     Lost in Time                                                                                                         3:54 6.     Found Objects                                                                                                                       5:00 7.     Lost in Space                                                                                                     4:00 8.     Lost & Found                                                                                                     4:51   Homage for Frame Drum and Viola – Glen Velez 9.     Movement I                                                                                                                                   3:35 10.   Movement II                                                                                                         4:02         11.   Duo for Solo Viola and Percussion – Philip Glass   5:26         Percussion arranged by Yousif Sheronick   Scenes for Viola and Percussion – John Patitucci 12.   Tempo Rubato; Tempo Nouvo                                                                2:57 13.   Tempo Moderato                                                                                                               3:44 14.   Rubato; Andante                                                                                                                3:37   Total Running Time                                                                                                  67:03   Special Thanks to Anne and Vincent Mai for their love and support, Silas Brown at Legacy Sound for his superb technical skills and fantastic ears, Jerry Barnard at Lehman Studios for his warm hospitality, CCR for their creative input, and to all of the composers for their inspiring music and generosity. Kathryn plays a 17th Century Italian viola from the Brescian Period. Yousif plays Cooperman Frame Drums. This project is dedicated to our beautiful daughter Surriah.   Photos by Sari Goodfriend. CD Design by CZ Design 
Klezmer a la Bechet by David Krakauer (1997) Adapted for duoJalal by David Krakauer in 2008. 
“I wrote Klezmer a la Bechet in 1997 as part of a suite of compositions to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sidney Bechet, renowned master of early New Orleans jazz, virtuoso clarinetist/soprano saxophonist, and one of my personal heroes. The suite describes an imaginary meeting between Bechet and Eastern European Jewish klezmer master Naftule Brandwein. Klezmer a la Bechet takes the klezmer ‘terkisher’ (Turkish influenced) dance rhythm as a base, and superimposes a New Orleans funk feel with an across-the-barline lyricism reminiscent of Bechet’s romantic improvisations. This version for viola and percussion that I adapted for duoJalal, brings the Middle Eastern flavor of the ‘terkisher’ to the fore, both with a taksim/klezmer style viola solo and the use of the Bodhran frame drum. The entire Klezmer Tribute to Sidney Bechet suite can be heard on the second CD I recorded for John Zorn’s Tzadik label: Klezmer NY.“ 
(Percussion: Bodhran with Broom) – David Krakauer   Thracian Sketches by Derek Bermel (2003) Adapted for duoJalal by Derek Bermel in 2010.
Thracia is a region in Bulgaria which stretches over the Rodopi mountains and extends into Modern Greece. Thracian Sketches bends original Bulgarian modes into a whole-tone melodic context while retaining much of the original rhythm and contour, especially the tendency to sustain tied mordents over the barline in odd meters. The piece begins in the lower register of the viola, and moves through the songs, increasing in velocity, range, and the complexity of rhythmic groupings as it progresses. Originally written for solo clarinet, duoJalal worked closely with Mr. Bermel, who reworked the clarinet part for viola and helped arrange and shape the percussion part. (Percussion: Large Frame Drum with Cymbals, Durbakeh)
 Jubb Jannin by Yousif Sheronick (2002)
Jubb Jannin is the village where Yousif’s mother grew up in Lebanon. The piece was inspired by Yousif’s childhood memories of his mother singing folk melodies, usually over the drone of the vacuum. Jubb Jannin was originally written for the Nay (Middle Eastern flute) and the viola solo section has been adapted from Bassam Saba’s original Nay improvisation on Yousif’s CD titled SilkThread. (Percussion: Bendir)  
 A Different World by Enzo Rao Camemi (1992)
Enzo Rao Camemi was born in Palermo, Italy.  He works as a composer and plays a variety of instruments including violin, oud, saz, Jewish harp and bass. His true passion is Sicilian and Mediterranean music which clearly comes through in this light and folksy song. The opening statement moves between 7/4, 8/4 and 6/4, giving the piece an easy but uneven gait.  A Different World is originally for violin and percussion and includes solos for both instruments. (Percussion: Cajon)    Lost & Found by Kenji Bunch (2010) Commissioned by duoJalal.
