String Theory and Toasted Spices

Taarka’s new acoustic alchemy, and bands in vans galore

(June 26, 2008) Taarka mandolinist David Tiller was not quite sure where he was when I called him Monday — someplace in California where there was thick smoke from a forest fire, which, thanks to the Solstice lightning storm, could be any number of mountainous woodsy places. David and his violinist wife Enion Pelta-Tiller are the core of Taarka, a new-acoustic string band exploring the intersection of tradition and innovation.

Wondering what this word Taarka means? I doubt that I was the first to ask. “It’s almost a word in many languages,” says David. “With a single ‘a’ it’s a preparation of spice for curry, it’s actually an onomatopoeia, the sound of spices roasting. It also means ‘colorful’ in Hungarian. It’s a train station and the name of an otter and a rose in Ireland. It’s a wind instrument in Latin America. And it means ‘peace’ in Finno-Ugric. Then it also is a word connected to string theory. In broad strokes, the string theory says that the whole universe and all its material matter and waves are constructed from teeny strings vibrating in different densities together to create everything. Taarka is the vibration of those strings.” After a pause, he adds cryptically, “It’s like a wonderful outfit made of snow.”

GALLERY >

David and Enion met in New York City years ago. “We were both employed by this very intense banjo player/singer/songwriter. After playing with him for a couple of months we realized we had a lot more in common with each other than with him. So we started writing songs together. We were in New York when the big airplanes ran into those big buildings. We watched them burn then decided we’d better leave. So, we trucked on out west and just kept on going.”

They settled for a while in Portland, then gravitated to Boulder, Colo., a center for new-acoustic music. With Taarka they pull together string styles of all sorts, from Hot Club-esque Gypsy jazz to newgrass and on to Balkan folk, jazz and plain ol’ jamming. For this tour they’re joined by groove cellist, Daniel Plane. Sometimes they have a drummer, but often as not it’s just David on “foot percussion.”

“And we do some looping, so it works pretty well as a trio,” says David, a thoroughly modern guy. “Whether we learn our music from the past or the future, we always try to be present, both stylistically and metaphorically. We’re not archivists by any means. Hopefully we take new acoustic music to many worlds.”

Assuming that they’ve evaded the fires, Taarka will be in town Thursday and Friday for a two-night run at Muddy’s Hot Cup. Stop by and become one with the vibrations of the Universe.

The straight outta Cleveland rappers Bone Thugs and Harmony hit big back in the ’90s, even won a couple of Grammys for their streetwise tales of ganja and gangsta life. For the last few years the former five-man crew was down to three — Krayzie, Layzie and Wish Bone — but recently Bizzy Bone has resurfaced, and reportedly Flesh-n-Bone may return to the fold when he goes on parole in July (he’s been doing time for weapons charges). Friday, June 27, Bone brings it to the Mateel for an all ages show with the Mendo Green Team, Shady Nate and RBL Posse, a crew from S.F.’s Hunter’s Point, who likewise rose in the ’90s. RBL (stands for Ruthless By Law) is also short a member, but he’s not coming back. In 1996, not long after the Posse had signed with Atlantic Records, founding Posse member Hubert Kyle “Mr. Cee” Church III was shot and killed not far from his home in Hunter’s Point. RIP.

Friday night at Humboldt Brews, local death metal maniacs Forcefed Trauma celebrate the release of a new CD, Bedlam!, with friends Awaiting the Apocalypse (from Sacto) and Disembodied (from Redding). Expect a little taste of bedlam.

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