Nine Rain
MEXartes festival
Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
Reviewed by Oxana Dudina
In case there were any doubts about the benefits of Multiculturalism, Nine Rain offers a startlingly positive proof. As incongruous as it may seem to put an American saxophone player, and a German electric bass player together with a Mexican rock band, the result is superb. This international group creates a unified sound interlacing jazz, rock and Latin American rhythms.
Along with the variety of musical styles, there is a juxtaposition of two languages: English and Spanish, together, they produce an unexpectedly harmonic and rich combination.
The concert took place at the House of World Culture (Haus der Kulturen der Welt), a bulbous, modern, interestingly designed building, left over from the time when Berlin was a divided city, and under the roof of which diverse concerts and performances are given.
This concert was the first of a series of events in the MEXartes festival in Berlin, and was part of the tour presenting Nine Rain’s latest album, “Rain of Fire”.
Nine Rain’s repertoire is varied and holds your interest: no boring stints or monotonous spells included. Their music seems always different: sometimes light and danceable, at other times pessimistic, as it takes you down a narrow one-way alley to some desolate place. It is, in any case, constantly enjoyable.
Some songs follow a standard literary dramatic structure. They have an exposition, complication (the rising action), climax, falling action (retardation), and denouement (resolution). Others are kept on a horizontal flat line presenting a balanced music with no high-low points. The music is mostly instrumental, but when there are words, they are essential.
While listening to this music, you tend to find yourself dissolving into it, and then being transported into an ecstatic, trance-like state. Closing your eyes and meditating on/with the rhythm of the music can be a sure path to the bliss of eternity, leading up to a joyful communion with the omnipresent all.
Although he has his own image and style: a wise, cosmopolitan, Latin, American, philosopher who commiserates and celebrates with all your inner, secretly hidden, joyous feelings, Steven Brown can at times appear to be like Jim Morrisson; at others he sings like Iggy Pop, and sometimes even like Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols.
The band consists of Steven Brown, who plays the saxophone, clarinet, keyboards and does vocals; Alejandro Herrera plays the blues harp, jarana, flute and sings. Nikolas Klau plays the electric bass, with Jose Luis Dominguez on guitar. Daniel Aspuru plays a driving drum kit and a very energetic Carlos Munoz does the percussion. All together they create an original, avant-garde style of music.
The concert was made even more attractive by the good acoustics in the concert hall. “Rain of Fire” is an album to be listened to and enjoyed.
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