Last Friday marked the third installment of the New York City Acoustic African Music Series at Cornelia Street Café presented by Where's the 1? Productions. Once again, Eli Cane and Avrom Caplan rounded up a unique and rousing celebration of traditional music from Africa. (The last two concerts featured master Kora player Balla Tounkara and Dolsi-naa Abubakari Lunna, drumming chief of Dagbon.) Those of you who thought this stuff was inaccessible should be prepared for a serious opinion readjustment. Animating the intimate, candlelit basement cafe this time was the critically acclaimed Gyil Trio comprised of worldwide gyil master Bernard Woma, Saturday Night Live Band arranger/percussionist Valerie Naranjo, and multi-instrumentalist Barry Olsen.

The gyil (pronounced JEE-lee) is the national instrument of the Lobi and Dagara people of Ghana, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast. It is an ancient grandparent of the Western marimba and other African keyboard instruments, made from 14 wooden bars suspended over calabash gords. Huddled in a cozy triangle, Woma, Naranjo and Olsen engaged in a passionate and joyous musical conversation between voice, drum, and keyboard. Mr. Woma and Ms. Naranjo played the two gyils, while Mr. Olsen worked the kuar, a small calabash drum. A volley of percussive mallet hits fluttered over the continuous, coarse vibration of the gords, producing a highly saturated sound that was simultaneously earthy and airy. The beauty of the music resides in this balance.

Gyil music, as Naranjo explained between songs, is community music that accompanies many everyday events such as funeral celebrations, healing ceremonies and courtship dances. The trio performed the music of the Bewa dance - a ritual where a man approaches a woman under the light of the full moon so that they can see each other. During the song Naranjo's singing would mimic the contour of gyil, accentuating one of the many embedded melodies in the mix, while other times, she and Woma shouted out shorter, more jabbing patterns in contrast to the swelling harmonies. Olsen picked up the trombone on their final number, belting out extended lines that were remarkably dense with notes, increasing the saturation of the group's sound.

The sophistication of this music is evident. Although most men in the Lobi and Dagara nations can play a song or two, only a few have the skills to be considered gyil masters. Woma and Naranjo both possess this extraordinary ability. In fact, her proficiency in playing the gyil led to the declaration of a chiefly decree in the Dagara nation that women be allowed to play the instrument.

Upon exiting, the audience seemed truly enraptured. The size and intimacy of the venue force a close engagement with the music, which is a rare treat considering the distance that these traditions traveled to get to NYC stages. Don't miss the next concert with Zimbabwean mbira virtuoso, Stella Chiweshe, in August!

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Where's the 1? Production is dedicated to producing concert events that celebrate the community, harmony, and spirit of traditional African music. All shows are held at the Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street between Bleeker and West 4th. Located at the West 4th subway stop, please call for reservations and information: 212-989-9319. Show-times are 9:00 PM and 10:30 PM, with doors opening 15 minutes prior. Tickets are $10 at the door plus a $6 drink minimum.