Ruby Solly: Poneke (digital outlets)

Now this is interesting, a blend of traditional and contemporary sounds.

Ruby Solly is a composer and writer, and a performer on taonga puoro and cello who has worked with Trinity Roots, Al Fraser, Whirimako Black, the New Zealand String Ensemble and in the Bach Project with Yo-Yo Ma.

Lot of fine credentials there, and she brings a keen sense of understatement and an ear for the evocative on these 11 pieces.

As she tells it, she played and recorded the traditional Maori instruments in various locations around Wellington then back in the studio considered them and how they reflected the different places before adding sympathetic cello parts to support the different histories and emotions of the sites.

These spacious and measured pieces certainly conjure up place and atmosphere so it no suprise that a series of short videos with poems by Solly are being developed to accompany each.

As with most albums of taonga puoro, the more quiet time you spend with this the deeper it becomes.

You can hear and purchase this album at bandcamp here.