The Syracuse-based Kambuyu Marimba Ensemble will perform a tune titled “Jabberwocky” at the Westcott Community Center this Saturday evening.

Composed by the ensemble’s mentor, Stan Sitnik, the number cleverly syncopates the group’s seven marimbas while simultaneously paying tribute to author Lewis Carroll and a legendary Syracuse University music venue.

Admission is an attractively low $5 for the ensemble’s show at 8 p.m. Saturday Nov. 13, at the Westcott Center, 826 Euclid Ave., on the city’s East Side; 478-8634.

Scintillating rhythmsThe Kambuyu Marimba Ensemble makes music unlike any other combo in Central New York. From the deep, natural resonating tones of the bass and baritone marimbas, to the scintillating rhythms and melodic interplay of the sopranos and tenors, the group entertains with an unusual musical experience sure to delight any audience. Kambuyu’s percussive music is happy and infectious.

The ensemble includes seven marimbas: three sopranos, two tenors, one baritone and one bass. In most songs, one of the sopranos plays the melody while the other instruments provide intricate counter-rhythms and chords. They often accompany their hand-built marimbas with hosho gourd rattles and drums.

Typically taught through the oral tradition, Kambuyu’s music is influenced by traditional Shona mbira (thumb piano) melodies and by modern compositions, such as “Jabberwocky,” written in the traditional spirit. This music was brought to the United States during the 1960s by the Kwanongoma College of Music in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Mesmerizing malletsThe group’s name, “Kambuyu,” – a Shona word for “insects” – was inspired by the instruments’ mallets, which resemble insect antennae.

Kambuyu Marimba has been playing together since the winter of 2004. Members include educators, scientists, nurses and business people. They have entertained audiences at the Westcott Street Cultural Fair, the Downtown Arts & Crafts Fair, the annual Amberations Fall Festival in Marietta and many other venues throughout the area.

The ensemble features Karen Curry, Diane Emord, Diana Green, Ethan Jenks, Barb Root, Debroah Rose, Peter Sinatra and Caroline Stafford.

For band info, visit kambuyu.com.

Folkus Project carries onSaturday’s Kambuyu Marimba performance is part of the Second Saturday series at the WCC presented by the Folkus Project, a nonprofit organization that fosters traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk music in CNY. Some 30 shows are presented each year between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Occasional workshops on songwriting, singing and instrumental technique are sponsored along with concert appearances.

To learn more about Folkus and its upcoming concerts, visit folkus.org.

Marty with Mayer & MatthewsSyracuse songwriter Marty Sexton joins guitar god John Mayer for versions of “Can’t Stop Thinking ’bout You” now available on YouTube.com. The videos have attracted nearly 150,000 viewers. On Feb. 8, 2008, Mayer introduced our hometown hero to a big crowd at North Charleston Coliseum, in South Carolina as “One of the most treasured singer-songwriters I’ve ever heard.”

Marty continues to climb the showbiz ladder. On June 23, he opened for the Dave Matthews Band at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit.

“Sexton is the perfect complement to the Dave Matthews Band with his masterfully woven lyrics that flow into his folk-soul repose,” noted Natalie Sugarman in the Detroit Music Examiner. “He’s a storyteller who brings musical flavor to the table, blending jazz, soul, folk, a bit of scat and whatever suits his mood.”

Spinnaker guy signs his bookAs he learned to sail a boat on Owasco Lake, Jim Crawford was struck by the inherent humor of sailing’s terminology. Words like like boom-vangs and spinnaker guys really impressed him.

So the Syracuse cartoonist and graphic designer put together a book, “The Unofficial Rules of Sailing,” his wacky take on sailboat racing.

Crawford will sign copies of the new book at Barnes & Noble, 3454 Erie Boulevard East, in DeWitt, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18.

Exploiting sailing’s arcane terminology for maximum humorous effect, Crawford’s book mixes offbeat visuals with sailing’s odd lingo to create an absurdist volume that’s both entertaining and educational.

A great gift for sailors who will identify with rules like Giving Mark Room or Movable Ballast, the book’s many visuals draw upon Crawford’s experience as a Flying Scot sailor, which he also used in cartoons previously published in Sail Magazine. Crawford is a member of the Flying Scot Sailing Association (fssa.com) and sails out of the Owasco Yacht Club.