By Kate Wenrich //
On September 19, Swarthmore hosted its first performance in the Friday at Six concert series. Initiated by Visiting Assistant Professor Quinn Collins, the series aims to spotlight contemporary music and inspire musical experimentation among Swarthmore’s students and community members. The opening performance, located in the Lang Music Concert Hall, featured performer and composer Leila Adu alongside her trio.
Armed with a PhD in composition from Princeton University and a wealth of stories to tell, Leila Adu writes heartfelt music that resonates both sonically and narratively. John Schaefer of WNYC has described her voice as “velvety [and] soulful,” and I have to agree. Throughout the performance, Adu’s vocals were emotionally rich and on-point. It was a pleasure to witness the trio’s euphony, with Adu on piano, Spencer Murphey on bass, and David Frazier on drums. Their style fused pop and jazz instrumentation with Adu’s singer-songwriter lyricism, resulting in an innovative and compelling sound.
Although the spotlight was generally on Adu, with her being the vocalist, I often found my attention drifting towards Frazier’s drumming. His kit included a standard drum set with the addition of an electronic drum pad, some cymbals, and a few smaller percussion instruments. He frequently switched drumsticks to change the sound and feel of each piece. In some songs, he scraped a stick across a cymbal to produce a creaking, almost whining tone. The electronic drum pad was used as an emphasis to the snare, and whenever I heard it, my attention would crawl back to Frazier. His drumming was skillful and tight, adding a dynamic edge that made the performance consistently engaging.
In contrast to Frazier’s dynamic drumming, I tended to overlook Murphey’s bass playing. The bass instrumentation in many songs often had him droning on the same note or playing a simple baseline. However, I made sure to watch for the moments when Murphey’s fingers moved more swiftly along the fingerboard. Then, tuning into the low frequency of the bass, I would be rewarded with an intricate pattern that reinforced the rest of the ensemble. It was also a joy to watch Murphey smile at Adu and Frazier mid-performance, his expressions drawing both his bandmates and the audience more deeply into the music.
The concert primarily exhibited songs from Adu’s most recent album, Moonstone & Tar Sands, although a few additional pieces were performed as well. One of these songs was “Asylums for the Feeling,” which fans of the award-winning video game Death Stranding might recognize from its soundtrack. Adu made a point to promote her new album during the show, which prompted me to listen to it in the days following the concert. The record prominently features the PUBLIQuartet and Adu’s trio. Some stand-out tracks include “Moonstone,” “Life Matters,” “Negative Space,” “Snakepit,” and “Tar Sands.” Her lyricism continues to impress throughout, and the quartet adds a rich depth that the live show only hinted at. I highly recommend giving the album a listen, especially if any part of the performance or description here sparked your interest.
This was a fantastic kickoff to Swarthmore’s Friday at Six concert series. It was an incredibly enjoyable performance to attend, and I’m already looking forward to the upcoming free show on January 30. I hope to see you there!
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