PRESS
"There's really nothing like it, these gentlemen know about music from all over the world and they're embracing different cultures and let the instruments speak to them, how they want to be played and make these EXPERIENCES, it's not even music it's an EXPERIENCE, sometimes you don't even hear it, you just feel it. This is magical stuff ….............. " GLOBAL VILLAGE KPFK "an innovative, eclectic, and intimate navigation and exploration of rarely charted musical waters, sharing a profound reverence and appreciation for deep musical traditions while enjoying the fruits of an open-minded a nd remarkable musical chemistry. " OPEN GATE THEATER "Garcia and Rajchenberg are a multi cultural musical match. The evenings program will feature modern compositions the duo have written that give their ancient instruments new life. Their set transcends time.... " DEUTSCHE WELL "Combining elements of indigenous music of Mexico, South America and India into a contemporary language, Jxel Rajchenberg and Christopher Garcia take their audience on an unchartered journey. With a musical vocabulary that spans centuries and cultures and a deep respect for tradition, they spontaneously bring the voices of their ancient instruments into modern times." HARRISON HOUSE "The fascinating musical duo, MEXCLA MUSIC create an atmospheric sound world through an unusual combination of guitars and percussion instruments. In a visually spectacular performance, the music evokes primal sounds such as the heartbeat mixed with indigenous melodic materials, a wide range of percussive sounds (forceful, scary, bell-like), delicate harmonics and a mix of brilliant rhythmic guitar strokes. Christopher Garcia and Jeronimo Jxel Rajchenberg include a musical bow and duo ocarinas producing an entire orchestra of unique sound." CLAIRE RYDELL, MUSICAL DIRECTOR St. James Presbyterian Springtime Concert Series "the music these two gentleman create is organic, while at the same time being virtuosic, and compelling on many different levels. Garcia and Rajchenberg continue to draw on a number of musical AND cultural traditions in a seamless manner as each member shares a deep history of traveling, composing and performing with musicians from various cultures ……….. MEXCLA's performances and interactions are virtuosic, to say the least, and both seem to be able to have their instruments take on different responsibilities throughout their performance - rhythm, melody and harmonic roles are tossed back and forth without letting you become aware that this is what they are doing. Is it MAGIC? Or is it MUSIC? Or is it both as has been claimed by KPFK's Global Village John Schneider. Many years ago these terms where interchangeable, and MEXCLA MUSIC takes us back to a time and place within ourselves utilizing instruments of various cultures in an organic way to remind us of who and what we once were before radio, television, cassettes, vcrs, dvds, mp3s became our entertainment. When the only soundtrack to our lives was our own heartbeat, breath and the songs our mothers and elders sang to us as children. If you have not made an opportunity to experience this, you should!" LATINOLA.COM "Christopher Garcia and Jeronimo Rajchenberg. Fascinating Music and fascinating instruments to say the least. This is gorgeous, these amazing indigenous musical instruments from Meso America, Mexico and all over the world. Truly a world music experience and Chris that is always what you bring to the music that you bring together. This is just extraordinary. Truly a cosmic experience." KPFK "While he has devoted much of his life to learning indigenous music Garcia also revels in playing the new and unexpected…..Garcia's musical vocabulary not only spans centuries and cultures it's also spontaneous." DEUTSCHE WELL “Garcia is a most uncommon percussionist ....known for precise execution of difficult time signatures at blazing tempos; a hand percussionist with a deep background in Indian and Latin American music. No mere timekeeper, he always seems to elevate whatever musical situation he finds himself in." PASADENA WEEKLY "He's amazing to see, talk about having a split personality, it's funny because his fingers are flying, and he has all of the syllables available and he's holding a stick with his right hand, a shaker with his toes, and hitting bells and cymbals and all sorts of things all at the same time." KPFK GLOBAL VILLAGE "Garcia's compositions reflect a lifelong pursuit to put himself in the most creative musical situations possible with percussion and breath instruments he has learned along with performance practices, musical vernaculars, sounds and music which he has been immersed in since 1979 to the present. Gleaned thru rehearsals, performances, compositions and research, and sitting across from learning and/or playing alongside great musicians from various musical cultures (he has over 1200 performance in 29 countries on 5 continents). His music resonates organically, and never seems contrived or slapped together as he draws from the rich color of sounds at his disposal, and where and how he chooses to place the silences within and around his compositions and performances. His music has a rhythmic complexity that propels and co exists with memorable melodies that tie the pieces together - combining and extending traditions, his is a unique voice in the tradition of composer/performer/improviser with instruments not generally associated with the instruments of the western "classical world". " LATINO LA "Percussionist Chris Garcia nearly stole the show beating on the cajon with a bare ankle, slapping cymbals with his hands, sending chipped bits of his mallets flying into the air, and even using his body as a percussion instrument." SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE “Christopher Garcia is one of those musicians who always seems to be on stage when amazing things are happening... he's played with a jaw-dropping who's who of musical luminaries....although he's a phenomenal drummer, he may be best known as a master of Vedic percussion techniques and, specifically, the tabla.” LONG BEACH POST |