Re: Javanese music

[Michael Preston <michpres@erols.com>]

Dave Trenkel,

I was following the discussion of Javanese music, and I was thrilled to 
read that you were a member of Balafon! I heard Balafon play in Portland 
a few times in the early 80s, and you're right:

> When you get those long 3 against 4 or 2 against 3 parts
> really locked up, it can send you to heaven.

It certainly sent me to a heaven-like place on the dance floor. We have 
a Shanachie CD of Balafon, which was in HEAVY rotation at our house this 
summer as the best music to dance our infant son to sleep by. 

I have been fascinated with Zimbabwean music since those days in OR. 
Over the past three years I have made many Mbira-type instruments, and 
this summer I made my first marimba. I used maple for the keys, and had 
some trouble finding even-grained pieces at our local home improvement 
superstore. It was tough to tune. I love the sound though. I've kept it 
simple, with no resonator tubes. I'd like to make another one. I'd like 
to make one of those jumbo Basso-Profundo types. Do you have any 
recommendations on appropriate woods for such a marimba? Know any good 
sources for wood and/or drawn plans for marimbas?

Fast and bulbous. Yeah.

Michael Preston