“My work on Lost and Found began with numerous starts and stops headed in very different directions. I gradually realized that my difficulty in committing to a “sound” for this project was due to the seemingly limitless potential the combination of viola and hand percussion offered. When I recognized this unique challenge, I began to embrace it rather than fight it. In this way, Lost and Found is an exploration of the diverse stylistic possibilities presented by duoJalal. 
The first movement, Lost in Time, evokes the music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, in particular the solo string writing of Heinrich Biber with the solemn viola part played scordatura (alternate tuning for open strings). Combined with the Durbakeh, the sound seems at times both ancient and exotic. (Percussion: Durbakeh) The second movement, Found Objects, explores a very different sonority, with the viola used as a guitar-like instrument, plucked and strummed with a pick. Again, the instrument is retuned, creating the illusion of an exotic folk instrument, similar, perhaps, to the Kora from West Africa. The Djembe supports this image, providing a pulse that draws connections between the world of rock and the wonderfully rich West African traditions that influenced it. (Percussion: Djembe with Brooms)

A drastic departure from this groove comes next with Lost in Space. This title refers to the spacial, un-metered notation 
of this movement - one that relies heavily on the discretion of the performers to make basic decisions about pacing, duration, dynamics, articulation, and in the case of the percussion, even notes and choice of instruments. My goal is for each performance of this movement to exist as a unique, ephemeral experience that can be vastly different from the performance preceding and following it. (Percussion: Wind Gong, Thai Gong, Tibetan Cymbals, Indian Bells, Cymbals, Finger Cymbals, Frame Drum, Metal Shaker)

Lastly, the fourth movement, titled simply Lost and Found, explores yet another language - the wonderful string music traditions of Scandinavia, in particular the Swedish Nyckelharpa and the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. Paired with the versatile Cajon (Peruvian Box Drum), this is a celebratory dance-like movement that brings the work to a joyful conclusion.” (Percussion: Cajon) – Kenji Bunch
 Homage for Frame Drum and Viola by Glen Velez (2007) Commissioned by duoJalal. 
“Homage was inspired by the idea of the drum as a melodic instrument. It utilizes the Tar (small frame drum) tuned to G. The drummer uses vocalizations to bring out the hidden melodies on which the viola then comments and elaborates. The two instruments converse in a circular banter of rhythmic and melodic motifs. The combination of stringed instrument and drum recalls the ancient sound of a pre-electronic era. This piece endeavors to invoke the mood of old Roman times, when the familiar sounds of the rich-toned frame drums were used in rituals and celebrations.” (Percussion: Tar) – Glen Velez   Duo for Solo Viola and Percussion by Philip Glass (2009) Percussion arranged by Yousif Sheronick. 
Having toured extensively with Philip Glass in 2001, Yousif reunited with Mr. Glass in 2008 to play some duos at the Telluride Musicfest in Colorado. Upon being asked about a possible work for duoJalal, Mr. Glass sent a solo viola part 
he had written in 1980. Mr. Glass entrusted Yousif to arrange the percussion part as he had done when they performed together. Yousif based the arrangement around the instruments Mr. Glass admired when they performed together in 2001. (Percussion: Tibetan Cymbals, Triangle, Caxixi, Goat Hoof Shaker, Bird Whistle, Cymbals, Bodhran)
 Scenes for Viola and Percussion by John Patitucci (2008) Commissioned by duoJalal. duoJalal commissioned Grammy Award-winning bassist/composer and jazz legend John Patitucci to write Scenes for 
Viola and Percussion. Scenes is in three movements and is inspired by the blend of solo Bach and exotic hand drums. 
The composer has given the viola an unusual sound harmonically, matching moods with the hand percussion. The viola part has an improvisatory spirit and the percussion part, with unspecified instruments, has intensity and groove. In the true jazz spirit, Mr. Patitucci came over to duoJalal’s home and sang the percussion grooves to Yousif. (Percussion: Djembe, Maraca, Cymbals, Ocean Drum, Goat Hoof Shaker)