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Dona Nobis Pacem (Level IV) - which means “grant us peace,” is a song
with a widely-known text from the Latin Mass. In this arrangement, I used mixed
elements of the music that I love: a very traditional Cuban rhythm called
bembe, which is derived from the Yoruba
culture of West Africa; the Yoruba text “Funga Alafia,” which also means “grant
us peace”; little sparkles here and there of Irish music’s feel and rhythms; a
little bit of jazz in terms of the harmonic texture, and of course, classical
music.
The clave of the clapping is based upon the bembe rhythm, but the texture of the
music is less “Latin American.” I would like the melodies to be sung rather in
the style of Early Music with pure straight tones, rather than trying to sing
like Cuban mambo. As far apart as one may imagine they are, to me, they are
not. When it’s done correctly, I envision that they gel into each other, just like
the world is supposed to do in front of the mother nature.
SSATBB a cappella
View all charts by Tsunenori ''Lee'' ABE
TSUNENORI ''LEE'' ABE is an active composer,
arranger, performer and producer throughout the country as well as in his
native country, Japan. ABE has written music for many types of instrumentation,
from solo piano, pop rock band, and big band, to world-class orchestras likes
the Boston Pops. While ABE, a winner of S&R Washington Award as a composer,
is extremely versatile in many genres, his name is especially known in the
vocal jazz world as an arranger both in the US and in Japan. He won the best
arranger’s award in 2008 at Harmony Sweepstakes, the world’s biggest A Cappella
Competition, with his arrangement of “High And Dry,” a unique interpretation of
the Radiohead classic.
Many of his works, highly praised by such musical personalities as Keith
Lockhart of the Boston Pops, Toninho Horta, Joyce Moreno, Cheryl Bentyne of the
Manhattan Transfer, Kim Nazarian of New York Voices, The Real Group and Cedric
Dent of Take 6, are currently published through YAMAHA Music Media, Sunnyside
Music and University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Jazz Press, and are being sung
by many vocal jazz lovers across the nation.
ABE was the composer/arranger/bass singer and the founding member of an
award-winning vocal jazz quartet “Syncopation,” and has appeared at festivals
and venues such as Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Boston’s 4th of July Celebration
with the Boston Pops, Meihou Music Festival and Blue Note New York among
others.
In addition to his composing and playing, ABE is a
respected educator and gives master classes for vocal writing and group singing
frequently, and serves as an Associate Professor for Contemporary Writing and
Production department at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, where he shares
his love in composing and arranging with students from all over the world.
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