Rattletree — The Earth Loves You
Joel Laviolette & Rattletree Marimba
Rattletree School of Marimba
Friday, September 18th, 2015
Rattletree School of Marimba is located in a quiet area of South Austin. Its doorway is a portal to a magical dimension filled with vibrant African dance music, gargantuan hand-built wooden marimbas, a kaleidoscope of light and color, and the ecstatic stage show of Joel Laviolette & Rattletree Marimba — The Earth Loves You.
This is not an average performance. The four band members play impressive wooden marimbas of all sizes. Their complex interplay of poly-rhythms and melodies weave a mind-bending symphony that keeps the audience on their toes, quite literally; this is definitely the show to kick off your shoes and dance. Rattletree creates a warm, welcoming environment for people to truly feel and express their experience, with little differentiation between performer and participant. Percussion instruments set up near the marimbas allow for further rhythmic complexities. Lay electronic beats over these textured sounds, and a brand new blend of electronica, dance, and African music erupts.
Joel Laviolette & Rattletree Marimba is an automatic jaw-dropper. The sound alone is unlike anything out there, but their vastly creative visuals are nothing short of dazzling. The performers wore surreal costumes, fostering a deep sensation of suspended reality. A custom-tailored light show accompanied each song, controlled by midi cues and switches nestled amongst Joel Laviolette’s marimba keys and pedal board.
Joel Laviolette’s uplifting presence completed this singularly ecstatic experience. Laviolette is one of the few living humans to master mbira, a traditional Zimbabwean instrument that combines four distinct melodies and rhythms to create complex, trancy songs. Mid-performance, Laviolette sat front stage and demonstrated the mbira in action, explaining its history and meaning as he played. A close up live video of his hands projected behind him, allowing the audience to observe and learn. Laviolette demonstrated each melody and explained how these melodies transfer to individual marimbas to create the full sound of a marimba band. Laviolette spoke of the spiritual meanings behind his culturally rich music, inviting the audience to expand their knowledge and participate in foreign concepts and sounds.
The band catered to Western musical tastes too, covering modern classics like “You Spin Me Right Round (Like a Record Baby)” and Joanna Newsom. Laviolette and the band (Michael Stephen Hardin, Stephen Brueggerhoff, and Kristin Royce Stancato) played with rolicking enthusiasm, clearly enjoying themselves and the audience. After the last song, a moment of breathless elation consumed the entire School. An afterglow of joy and connection followed.
All in all, Joel Laviolette & Rattletree School of Marimba is one of the most unusually delightful experiences in the Austin music scene. The City of Austin agrees.
“We are beyond fortunate to live in a city that not only supports but fosters growth in the arts,” said Rakefet Avramovitz, program director and instructor of Rattletree School of Marimba. “To date, Joel Laviolette & Rattletree have been honored to receive four Cultural Funding grants from the City of Austin to create a full sensory musical experience for Austin residents and visitors. Not only do we get to work on our own project with our team, but the monies allow us to collaborate with the other incredible artists in the community and actually pay them a fair wage.”
Although this rendition of The Earth Loves You completed its limited run, many more Rattletree Marimba adventures glimmer on the horizon.
“Rattletree’s number one goal is to continue to build community around this music through kick-ass performances, teaching adults to play the music at the Rattletree School of Marimba, and building instruments for individuals and schools,” Avramovitz said. “Our goals are to find land where we can build and grow our school and performance venue, play more and more festivals, teach marimba to everyone who has ever dreamed of playing music, and create an even more amazing show with the 2016 City of Austin grant.”
Listen to the latest album from Joel Laviolette & Rattletree at the Bandcamp playlists below.
Contributing Writer: Merri Palmer
Contributing Photographer: Ismael Quintanilla
