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| "Mr. La Barbera's "Marimbaba Suite" was a set of three cheerful homages to Brazilian folk music: bouncy, dreamy and bouncy again, scored for two players on marimba plus two more on light percussion ( Ethos ensemble). This was music you wanted to be dancing to.." New York Times, Paul Griffiths. "John La Barbera's original music marks him as a contemporary Kurt Weill." Backstage.com, Victor Gluck "The Collection of Songs on In The Labyrinth will carry you across several continents as guitarist John LaBarbera rightfully proclaims his virtuosity." Tracy Romoser, to the bone.com "John LaBarbera, kicks things into overdrive with his hand-driving contributions on oud, mandocello and guitar.." *** -J.Poet, Pulse Magazine "La Barbera fitted all of this (Stabat Mater) out with a kicky new score...it was slickly produced and smoothly executed...his 4 part setting of the ancient Stabat Mater text made for a touching light motif ." New York Times, James Oestreich "The ensemble led by John La Barbera, Musical Director, produced non-stop theatrical and musical enery." New York Times, Alex Ross "The music, directed by J. La Barbera is folkish aiming for vitality above precision and often achieving both." New York Times, John Pareles "The momentum builds to a pitch in both acts thanks to the haunting and feverish score, by John La Barbera." Village Voice, Robert Massa "This CD (Earth, Sun, And Moon) is highly recommended for a powerful blend of traditional rhythms, instruments and themes from various ages and cultures." Rhythm Music Magazine "John La Barbera's stunning compositions and phenomenal playing, along with the entire ensemble's spirited performance, put this recording in a class by itself." Lyrichord Discs " Congratulations on the wonderful work created by John La Barbera." Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Jenneth Webster, producer "...Stabat Mater is one of the best productions at the Cathedral in the last 23 years." The Very Reverend Dean James Parks Morton, former Dean of St. John the Divine "...The production values are high... and the striking use of music, and a haunting score, were composed and performed by John La Barbera." The Herald, Edinburgh, Scotland "...John La Barbera is North American born with the dance of music in his fingertips. His articulations on either instrument, intimate and classically fine, are filled with the light of a born Latino." Woodstock Times "...Lively, inventive, and highly recommended. (Earth, Sun and Moon)" Dirty Linen "The music to the Stabat Mater, composed by John La Barbera, is full of musical spirit and soul, and he has used to his fullest, rhythms and instruments from various parts of the world." (Translated from Italian) America Oggi "...(it was) a special opportunity to meet one of the vanguards of music at SESC-Ribeirao Preto, John La Barbera one of the exponents of New Acoustic Music for the first time in Brazil ." (Translated from Portuguese) O Diario, (Sao Paulo, Brazil |