The 1995/96 concert season was the twenty-fifth year of performances together for the five members of NEXUS. In the early years of the group’s existence, concerts consisted almost entirely of improvisations on percussion instruments collected by the individual members of NEXUS. Many of these instruments were from non-Western musical cultures and were not associated with the classical and popular music already familiar to the conservatory-trained percussionists. The instruments were mostly bells, and gongs of Asian origin, although there were wooden instruments, drums, and various home-made percussion instruments, and they invariably sounded pitches that fell in-between the notes of the European tempered scale system. Since there were no existing compositions for this unusual collection of instruments, the music was created in spontaneous improvisations, with no advance planning at all. Spontaneity has always been a major part of NEXUS’ approach to performing its repertoire, and improvised pieces, such as Kichari, Reunion, and Tocatta were featured in the NEXUS anniversary season programs. In these pieces, the listener will find the musical heart of NEXUS. Eric Robertson, the Toronto-based virtuoso organist, joins NEXUS in Toccata for some serious improvised fun.

– Bill Cahn

1. Kichari

2. Tongues

3. Reunion

4. Toccata