Tango al Maabor ("Memories of Home") was composed by Elie Kallab written with sadness, despite the presence of some joyful phrases, and reflects beautiful moments that were experienced by the composer and etched in his memory for several years.
Al Maabor is the neighbourhood in which the composer grew up, hence the title. The period of composing this piece coincided with the evacuation and leaving the neighbourhood, which meant the end of an era of profound experiences that turned into indelible memories.


Featuring Rasa Mahmoudian and Jennifer Leckie, violins; Tom Clowes, cello, Wilfred Farquharson, viola; Aidan Kranz, cinematography; and Ryan MacDonald, sound. Crossing Borders Music thanks Second Unitarian Church for the use of their space.

Tango Al Maaboor ( Memories Of Home )

Chrysalide Devient Papillon (Chrysalis Becomes Butterfly)

The world premiere recording of Haitian composer Jean "Rudy" Perrault's String Quartet #2: "Zombie: Origin and Evolution" and string quartets by Haitian composer Sabrina C D Jean Louis.

Sabrina C D Jean Louis - String Quartet #2 "Zombie: Origin and Evolution"

Crossing Borders Music

Chrysalide Devient Papillon (Chrysalis Becomes Butterfly)

Chrysalide Devient Papillon  (Chrysalis Becomes Butterfly)

From the Crossing Borders Music performance of "Composers with Disabilities and Momenta Dance!", the world premiere performance of "Consolation of Persephone," with choreography by Connor Cornelius and music by Karen Brown.

This performance features dancers Hanna Freidheim and Hana Freidheim Javed, with violinists Jennifer Leckie and Caroline Jesalva, violist Hanna Pederson, cellist Tom Clowes, and cinematography by Bob Kucera and audio engineering by Ryan MacDonald.

Consolation Of Persephone

Consolation Of Persephone - "Composers with Disabilities and Momenta Dance!"

The world premiere recording of Haitian composer Jean "Rudy" Perrault's String Quartet #2: "Zombie: Origin and Evolution" and string quartets by Haitian composer Sabrina C D Jean Louis.

Sabrina C D Jean Louis - String Quartet #2 "Zombie: Origin and Evolution"

Crossing Borders Music 

Recorded at IV Lab Studios

℗© 2016 Crossing Borders Music

Joyful City

Haitian American composer Jean “Rudy” Perrault tells the particular story of becoming a zonbi and the universal story of fighting to keep one's humanity in his String Quartet #2 “Zombie: Origin and Evolution.” In this fifth movement of the work, Rudy depicts “zombies”: people who have lost all their will, all their humanity, and now can only faintly hum.

V. Koral Zonbi (Zombie Chorale)

l'Odeur du Cafe (The Smell of Coffee)

The world premiere recording of Haitian composer Jean "Rudy" Perrault's String Quartet #2: "Zombie: Origin and Evolution" and string quartets by Haitian composer Sabrina C D Jean Louis.

Sabrina C D Jean Louis - String Quartet #2 "Zombie: Origin and Evolution"

Crossing Borders Music 

Recorded at IV Lab Studios

℗© 2016 Crossing Borders Music

l'Odeur du Cafe (The Smell of Coffee)

របាំនេសាទ| Ne Saht ("Fishing Dance") is uplifting music celebrating the catching of fish by fishermen. There is a Cambodian saying “មានទឹកមានត្រី” (“"Mien Teuk; Mien Trei") meaning “Where there’s water, there’s fish.” For Cambodians fishing can evoke memories of going fishing in Cambodia long ago. Cambodian cuisine uses a lot of fish, including the national dish ប្រហុក (“prahok,” or fermented fish). We hope this song brings you joy.

This performance is dedicated to the strength, legacy, and resilience of three remarkable women: Celina Chin, Pich Houy, and Saroth Loeuk. 

     - Adapted from comments by Punisa Pov

Featuring Punisa Pov, roneat ak; Rasa Mahmoudian and Jennifer Leckie, violins; Seth Pae, viola; Tom Clowes, cello; Aidan Kranz, videography; and Miyu Morita, sound. Arranged by Rasa Mahmoudian.

របាំនេសាទ| Ne Saht ("Fishing Dance")

របាំនេសាទ| Ne Saht ("Fishing Dance") - Traditional Khmer, arr. Rasa Mahmoudian

Ogou Wa dè Zanj was commissioned in 2021 by Crossing Borders Music in honor of the election of the first Black woman and first openly LGBT mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot.

Coffy explains, “This piece that I wrote, Ogou Wa dè Zanj, translates as ‘Ogou, King of the Angels.’ It’s really a piece about who Ogou actually is. There’s a confusion that Ogou is only a warrior, but in reality Ogou is a protector: protector of the family, and protector of children. Ogou said, ‘Even if you are at war, you and I, if I meet your children in any place, I am to protect your children. The children are innocent. So Ogou is the ultimate protector, king of the angels.’”

