Errol Rackipov is a composer, jazz musician and educator. His music is a blend of folk rhythms and motifs, European ("ECM-"type), and hip-hop acid jazz.

• Jazz vibraphonist, marimbist, and composer Errol Rackipov holds a Bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and a Master's degree from the University of Miami. Along with his band "Dream Hunter" Errol Rackipov has performed with Terence Blanchard, Bob Moses, Othello Molenaux, Herb Pomeroy and Kenny Werner. Currently, as a member of the Groove Culture collaboration he is active in the South Florida jazz club scene.

  
  

• He has recorded with Mike Orta in "Tower of Freedom" (with Paquito De Rivera and Gary Campbell) and Juan Pablo Torres in "Pepper Trombone" (with Paquito De Rivera and Arturo Sandoval).

  
  

• In 1996 his tune "Pictures from a train window" from the same title album won the "Jazziz" magazine "Percussionist on fire" competition.

  
  

• In 1998 The Percussive Arts Society published Errol Rackipov's article "Vibraphone Pedaling and Dampening", in the June Edition of Percussive Notes (Vol.36-3). Read the outline.
  
  

  Outline

  Most percussionists think of and treat the vibraphone as a marimba with a pedal. Unfortunately this understanding   comes from the lack of knowledge in this particular area of percussion instruments. Among all the percussion instruments probably the least attention is paid to the vibraphone. In a multiple percussion or an ensemble piece the vibraphone part is considered to be well performed as long as all the notes and dynamics are right. Students, even teachers tend to disregard some of the major assets of the vibraphone, pedaling and dampening. By proper use of these techniques the vibraphone can become one of the most expressive instruments. Usually, percussionists use the pedal to keep time with, by tapping on each beat, or to change the harmony, so that the notes do not blend but create a cluster of sound.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Errol Rackipov's pieces, arrangements and transcriptions are published by Errol Rackipov Publications
  
  

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  Currently Errol Rackipov teaches Jazz Vibraphone and Mallet instruments at University of Miami and Jazz Improvisation courses at Florida International University.

Dream Hunter Project

In jazz today, creative aspiring musicians are challenged by an industry that favors a small group of proven names, preserving a narrow stylistic convention. Despite this, there have been and will always be those who change the direction of a particular genre, pushing it into new unexplored territories. Such a group of musicians is DREAM HUNTER. This ensemble's identifiable sound is created by the blending of jazz, classical chamber music elements, and the Argentinian, Austrian, and Bulgarian folk music of its multinational members.

Description of Several Dream Hunter Pieces:
"Pictures From a Train Window" written by Errol Rackipov, shows the strong influence of Bulgarian folk music in its use of odd meters - see description below - as well as other folk motifs and modes-all contributing to the unique sound of the work. The first impression one receives upon listening to "Folk Dance" is the contrast in overall character within the other pieces. Its brisk and lively mood is also strongly influenced by Bulgarian folk music. Parts of the melody of Stoger's "Aeolian Tyrolian" are borrowed from "Laendler" an Austrian folk song from the rural areas of Upper Austria. Most significant is his use of modal harmonic colors and rhythm changes to create a mood that shifts between "dark-tense" and "bright-loose." The composition "Far Away From Here, Long Time Ago" is written in a style reminiscent of the Romantic period, yet expertly crafted within a contemporary arrangement.

Groove Culture Project

Both experimental and comfortably familiar, pensive and impulsive, the music of vibraphonist Errol Rackipov and trumpet player Jason Carder, originators of the "Groove Culture" project, resides somewhere on the boundaries of contemporary jazz. "Groove Culture" have molded folk motives from Eastern Europe and the Orient (among others), with acid, hip-hop, funk beats and more traditional grooves. The result: imaginative musical metaphors that are simultaneously easily appreciated by the ear and offer aesthetic sophistication to the mind. And equally important - they are communicated by the finest of instrumentalists.

In part, the appeal of "Groove Culture" is in the passion and spontaneity of their live performances. The combination of acoustic and electronic instruments leaves the audience curious and impressed. With their original performative techniques and story-like compositions "Groove Culture" always seem to keep the listeners attentive and involved, sparing them the trivialities of "packaged" smooth jazz and easy listening pieces.

The infusion of jazz with world music and modern-day popular styles is a stable trend, which "Groove Culture" representatively embody. With a stamp of authenticity.

Audio Samples
All audio samples are MP3 files.

www.myspace.com/rackipov


Dream Hunter Webpage


Contact Info

If you have any questions write to:




E-mail:rackipov@fiu.edu





Graphic by Ingela Jarlsson