January 25, 2002

One-man band rocks at CSUS

Todd Green has conquered the baglama. And he's learned the quirks of the yali tambur, cumbus, sarangi, surpeti, gopichad and kamenchech. It sounds like a grocery list of exotic vegetables - but it's just a few of the amazing collection of musical instruments Green plays in concert.

Green, a world music multi-instrumentalist, will give a free concert at California State University, Sacramento at noon, Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the University Union Hinde Auditorium.

Green studied music with Pat Metheny, George Benson and other noted musicians from Boston to New York City. He brings up to 50 instruments to a show, mainly strings, flutes and percussion from all parts of the globe.

During performances Green uses a pedal-operated sampling machine. Before the eyes of the audience, he will record, for example, a 16-beat riff on his Moroccan bongo drums. The sampling machine will then repeatedly play the riff back as he adds other instruments to the recording, finally building up to a guitar or flute solo. In this way, Green is able to give a very sophisticated performance all by himself, without the use of prerecorded materials. He is able to engineer something much like the old-fashioned notion of the "one man band," except, as Green himself says, without the awkward cymbals between his knees.

For more information about the concert call (916) 278-6997. Media assistance is available by contacting CSUS public affairs at (916) 278-6156.

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For further information send E-Mail to infodesk@csus.edu or contact
Public Affairs (916) 278-6156.   
 
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