Ukare Funk is a fantastic multi-percussion work inspired by Japanese taiko drumming. "Ukare" is a Japanese musical term for a swung or compound beat, and also means "letting " or "throwing caution to the wind". This perfectly captures the essence of the work as it explores different ways of finding syncopation within a compound beat and incorporates exciting cross-rhythms.
Gareth Farr is an indisputably colourful figure in New Zealand music. And whether scored for percussion duet or the resources of two large orchestras, Farr's music reflects his personality – bold, brash, or delicate and sensuous, but inevitably, immediately, engaging. Rhythmic elements of his compositions can be linked to the complex and exciting rhythms of Rarotongan log drum ensembles, Balinese gamelan and other percussion music of the Pacific Rim. In addition to his music for the concert chamber, Farr has written music for dance, theatre and television.
