Years ago, the study of percussion led Bill Summers to a particular ceremony in Brooklyn, where he was introduced to the rich history of religious, spiritual drumming by vocalist Leon Thomas. The path led him to Cuba, where he studied with a venerated master, immersed in a spiritual drum fraternity (Anya) that took him all the way back. He innately recognized the origin, the source, the foundation of all rhythm.
Learning the history of Bata in this deep way has been a 50-year process for Summers. All through his illustrious career with Herbie Hancock, The Headhunters, Los Hombres Calientes, and countless top names in music from Sonny Rollins and Ella Fitzgerald to Quincy Jones and Patrice Rushen, he has, with his longtime friend Scott Roberts (a/k/a One Drop Scott), sought for a way to blend spiritual music with the sounds of the modern western world.
His latest project, Yellow Flowers, is from the group he calls Forward Back. Summers and Roberts create music with a purpose, to, as he says, take the world on a journey BACK into traditional instruments to move the culture FORWARD by unearthing the rhythmic relationship between Africa, the Caribbean, and America.
The Forward Back concept is built on the back of African tradition: Summers plays three drums (bata), representing Father, Mother, and Child on each track. With the foundation in place, Summers and One Drop Scott were inspired to collaborate with music duo Cruzmatik and solo vocalist Simoné Mosley to cultivate not only a musical group but a family of artists who authentically make music influenced by their life experiences. Cruzmatic is Reggie Stephens a.k.a. Reggae Steel Bon, a former NFL player, rap artist, and producer, and J-Willz is a Rock & Reggae singer and a filmmaker. The duo brings a fresh, current sound to the recording, rooted in its own way to their community. Simoné Mosley is a Bay Area native who strives to combine her sultry voice, poetic insight, and life experience to bring healing and a sense of culture into the realm of self-reflection.
As we spoke, Summers became clearly excited about Forward Back, in which he melds his percussive tradition with hip-hop, funk and soul. Podcast 885 is the first of a two-part conversation, as we follow his path with Bata, and discuss the making of Yellow Flowers. Musical selections from the EP on the Ropeadope label include the title track, and "Buttafly", which adds funk legend George Clinton to the mix.
