Super Marimba is the nexus point of all of my artistic activities. Here I combine my study of tabla drumming, Western classical composition, and Jazz improvisation. All of my Super Marimba compositions are notated, but the pieces include improvisation. Sometimes the improvisation is free and spontaneous, but more often it is of a unique sort that I have developed over the past couple years, based on the kaida/palta theme and variation processes used in tabla drumming.

These are especially interesting because they allow me to develop an endless melodic stream that never repeats and recontexualizes into multiple rhythmic layers, effectively presenting several different rhythmic cycles simultaneously. These improvisational processes are quite structured, but if handled well are never predictable and can result in the most curious and fresh harmonies when played on a Western instrument like marimba. After developing these ideas in the past year as a marimba soloist, I'm now beginning to explore ways that they can be transferred to large ensembles and understood without my presence.

To get on the Super Marimba mailing list please e-mail me at info [at] paytonmacdonald [dot] com .