The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Out & About

Doncker [left] said the thought of making Komunyakaa's words into lyrics was initially very intimidating. [Click to enlarge]

Sometimes, you just have to chalk it up to fate.

Tomás Doncker grew up in New York City, Yusef Komunyakaa in Louisiana. They grew up in different cities and lived completely different lives, but through chance, circumstance and a mutual friend, their staunchly separate paths suddenly crossed.

Both artists in their own right - Doncker a respected musician and Komunyakaa an internationally celebrated poet - the two began to consider the idea of combining their talents. Schedules intervened and the idea seemed lost, but after a chance reunion on a subway train, the two decided to finalize plans for their joint musical venture.

"It was one of the most important and most fulfilling moments of my life to be taken that seriously by someone that serious," Doncker said. "He's definitely somebody who if you're into poetry or literature, you know who he is."

And he isn't kidding. Komunyakaa is a Pulitzer prize-winning poet who has written more than ten poetry collections, has published works of prose and drama, and has received numerous prizes, awards and fellowships for his work. He is known for exploring intensely personal themes, using evocative language and drawing from his own history to create lush, emotion-driven poems.

And so began "The Mercy Suite," a collection of songs written by Doncker and featuring lyrics by Komunyakaa. The record also features guest performances by other prominent musicians, including Corey Glover of Living Colour and internationally renowned pianist Arturo O'Farrill.

Together, Doncker, Komunyakaa, and their fellow artists form The Shape Shifter Ensemble, the band name under which the album was released.


"It's very much [our] record, but because of the guests and the changing sound scope of it, [Komunyakaa] thought Shape Shifter Ensemble," Doncker said. "[It was] one of the honors of my life to be able to work with so much stellar talent."

Continued...

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