Featuring Jean Paul Coffy, piano; Jennifer Leckie and Rasa Mahmoudian, violins; Seth Pae, viola; Tom Clowes, cello; Rachel Breitenstein

Ogou Wa dè Zanj

Ogou Wa dè Zanj by Jean Paul Coffy

Haitian American composer Jean “Rudy” Perrault tells the particular story of becoming a zonbi and the universal story of fighting to keep one's humanity in his String Quartet #2 “Zombie: Origin and Evolution.” This is the eighth and final movement of the work, depicting the closing of Papa Legba's gate to the spiritual world. The movement ends with a note of ambiguity, as if
questioning whether freedom has been attained. After all, the Rudy points out, modern-day zombies aren't Haitian; they're universal, and they're all around us: “people doing mindless tasks for hours on end, clocking-in to ‘soul-sucking’ jobs just to collect a paycheck, blindly following orders, or falling into step with a mob mentality…”

The “Zombie: Origin and Evolution” Project was an inter-cultural exploration of the “zombie” through film, visual art, music, and dance. Becoming a zonbi, or slave laborer, is the ultimate punishment in Haiti, a country founded on a slave revolution and intensely proud of its freedom. Justifying American imperialism, Hollywood transformed the zonbi into horrifying, flesh-eating, undead “zombies,” just as traditional Haitian religion became evil witch doctors sticking pins in “voodoo dolls.” Crossing Borders Music thanks especially our long-time partner the Haitian American Museum of Chicago-HAMOC for its collaboration on this project. This Crossing Borders Music commissioned this work and made this world premiere recording as a part of the project. The project was supported in part by a generous grant from The Chicago Community Trust. 

Rudy Perrault is a violinist, composer, conductor, and Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is also the founder of The KAKO Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing art education to children and youth of Haiti and the United States; to provide an outlet for their creativity, enabling them to achieve their full potential. Learn more at www.kakofoundation.com.

℗© 2016 Crossing Borders Music

VIII. Papa Legba: Fèmen Baryè'a (Papa Legba: Close the Gate)

Haitian American composer Jean “Rudy” Perrault tells the particular story of becoming a zonbi and the universal story of fighting to keep one's humanity in his String Quartet #2 “Zombie: Origin and Evolution.” In this fourth movement of the work, Rudy depicts someone intoning a prayer to God the Father and the analogous Vodou spirit Danballah before growing angry and finally losing all will.

The “Zombie: Origin and Evolution” Project was an inter-cultural exploration of the “zombie” through film, visual art, music, and dance. Becoming a zonbi, or slave laborer, is the ultimate punishment in Haiti, a country founded on a slave revolution and intensely proud of its freedom. Justifying American imperialism, Hollywood transformed the zonbi into horrifying, flesh-eating, undead “zombies,” just as traditional Haitian religion became evil witch doctors sticking pins in “voodoo dolls.” Crossing Borders Music thanks especially our long-time partner the Haitian American Museum of Chicago-HAMOC for its collaboration on this project. This Crossing Borders Music commissioned this work and made this world premiere recording as a part of the project. The project was supported in part by a generous grant from The Chicago Community Trust. 

Rudy Perrault is a violinist, composer, conductor, and Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is also the founder of The KAKO Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing art education to children and youth of Haiti and the United States; to provide an outlet for their creativity, enabling them to achieve their full potential. Learn more at www.kakofoundation.com.

IV. Papa Nou: Pryè (Our Father: Prayer)

Haitian American composer Jean “Rudy” Perrault tells the particular story of becoming a zonbi and the universal story of fighting to keep one's humanity in his String Quartet #2 “Zombie: Origin and Evolution.” In this third movement of the work, Rudy depicts the bitterness of having one’s free will taken away. The movement continues seamlessly into the following movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRivyV-9MuY

The “Zombie: Origin and Evolution” Project was an inter-cultural exploration of the “zombie” through film, visual art, music, and dance. Becoming a zonbi, or slave laborer, is the ultimate punishment in Haiti, a country founded on a slave revolution and intensely proud of its freedom. Justifying American imperialism, Hollywood transformed the zonbi into horrifying, flesh-eating, undead “zombies,” just as traditional Haitian religion became evil witch doctors sticking pins in “voodoo dolls.” Crossing Borders Music thanks especially our long-time partner the Haitian American Museum of Chicago-HAMOC for its collaboration on this project. This Crossing Borders Music commissioned this work and made this world premiere recording as a part of the project. The project was supported in part by a generous grant from The Chicago Community Trust. 

Rudy Perrault is a violinist, composer, conductor, and Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is also the founder of The KAKO Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing art education to children and youth of Haiti and the United States; to provide an outlet for their creativity, enabling them to achieve their full potential. Learn more at www.kakofoundation.com.

Tango Al Maaboor ( Memories Of Home )

CrossingBordersMusic

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