1 Giant Leap

artist: Miscellaneous
track: Daphne (Time)
recording: 1 Giant Leap (2002)

audio
www.goyo.net/musicaluni/1gl-d.mp3

video (please select one)
www.goyo.net/musicaluni/1gl-d.mp4 (mac/windows)
www.goyo.net/musicaluni/1gl-d.wmv (windows)

recording/film notes
What an extraordinary concept — producer/director/composers Duncan Bridgeman and Jamie Catto embarking on a journey through Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, India, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, America and Europe, equipped solely with a digital video camera, a laptop and a vision — to create a fusion of spoken word, sound and image that explores “The Unity in the Diversity”.

The result of this astounding effort, 1 Giant Leap, is a masterwork. Thousands of fragments — spoken words, melodic phrases, harmonic textures, rhythmic patterns and tonal colors — are woven into exquisite sonic and visual quilts without violating the sacredness and intention of each source element and indigenous style. Evidently every effort was made to encounter each artist, author, scientist and philosopher in or near their home. This intimacy is definitely experienced in the outcome, and 1 Giant Leap endures as a mindful celebration of human expression, spirit and unity.

track notes
Daphne (the DVD Time vignette) is a marvelous track, simply beyond words — best to allow the music to speak for itself. Contributors include the following (in rough order of appearance):

• Kurt Vonnegut (New York, USA) – spoken word
• Ronu Majumdar (Mumbai, India) – flute
• Ayub Ogada (Kenya, Africa) – nyatiti (harp-like instrument)
• Bahman Mobayen/Ahmed Mohammed/Abdullah Chhady (Turkey) – percussion
• Richard Carter (Johannesburg, South Africa) – percussion
• Duncan Bridgeman – guitars, bass, keyboards, programming
• Robin Jeffrey (UK) – oud
• Mahotella Queens (Johannesburg, South Africa) – vocals
• Pops Mohammed (Johannesburg, South Africa) – vocals, ocarina
• Eddi Reader (London, UK) – vocals
• Yeye (Kokrobite, Ghana) – vocals
• Sanjay Kumar Verma (Varanasi, India) – Indian classical guitar
• Revetti Sakalkar (Varanasi, India) – vocals

Daphne peaks at 4:42, followed by two minutes of sheer bliss. First Pops with his shamanic scat, followed by Yeye’s in-the-pocket riff, and finally Revetti and her soaring, angelic voice. Get on your feet and MOVE — it’s absolutely irresistible.

Speakers on the video clip include (in order of appearance):

• Stuart Brand (San Francisco, USA)
• Rabbi Kantor (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Brian Eno (London, UK)
• Zebulon Dread (Johannesburg, South Africa)
• Jerry Sadowitz (London, UK)
• Kurt Vonnegut (New York, USA)
• Baaba Maal (Dakar, Senegal)
• Dennis Hopper (Los Angeles, USA)

Visit www.1giantleap.tv for more information and to purchase the album and DVD (which is extra juicy); also check out the teaser for the long-anticipated sequel at www.1gl19.com — it’s due out in 2007.

The back cover reads “70% Water + 18% Carbon + 5% Nitrogen + 2% Calcium = 1 Giant Leap” (the purported chemical composition of the human body). I am currently contemplating the remaining 5%; to quote Dennis Hopper, “…we are a miracle, we are all living in a miracle…”