Global Canvas
Ron Korb
Humbledragon Entertainment HD2024 (ronkorb.com/globalcanvas-cd)
Flutist, Ron Korb, has made a brilliant career, performing on not only the usual Boehm flute but also on an array of flutes and related instruments from other cultures, which is what makes him such an extraordinary musician. I can say without exaggeration that he has mastered an extraordinary number of instruments, all of which are of the flute family, but which are all different and present unique problems. In addition to the usual flute and bass flute, which figures prominently on this recording, Ron plays an oriental bamboo flute and several other oriental instruments.
Korb is joined by 19 musicians playing an assortment of western and oriental instruments, which add an extensive and highly unusual orchestration in which contrast has a striking role, as in track eight (Kindness), which begins with Ron playing the melody on the bawu, a side-blown Chinese reed instrument that sounds a bit like a clarinet, after which this same melody is repeated on the erhu, a 2- string Chinese bowed string instrument. In track three, (Desire), Korb begins with a contemplative melody on the bass flute and is joined unexpectedly by the tabla (Indian drum). He even delves into the absence of orchestration in track 16 (Peace Flute), an unaccompanied bass flute solo, in which the resonant bass sonority provides all that is needed.
Also featured are several Latin jazz tracks on which Korb uses a Boehm flute and to which Cuban-Canadian pianist Hilario Duran makes significant contributions.
