Concert review: Biriba Union surprises Music at Manito audience with cohesive hip-hop style sounds

Among a calm Tuesday evening sunset, surrounded by the lush beauty of Manito Park, the sounds of the strings and a more unconventional trio rang through the gardens.

The program began with a trio consisting of guest violinist Helen Kim, pianist Greg Presley and Northwest BachFest’s Artistic Director Zuill Bailey.

I’ve been interviewing Bailey consistently , and it was great to finally get to see his incredibly intoxicating, passionate performance in person. From melodic, legato phrases to intense staccato, Bailey easily captured the emotional essence of every piece in a manner not only difficult to accomplish, but difficult to steer your eyes and ears away from as well.

This trio encompassed the beauty of what the piano, violin and cello can accomplish together, and was probably my personal highlight of the evening. My (much less proficient) orchestra career almost entirely consisted of a larger ensemble, and at least within my experience, it could be surprisingly difficult to get the full, verbose sound you want out of a trio like this. I can assure you, this is not at all the case with Kim, Presley and Bailey.

Each musician masterfully used their differences to their strengths and created a beautiful, sometimes melancholic, sometimes intense and sharp conversation. For anybody that has maybe only seen outright professionals in a multi-instrumental trio scenario – trust me, I’ve seen it done poorly time and time again. These three created a dynamic, fluid story that is difficult to top.

Kim also embodies what a true lead violinist should be, especially among the quintet of Spokane Symphony musicians. She takes the spotlight naturally and allures the audience, yes, but still manages to let her fellow violins do their job and add support in the back, creating some gorgeous, incredibly built-up moments. I must also mention just how good she is at using the usually uncomfortable and demanding upper positions on the E string. The tail end of the fingerboard can make or break you, but she controlled the highest portions of the instrument with undeniable timbre and intentional, powerful echoes.

I’m not entirely sure where to start with Biriba Union. I certainly cannot easily categorize them as they explore such a wide variety of sounds, which is perhaps the point.

The trio features electric guitar, beat boxing and electric bass keeping tempo, alongside cello and vocals. I must say each musician is extremely impressive in their own right and I’ve never seen anything quite like this before. Seeing such unique and individual aspects of music come together in this way is a treat in itself.

Each musician stands out and is easy for your ears to pinpoint if you so choose, but also manages to take these differences and create a remarkably cohesive sound. I am genuinely curious as to how this collection came to be, because I can only imagine how difficult it is to make this trio work.

I was probably most impressed by Christylez Bacon and his guitar and old-school beat boxing, hip-hop skills. I have a soft spot for a loop pedal. When Bacon was using it to keep the beat alive while telling a story with a 1980s and early ’90s hip-hop style, the cello almost acts like a surprising sample. It’s pretty impressive what the human voice can accomplish, and I am still in awe of his ability to manipulate it so perfectly.

I must also mention Mike Block, who not only straps the cello to his back to move around as he play, but is often simultaneously singing while doing so. I can only imagine the skill and hours of practice it takes to get to that level of comfortability.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about Biriba Union initially. Honestly, it took some warming up to, but I was thoroughly enjoying myself by the time I did get a grasp on this diverse and most definitely unique group.