Dowling College World Music Ensemble

Dowling College World Music Ensemble began in 2006 as an effort by Professor David Racanelli to offer an alternative ensemble to satisfy the live performance requirements of music students whom did not fit well into Dowling College's existing Jazz or Classical groups. Racanelli, now a full professor with several notable published works, was at that time pursuing his doctorate in Ethnomusicology with a focus on the guitar in the context of the West African Mande Griot tradition. To that end, he had been collaborating extensively with members of the West African diaspora living in the New York Metropolitan area. These collaborations often manifested in spectacular live performances which drew syncretically upon the highly improvisational West African musical tradition that was the focus of Professor Racanelli's academic interest as well as his extensive background playing Blues, Rock, and Jazz.

In the wake of these performances, which some of Professor Racanelli's students, colleagues, and personal friends enthusiastically attended, the seeds were planted which would eventually become the Dowling College World Music Ensemble. Though heavily oriented around playing arrangements of traditional music from around the world made by Professor Racanelli, the group also incorporated influences from Jazz Fusion and American popular music, as well as originals written by members of the group.

In 2013, members of the group decided to experiment with the idea of playing an entire album. This effort would evolve into Albums We Love.

In 2016, Dowling College closed its doors permanently. The memory of the group lives on in the form of the ongoing collaborations it would inspire.

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Some recordings of this group exist. Available upon request. I'll probably post them here at some point.