Rodulfo's silver lining to being stuck at home

New York-based musician Zane Rodulfo, 31, returned to TT just before the borders were closed to limit the spread of covid19. After leaving for university 13 years ago, the drummer from St Joseph, who also has experience playing the piano, said being stuck in TT has turned out to be somewhat of a "sweet spot," given the economic and social tension in the US.

The sweet spot became sweeter after he received a grant from Fresh Milk Barbados' Catapult Caribbean Creative Online initiative. Rodulfo’s live performance of his composition Fractals was presented and recorded last Tuesday night at Granderson Lab, Erthig Road, Belmont. The electro-acoustic multimedia performance was accompanied by large projections of images created by visual artist Rodell Warner and attracted a range of art lovers.

To avoid a breach of covid19 protocol, people were asked to walk or drive by to experience the performance.

Rodulfo said he came across the initiative online. “It came up on my Facebook feed as a sponsored ad. So the algorithms seem to have done something right.”

He decided to apply and was among 85 people across the region each awarded a grant of US$500.

Among those who also received awards were TT-based photographer Faraaz Abool, filmmaker Maya Cozier and founders of FemComTT Louris Martin Lee-Sing and Lisa Allen-Agostini.

Regional recipients include artist Charl Barker, writer filmmaker Kaleb D’Aguilar, both from Jamaica, Sharelly Emanuelson from Curacao, Luci Hammans from Barbados, Martin Massiah from Guyana and Lesly Maci from Haiti.

Rodulfo plans to do a performance, "which I will record for submission, which (Fresh Milk) will post on their website. I will also make my presentation available on my social media and website.

“I used a drum kit with drum triggers which enable me to trigger and manipulate electronic sounds and video. It was an improvised set about 25 minutes long.”

Rodulfo said he was happy to have collaborated with Warner whose work was made up of photography and abstract images.

“I have always seen and admired his work online. It embodies the same aesthetic I’m going for and he was also excited to be part of it.”

He sad he was happy to have also collaborated with North Eleven projection artists for the projections. "They ensured the process was seamless. I am grateful for their partnership, without which the performance would not have been possible."

North Eleven Projection is a projection and projection mapping company most popularly known for its involvement in the TT Film Festival as the official screening partner of the festival since 2010. They provide indoor and outdoor audiovisual projection, motion design, live visuals and technical services.

Asked to elaborate on that "aesthetic," he said, “I would call it Afro-futurist. It is all digital and electronic media, mainly.

"As a musician, improvisation is at the core of what I do. So to be able to simultaneously manipulate video in response to what I am doing musically is fun and exciting. It is something I always wanted to do.”

Apart from performing, he is also a full-time middle school music teacher. He said while he was unable to leave TT, he was happy for the time and space to work on something experimental and fulfilling.

He has a degree in jazz performance and ethnomusicology from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He then did a graduate programme in jazz studies at New York University.

“I ended up having always been in the New York jazz scene, where I gained experience playing improvised music, along with my compositions.

“For the past few years, I have been playing a combination of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-American music and composing my music. I have played with several bands. Last year I went on my first tour with artiste Mormor for some months" – an experience he said was enjoyable and exciting because of the novelty of playing pop music.

His love for music goes far back: he recalled his teenage years at Hillview College, Tunapuna, where he would create beats using a range of computer applications. Asked how his parents felt about his being drawn to music, Rodulfo said, “They were the most supportive. Even in school, where everyone else saw music as just an extracurricular activity, my parents realised it was something to which I was committed and they encouraged it. I was good at it, and passionate about it – so they helped me get to where I am now.”

Asked about the uncertainty over returning to New York, he said, “It has been a huge change. I am used to the fast-paced creative energy there.”

But being around his family, nature and having the space to reflect and refocus has been a blessing.

“In New York, I was always on the go, between performing and teaching.”

He hopes more people will be able to adapt while finding creative ways to keep doing what they are doing – collaborate, pick up projects that may have been forgotten or incomplete.

“Now is a good time to try to get to the next level, despite the difficult climate. Moving forward, I think there are steps in my career that I have been developing and now I have more time to fast-track them with the additional time and space I now have.”

He hopes to return to New York in the new year but is wary because covid19 cases there continue to increase.

Meanwhile, "There are many things I want to do to and accomplish here, both personally and in collaboration with others. I am unsure at this point, especially after speaking with friends and other musicians based in New York City.

"Many musicians have since moved out of the city and have been encouraging me to stay in TT, because there have been little to no performances and opportunities have become few and far between.

“I don’t know what I will be returning to, so I am making the best of the opportunities presented to me while I am here.”

Rodulfo is grateful to Granderson Lab, a project of creative hub Alice Yard.

“I thank them for allowing me to use the space. What they are doing is incredible for young artists and the creative industry in TT.”

Fresh Milk Barbados says those interested in seeing the online content produced by all 85 awardees across the region to check its website: freshmilkbarbados.com/projects/catapult-arts-grant/creative-online