Oran Ektin by José De Holanda
conceal caption

toggle caption

“It is actually about connections,” Oran Etkin says. “The connections with the those that I meet elsewhere, and creating connections between these completely different locations.”

As you possibly can see, Etkin is a musician who doesn’t prefer to create in a vacuum. The multi-reedist travels the globe as a way to have one-of-a-kind musical experiences, and whether or not it is to West Africa or East Asia, he at all times finds good musicians to jam with. His curiosity and compassion has resulted in invites to stick with famend musical households from around the globe.

Etkin stays of their residence, eats with them, and immerses himself of their native musical traditions. In flip, he provides his clarinet — together with ample musical chops. His expertise at improvisation permits him to seamlessly mix into any musical state of affairs, whether or not he’s jamming with Roma musicians within the Czech Republic or with mbira masters in Zimbabwe.

On this Jazz Evening in America episode, we get to know the artist and discover out what drives him to make these musical connections. We additionally find out about his famend kids’s program Timbalooloo — an progressive music training methodology that teaches younger kids via instrument mimicking, fostering creativity and cultural understanding. Etkin reveals how music could be a highly effective studying device — and our one true common language understood by all ages.

Set Listing:

• “It Don’t Imply a Factor” (Duke Ellington) (from the album Kelenia)
• “King Porter Stomp” (Jelly Roll Morton) (from the album What’s New? Reimagining Benny Goodman) 
• “Nina” (Malian tune) (from the album Kelenia)
• “Gambang Suling” (Conventional, organized by Oran Etkin) (from the album Gathering Gentle) 
• “Nhema Musasa” (Conventional, organized by Oran Etkin and Musekiwa Chingodza) 
• “Professional Carnaval Voltar ” (Oran Etkin ) (from the album Open Arms)
• “Chaye Shukariye” (Conventional, organized by Oran Etkin (from the album Discovering Buddies Removed from Residence: A Journey With Clara Web) 
• “Dandini Dandini” (Conventional, organized by Oran Etkin) (from the album Discovering Buddies Removed from Residence: A Journey With Clara Web) 
• “Safety Tune” (Oran Etkin) (from the album Open Arms)

Credit: Sarah Geledi and Simon Rentner, writers and producers; Christian McBride, host; Ron Scalzo, episode combine; Nikki Birch and Mitra Arthur, video producers; Steven A. Williams, government producer; Suraya Mohamed, government producer of NPR Music; Keith Jenkins, vp of visuals and music technique at NPR.