Ensemble Duniya album, "Time's Arc," reviewed in Percussive Notes

Ensemble Duniya, a percussion group whose members include BGSU Percussion Faculty members Dan Piccolo and Jonathan Ovalle, released their album "Time's Arc" in 2024. It was recently reviewed in Percussive Notes magazine. 

Time’s Arc
Ensemble Duniya
Self-Released

Time’s Arc, the debut album of works performed by Ensemble Duniya, contains three pieces that feature a non-Western percussion soloist accompanied by a Western percussion ensemble, as well as “Duniya,” which was written by the members of the ensemble: Anthony Di Sanza, Shawn Mativetsky, Neeraj Mehta, Jonathan Ovalle, and Dan Piccolo. The performances are staggeringly good. The opening work, “Duniya,” features solos from all members on non-traditional instruments. To say this performance is “in the pocket” does not do it justice. Everything is so tight from groove to solo, through metric modulations, one can’t help but marvel at how in their own element the players are. The slow opening of “Time’s Arc: Second Concerto for Darabukka,” written by Di Sanza, features a haunting and beautiful slide-whistle melody. I was completely drawn in. Di Sanza’s darabukka performance is masterful and one I will listen to again and again. The third track, “4th Concerto for Tabla and Percussion Quartet,” by Payton MacDonald, is a mesmerizing performance by both the soloist and ensemble. Throughout its 10!-minute duration the piece builds to an explosive conclusion that features the skill and expertise of soloist Mativetsky. The final work is “Ritual (I. ritual, II. prayer, III. celebration)” by Jonathan Ovalle, featuring an explosive performance by Mehta on congas and bata. The composition itself reminds me of the works of Christopher Rouse or even Dave Hollinden. The energy Mehta puts into the solo part is as good (if not better than) any recorded master conga player, and the bata playing is a treat to hear in this context. Time’s Arc is a triumph. I cannot imagine the performance being of any higher quality. In a time where Artificial Intelligence floods our lives with inhuman slop, this album represents the antithesis of that. It is exciting, it is creative, and it is human.