On Friday, April 21st, we in Madison will be fortunate enough to take a musical journey together at Arts & Literature Laboratory. Those in attendance will exist in a space of time shared as one, with Karuna: Hamid Drake & Adam Rudolph. With their new Karuna duet Drake and Rudolph bring their unique and evolved rhythm languages to the fore, reaching to inspire any audience though spirited dialogue.
The name Karuna reflects their ongoing research into the connection of the inner life to musical expression and speaks to the idea of creative action as a gesture of compassion. To help get a sense of the show, I spent a little time with Hamid talking about what those in attendance could expect. We talked about the sounds, the spirit and the sharing that will take place, with percussion and human interaction being the vehicle that drives us to a place of one. Hamid explains the process as he and Adam, who have known one another since the age of 14, create a unique experience that is sure to open the mind’s doors. Both Hamid and Adam have worked with some incredible forces in the scene, from shared time with Don Cherry and Pharoah Sanders to Bill Laswell, Yusef Lateef and Omar Sosa. These two innovators find the pulse of music from all lands, wide and far and translate those into a language that shines down into and onto the listeners. I am thankful to call both these creators friends and am pleased to bring you some of Hamid’s word straight from him. 
Karuna, the new duet of percussionists Hamid Drake and Adam Rudolph, performs at Arts + Literature Laboratory on Friday, April 21, 2017 at 9 pm. This event is sponsored by 89.9FM WORT.
