Ponguru is the Maori word meaning "sonorous, resonant, deep-toned, gruff". With this coupling having the large soundbox of the bass string instrument played by a jazz wizard there is no doubt about depth of tone in the 12 "duet" works on this disc. The lively contribution, strange or soothing to our ears, comes from Fraser playing the taonga puoro — the collective name for traditional Maori musical instruments that are seen as children of the families of gods who brought them into being.
Here we have the many voices of them in devotion or at play. Traditionally, a koauau (flute) can be used to summon spirits for healing, or to make people laugh.
As well as various types of breathy flutes in these compositions we hear the voices of the conch shell trumpet, the whirl of the bull-roarer and various percussive sounds taking us into a strange world of sometimes wild and primitive sounds, but then with the noise of nature and bird sounds that sweeten the mix and the double bass tones giving the recital a sure foundation.
This is proclaimed as an "exploration of timbre, space, melody and our shared musical language".
The pieces are all brief, apart from the four-part Putorino.
The brevity makes them sound rather like the soundtrack and effects of a film — with scenes of various action and places — but it is a shared musical language from two different cultural landscapes. Great to see enthusiastic musicians reviving ancient sounds of Maori heritage in a new and interesting way.
Verdict: Exploration of new (but ancient) sounds!
