The berimbaus used on this recording were custom tunable instruments hand-crafted by David 'Snappy' White.
Composition History
The music on this album, co-composed by Gregory Beyer and Alexis C. Lamb, represents three years of research into a new compositional approach for the berimbau.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The composers aimed to create a rich and sophisticated musical language for the berimbau, unlike anything previously played on musical bows.
Cultural Impact
The album is dedicated to Naná Vasconcelos (1944-2016), whose vision profoundly impacted multiple generations of musical bow musicians.
Composer Biography
Gregory Beyer, a recognized pioneer of the berimbau, began working with the instrument in 1999 and created the NIU Berimbau Ensemble in 2005.
Album & Artwork
The album title, MeiaMeia, is Portuguese for 'HalfHalf' and refers to the chamber music cycle for the Afro-Brazilian berimbau.
Performer Biography
Projeto Arcomusical, the ensemble performing this music, is a multi-faceted resource for the Afro-Brazilian berimbau dedicated to performance, publication, research, and community building.
