Ken Serio: Drumspeak

On "Part II, Serio uses an electric-slide guitar for a textural effect amid clashing cymbals and a heartbeat pulse, all spiced with an ethereal backwash of multihued sounds. Then on "Part III, the artist employs hand drums, bells, shakers, and perhaps some MIDI-based processing effects to instill a sense of cosmic travel. But he pulls out the proverbial stops on "Part IV, where his East Indian raga groove segues into a blitzing, mischievously, maniacal and polyrhythmic drum solo.

Serio's jazz and jazz-fusion chops are shrewdly counterbalanced on this most compelling effort. You don't need to be a drummer to comprehend and enjoy the musicality he communicates during his four-part panorama, that parallels the rhythm of life. Unlike many of his peers who venture into these lone forays, Serio projects a complementary balance among innumerable factors and practices. Moreover, the artist provides a mini-clinic for aspiring percussionists. Hopefully this gem of a record won't go unnoticed.

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