Boonghee represents a unique form of dance music characterized by its absence of a fixed rhythm, instead offering a rich tapestry of grooves. The term "Boonghee" is derived from onomatopoeia, evoking a visceral experience that resonates physically. The music is deeply influenced by the pillow-padded mallet hits of deep bass resonances and the high-pitched hand slaps of the Udu clay drum from West Africa, resulting in a circular and profound sound. It can be described as a phenomenon that blends elements of minimal hip hop, Big Black hand drumming, and broken-beat, all while maintaining an organic quality, utilizing no electronics aside from recording equipment.
The instrumentation is diverse, featuring a wide array of colors and textures primarily derived from percussive instruments. Among the collection used in their recordings are the dusun’goni, sintir, thumb pianos, harmonium, batajon, talking drums, dumbeks, and flutes. This innovative music is brought to life by two accomplished drummers, percussionists, and composers from Chicago, Adam Rudolph and Hamid Drake, who have collaborated since they were 14 years old. Their meeting in a drum shop on Chicago's East Side led them to study under the elders of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Over three decades later, both musicians have earned international acclaim for their distinctive and expressive styles.
Rudolph and Drake have made significant contributions to various influential musical projects, collaborating with prominent figures in jazz such as Pharoah Sanders, Yusef Lateef, Joseph Jarman, Bennie Maupin, and the late Don Cherry. Drake’s extensive experience includes touring with avant-garde bassist Fred Anderson and session work with Bill Laswell, while Rudolph has a robust catalog of independently produced albums under Meta Records, including work with his group Moving Pictures and experimental projects with Yusef Lateef.
In their early years, 18-year-old Rudolph can be heard playing congas on the Strata album "Maulawi," and both musicians appear on the lesser-known late 1970s recording "Mandingo Griot Society." Their collaborative history boasts a long list of artists, including Hassan Hakmoun, Lester Bowie, and Joe Bowie, among many others. Occasionally, they set aside time for their own collaborative ideas, leading to the formation of Hu Vibrational during one of Drake's visits to Los Angeles when they decided to create a dance record.
In 2000, Rudolph felt that their creation embodied the essence of Boonghee. Completing the Hu Vibrational trio is producer Carlos Nño, a frequent collaborator with Rudolph and an emerging DJ/producer. Nño contributed significantly as a co-musical director for the sessions, assisting with tempo setting, rhythm outlining, instrument selection for texture, and overall sound design. While still gaining recognition outside of Los Angeles, Nño has made a notable impact through his production work on concerts and records, collaborating with artists such as the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, Gary Bartz NTU Troop, Terry Callier, Gil Scott-Heron, and Brian Jackson, as well as instrumental hip-hop projects.
The group's name was inspired by Nño's reading of Hazrat Inayat Kahn's book "The Music of Life," recommended to him by Rudolph. "Hu" signifies a supreme sound as described by Kahn, while "vibrational" relates to the concept of vibration, thus forming a name that resonates with both musical and spiritual significance. In essence, Hu Vibrational aims to create a new level of dance music that moves and uplifts the body and spirit.
