We Were Talking - Mark DugganCanadian percussionist Mark Duggan has always explored the world of"world music" from African mbira to Indonesian gamelan to Brazilian samba. His global interests led to the 1994 release of"We Were Talking" with Mike Murley on saxophone and Bill Brennan on piano and percussion. This recording could come only from a city like Toronto where the music is as multi-cultural as the society itself. With a diversity of styles, approaches and instruments this CD artfully fuses elements of ancient and contemporary idioms using primarily the language of rhythm and texture. The compositions make references to a variety of"world music" traditions, such as the mbira of Zimbabwe (sometimes known as a thumb piano or kalimba) and the marimba music of Latin America, accompanied by a subtle use of electronics and a jazz-inspired vocabulary.The music has, however, a contemporary perspective reflecting the individual backgrounds and tastes of the musicians. They create a sound which travels back and forth across the lines demarcating contemporary jazz and world music with strong African and Latin flavors."Duggan finds the right sound for each piece....the music combines a wide variety of world music influences giving each of his pieces a distinct identity...." (Percussive Notes magazine)"Duggan's compositional interests and timely orchestral inventions keep things interesting."(Globe and Mail)"Duggan's composition revealed one of the most rewarding facets of the blending of various world musics, bringing together traditions from both the East and West in an engrossing, intriguing mixture that was spellbindingly original."(Aliant Entertainment)