Dhafer Youssef - Birds Requiem (2013)

2014-09-09T19:42:05Z

Dhafer Youssef - Birds Requiem (2013)


1. Birds Canticum "Birds Requiem" Suite
2. Sweet Blasphemy
3. Blending Souls & Shades (to Shiraz)
4. Ascetic Mood
5. Fuga Hirundinum "Birds Requiem" Suite
6. Khira "Indicium Divinum" Elegy for My Mother
7. 39th Gülay (to Istanbul) - Aytac Dogan
8. Archaic Feathers "Birds Requiem" Suite
9. Sevdah (to Jon Hassell)
10. Ascetic Journey - Aytac Dogan
11. Whirling Birds Ceremony "Birds Requiem" Suite

Dhafer Youssef (oud, vocals),
Hüsnü Şenlendirici (clarinet),
Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet),
Aytaç Doğan (kanun),
Eivind Aarset (electric guitar, electronics, second ear),
Kristjan Randalu (piano),
Phil Donkin (double bass),
Chandler Sardjoe (drums)

Tunisian oud master, vocalist, and composer Dhafer Youssef is globally renowned for his restless musicality. He has used his ancient instrument -- five millennia and counting -- to explore jazz, classical, and blues, in addition to the classical and folk musics of the Middle East, North Africa, and Mediterranean regions. The ephemeral Birds Requiem is his debut offering for Sony's resurrected Okeh imprint. The players on this date include his trio with pianist Kristjan Randalu and trumpeter Nils-Petter Molvaer, and the complete ensemble (which recorded primarily in Sweden) features clarinetist Hüsnu Senlendirici, bassist Phil Donkin, drummer Chander Sardjoe, and electric guitarist Eivind Aarset, which also provides various electronic treatments. Aytac Dogan plays the zither-like kanun. The four-part "Birds Requiem Suite" is, as expected, the heart of the recording: it introduces it, plays two distinct parts in its middle section, and closes it. There are elemental theme-like qualities in each section, none of them predictable nor pat; neither do they act as mere showcases for Dhafer's virtuosity, but instead are carefully conceived ensemble pieces with the oud at their collective heart, with distinct harmonics, timbres, and interplay. There are seven other compositions as well. "Blending Souls & Shades (To Shiraz)" is the set's longest track. It commences as a sparse folk lament and becomes a labyrinthine jazz improv workout, with a stellar guitar break by Aarset and gorgeous falsetto by Dhafer. "Ascetic Mood" is a slow, brooding trio work for oud, clarinet, and piano. According to Dhafer, "Khira 'Indicium Divinum' Elegy for My Mother" was a spontaneous improvisation between his voice, Molvaer's trumpet, and Randalu's piano. It is easily the most moving and beautiful thing here. Other oud greats, from Rabih Abou-Khalil and Anouar Brahem to Titi Robin and Hamdi Makhlouf, have furthered the instrument's reach and juxtaposed it with jazz, improvised, and other world musics, but Youssef's Birds Requiem -- for its range, formal historical considerations, emotional expression, subtle yet distinctive colors and textures, as well as its truly stellar musicianship -- has used it to create a musical language that, while readily acknowledging the traditions that have informed it, is truly of his own creation. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

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Dhafer Youssef - Divine Shadows (2006)

2011-01-27T09:57:20Z

Dhafer Youssef - Divine Shadows (2006)


1. Cantos Lamentos (Dedicated To A. Part)
2. 27th Century Ethos
3. Miel Et Cendres (Dedicated To Mohamed Choukril)         play
4. In Human Sense
5. Odd Poetry
6. 27th Ethos (Dedicated To Jatinder Thakur)
7. Persona Non Grata
8. Postludium
9. Eleventh Stone
10. Ivresse Divine                                         play
11. Un Soupir Eternel (To A Norwegian Girl, Karen Steen Aarset 1931 - 2004)

Personnel:
Dhafer Youssef oud, vocal
Arve Henriksen trumpet, electronics
Eivind Aarset guitars, electronics, programming
Audun Erlien bass, bass balalaika
Marilyn Mazur percussion
Rune Arnesen drums, programming
Jan Bang programming

Oslo Session String Quartet

Divine Shadows sees the culmination of Dhafer Youssef's musical journey over the past five years. This, Dhafer's fourth album, consolidates ideas that have emerged through his three albums on Enja Records whilst introducing a new dynamic. Since his arrival in Europe in 1990, Tunisian vocalist and oud player Dhafer Youssef, has established himself as one of the most exciting artists working in contemporary music. Bringing together the spiritual quality of Sufi with the most cutting edge sound of European jazz, has created a distinctive sound synonymous with his name.

Produced by Norwegian guitarist, composer and producer Eivind Aarset, and featuring music which has formed the basis of the group's live concerts for the past year, Dhafer's debut album for Jazzland displays a mature cohesion. Unlike previous albums, Dhafer's voice and oud are at the fore in this album, from the glorious sweeping vocals of the opening track Cantus Lamentus to the purity of the oud on Miel et Cendres. The balance of tracks between string quartet and the band create a breadth of textures and musical styles that gives the album diversity and momentum. Gradually building and falling away from the hymn like beginning through the 11 meter groove of Eleventh Stone, the spatial glitchy electronics of 27 th Century Ethos and gently closing with the tender Un Soupir Eternel.

Work on Divine Shadows began almost two years ago when BBC Radio 3 commissioned Dhafer to write 45 minutes of new music for a Contemporary Music Network UK tour featuring a special line up. Over the first three albums and through his live performances, Dhafer had become increasingly inspired by the sound world and improvisatory style of the Norwegian scene. It was this cinematic and compelling sound world which Dhafer chose to create a backdrop to his voice and oud playing.

At the heart of this group is his long term collaborator Eivind Aarset. Having begun working together in 2001, Dhafer and Eivind have developed a very close personal and musical relationship. Also drawn from his previous band is drummer Rune Arnesen. Previous bands featured acoustic bass, however for this new band Dhafer partnered Rune with his colleague from Nils Petter Molvaer's group, electric bass player Audun Erlien. This quartet of truly remarkable musicians, was topped off by one of Norway's most creative and inspiring musicians, trumpeter Arve Henriksen.

Divine Shadows introduces a new dimension to the band's live performances. The album has an added complexity and subtlety, aided by the inclusion of the Oslo Session String Quartet, which emphasises the melodies, complementing the textures and colours that the core band conjure up. Divine Shadows reveals the full potential of Dhafer both as a composer and performer, working with musicians whose creativity provides the perfect vehicle for his music.

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