Ring: Bergamo solo percussion works

I first encountered Bergamo’s music as an undergraduate studying percussion at CSU Sacramento with Daniel Kennedy in 1998. Kennedy studied with Bergamo at the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) some years before and shared many inspiring stories of being around Bergamo and engaging in his exciting multi-faceted percussion program. I studied percussion with Bergamo’s enlightening Style Studies book (1969) and performed ensemble pieces: Piru Bole (1974), Shradanjali (circa 1980), The Grand Ambulations of Bb Zombies (1987), Foreign Objects (1975); and solo pieces Four Pieces for Timpani (1961) and Three Pieces for a Winter Solstice (1960). I was drawn to Bergamo’s compositional use of extended techniques and his own pioneering use of hand drumming, as evidenced by his recordings and performances. Bergamo seemed to approach music in a uniquely collaborative and trans-genre manner, which was contrary to many of the musicians I was aware of at the time, who were specialists in one area or another. I eventually met Bergamo in 1999 and was further drawn to his ability to connect with young students and demonstrate how musicking can (should!) be both fun and serious at the same time.

My exposure to Bergamo’s work while a student at CSUS with Kennedy was crucial in my decision to pursue advanced training with North Indian tabla guru Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music during my summers living in Sacramento. Bergamo’s work also inspired my journey to South India to study kanjira with T.H. Vikku Vinayakram in 2000 and again in 2001 as a Fulbright Scholar to study mridangam with T.H. Subash Chandran. I attended Cal Arts as a post-graduate student in 2002 to further my study with Bergamo and Chaudhuri and to immerse myself in the stimulating environment—which at the time actively encouraged explorations in World Music and trans-disciplinary work. I studied with Bergamo, as well as some of his senior students, Randy Gloss and David Johnson. Bergamo was always extremely generous with his knowledge, time, and care for my own path as a young musician. He encouraged me to assert myself more in my musical pursuit and to have respect and curiosity about music traditions and people from around the world. He became one of my musical heroes: someone whose creativity and musical skills seemed endless but who remained humble, open-minded, and infinitely genuine.

Justin DeHart

All tracks performed, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Justin DeHart except for track #12. In track #12, the solo (player part 5) was recorded by Adam Borecki. The accompanying “tape” part (which includes player parts 1-4) appears with permission from CMP records and was multi-tracked by John Bergamo in 1986, recorded by Walter Quintus, and produced by Kurt Renker, Walter Quintus and Mark Nauseef.

Design by UnkleFranc
Printing by Studio Q

This album is dedicated to Daniel Kennedy, who introduced me to Bergamo, and whose early mentorship broadened my concept of musicking and helped solidify my interest in pursuing a life in music.

This music was made in Aotearoa/New Zealand