THE word kaleidoscope conjures images of a colourful, magical world — one that captivates visitors and leaves them with unforgettable memories of pure entertainment.
Hands Percussion's 'Kaleidoscope' does exactly that. Rather than inviting audiences into a fantasy world, it brought three hours of pure musical joy packed with incredible diversity.
Now in its eighth season, 'Kaleidoscope VIII' Infinite Beats saw drummers and percussionists from five nations gather at the new Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC) in Bandar Sunway.
Running over the first four days of October, the festival featured workshops, drum circles, and an international symposium. It was jointly presented by Hands and JCPAC, bringing together talented artistes from Malaysia, Japan, Venezuela, Cuba, and the United States.
The line-up featured host troupe Hands — with both its Hands 1 and Hands 2 ensembles — alongside Seppuku Pistols (Japan), La Tribu (Venezuela), Juan Carlos Allende (Cuba), percussion master Steve Thornton (US), Akademi Seni Putera Selangor (PASEPS), and The Pulse Quartet from The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia (TOFA).
Hands founder and artistic director Bernard Goh described the showcase as "Chinese drums, Japanese festival percussion, Afro-Latin rhythm, Malay kompang and Indian classical percussion on one stage".
Each evening opened with a performance by a 24 Festive Drums troupe — featuring Kwang Hua Private High School, Chung Hua High School Seremban, SJK(C) Bukit Tinggi Bentong, and Yuebeatz — placing this homegrown art form firmly at the top of the bill.
NEW WORKS
The festival marked the world premiere of three brand-new compositions written by Hands' own composers: 'Infinite' by Tan Zhe Hao (performed by Hands 1), alongside 'The Flow' by Tee Leong Hoe and 'Taboo' by Khoo Nii Hing and Lim Wei Ying (both performed by Hands 2).
Tan described his piece as building a world that has never existed, adding that what fascinated him most was not knowing what it would become.
For Lim, her work was about finding oneself alive and thriving; the performers sharing it for the first time felt it spoke directly to them.
Khoo's piece reflected on the many taboos he grew up with, explaining that his composition showed how those boundaries were no longer constraints, but choices made.
Meanwhile, Tee's work carried a gentle message: not everyone moves at the same pace, and many of us need time to settle down and simply be ourselves.
RHYTHMIC MASTERY
The Pulse Quartet proved to be a powerhouse ensemble from TOFA.
The four dedicated artistes delivered a riveting exploration of classical Indian rhythms and spontaneous musical dialogue.
Their 12-minute performance showcased intricate time cycles, blending traditional structures with high-energy improvisation. Creating a rich tapestry of sound, each performer brought a distinct voice to the stage.
Darmen Krishnan drove the deep bass and complex syncopations of the mridangam, while Prakash Kandasamy delivered rapid, resonant tonal notes on the tabla.
Bharat Sai added sharp, fast-paced accents on the kanjeera frame drum, and Raja Segaran Ramasamy wove hypnotic, metallic textures and rhythmic breathing patterns on the morsing (Indian jaw harp).
Together, they transformed ancient rhythms into modern beats, highlighting the dynamic interplay between Northern and Southern Indian percussion traditions.
NEW YORK STYLE
A familiar name in modern music, Malaysia-based Steve Thornton seamlessly fused jazz, Afro-Cuban, Latin, and pop during his collaborative set, sharing the stage with La Tribu and Allende.
Over a five-decade career, the New York-born percussionist has recorded and performed with legends like Miles Davis, Mongo Santamaria, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Mariah Carey, and Michael Jackson.
Thornton started playing percussion at age 7 under Santamaria's guidance, going on to form his own Latin jazz group at 14.
After proving his talent on the congas, he went on to collaborate with Harry Belafonte, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, David Sanborn, Sadao Watanabe, Tania Maria, Tracy Chapman, Aretha Franklin, and Gloria Estefan.
During the festival, Thornton performed Davis's classic composition 'Milestones', adding a contemporary rhythmic twist.
He followed this with 'My Life Again', a piece co-written with Colombian saxophonist Justo Almario — originally recorded by Santamaría for his 1980 album Images — which beautifully captured the blend of Latin percussion and jazz.
LEGENDS AND TRADITION
Formed in 2011, Japan's Seppuku Pistols have long championed their indigenous Edo style.
Following a performance in Kuching last year, they introduced Klang Valley fans to three tracks: 'Ookami Kagura' and 'Ookami Shinko', which focus on legendary wolves, and 'Yakebushi', a story about an old Yakuza boss.
In 'Kagura', the pony-tailed drummers and dancers summoned the wolf deity for protection and blessings, while Shinko mirrored the movements and habits of wolves. 'Yakebushi' carried a simple message: let go, go all out, and have a great time.
Local ensemble PASEPS, celebrating its 32nd year of preserving Malaysia's rich heritage, presented 'Birth of the Nusantara Drummer'.
The piece told the story of a young person discovering the world of kompang and gendang.
Every beat marked a step in the journey: learning to listen, understanding rhythm, controlling movement, and standing proudly as a master of traditional arts.
CARIBBEAN ENERGY
La Tribu was a high-energy highlight of the evening. Founded by musician Carlos Molina in 2014 to promote Afro-Venezuelan and Caribbean percussion, the ensemble delighted the crowd with their passion and universal message of unity.
Their opening number, 'Drums of My Land', brought Venezuelan rhythms across the shores to Malaysia, featuring a middle section rich in distinct American sounds.
Their second piece, 'El Cuarto de Tula', was a Cuban folk song that opened with gentle guitar picking before building into lively improvisation.
'El Manduco', composed by Maria Ribas, was packed with Venezuelan and Caribbean influences.
Blending rhythms like Puerto Rican plena, Colombian cumbia, Cuban bata chachalakafu, and Venezuelan San Millan, it told the cheerful story of a woman washing clothes by the riverbank.
Tambor y Llano brought together the Venezuelan cuatro criollo string instrument and the culo e puya drum set in a burst of celebration.
Their set also featured 'Moliendo Café' — an iconic Venezuelan song performed on electric guitar with a conga solo — the chorus of 'Allegory to Saint John the Baptist', and 'Tambores de Mi Tierra', which blended Cuban rumba with vibrant Caribbean rhythms.
A GRAND FINALE
Closing the non-stop show was Juan Carlos Allende, a Cuban percussionist and educator with over 30 years of experience.
A master of symphonic jazz, contemporary, and Latin percussion, Allende kept the crowd clapping and tapping along with upbeat tunes like 'Caribbean Colour', 'I Feel a Voice', 'Listen How It Goes', 'Carlos Coco Karioka', and 'The Pink Panther'.
Closing the festival, Goh thanked the audience for their constant support and promised that the series would return with even more spectacular acts in the future.
"Kaleidoscope is a showcase that lives up to its name. No one season is the same, and there will always be many surprises that fans will remember for posterity," he said.
dchua@nst.com.my
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