Review – “Rhythmus” by Ray Riendeau

Review – “Rhythmus” by Ray Riendeau

I never tire of hearing the music and rhythms from around the world. My Spanish heritage makes me particularly fond of the music from the Iberian Peninsula. I  recently discovered that I am not alone in my passion as bassist Ray Riendeau has recently produced his latest CD, “Rhythmus,” which presents his interpretation of this musical genre.

Spanish music is very much a product of many historical influences. The Spaniards, Moors, Gypsy’s and many other world travelers have left their marked contributions on this rich music.

In Rhythmus, Ray has captured the essence of this music with his solo bass and the traditional percussive elements you would find in Spain. The use of palms, cajon, hand drum, and other minor percussion set up the tempos. I was amazed to discover that the percussion and vox came from loops that Ray manipulated and/or created. He skillfully crafted them to add texture to the bass compositions.

Ray, who has always blown me away with his “Slap” abilities, (See his monthly articles in BMM) totally knocked me off my seat with this this CD.

This is what Ray shared about this project…

“This past year while composing these tracks I have been listening to a ton of percussionists and drummers from around the world for “Rhythmic” inspiration. I wanted the bass approach similar to that of a percussive instrument. Flamenco was a huge inspiration in particular, from guitar to dance.”

Ray’s playing is precise, dazzling and flawless. He applies his techniques in a fashion that is unexpected and very creative and he gets a superb sound out of his Zon Bass! All the tracks are Ray’s own compositions and accentuate the intimate relationship between Bass and percussion. I must point out that the percussion is spot-on on every track.

Let me share a couple of the video links of some of the tracks to whet your appetite!

“Rhythmus”

“Solo De Baixo”

Journey with Ray to Spain on a musical journey as he brings it to life; this is a must-hear for Bass enthusiasts!

Available on iTunes | Follow Ray on FB

Check out Ray’s  “Expanding the Slap Bass Vocabulary” articles in BassMusicianMagazine.com