#4586, Arab Chamber Jazz

There’s music that brings together Arabic traditional sounds, scales, and instruments with Western chamber and jazz from Lebanese violinist Layale Chaker, Iraqi-American composer Amir ElSaffar, and Swiss-based Algerian musician Anouar Kaddour Cherif. Plus, music from The Epichorus featuring the late Bassam Saba, the Lebanese-born, New York-based musician and teacher who founded New York Arabic Orchestra.  

Hear music from a work, Mkhammas Suite, that explores the aesthetics of Arabic poetry by Lebanese violinist and composer Layale Chaker along with her band, Sarafand, (cellist Jake Charkey, pianist Phillip Golub, bassist Nick Dunston, and percussionist Adam Maalouf.) Also, listen to music by Iraqi-American composer Amir ElSaffar, both a trumpeter and santur player, who leads Rivers of Sound Orchestra, a 17 piece orchestra. 

There’s music with Algerian musical roots morphed into a jazz setting by Anouar Kaddour Cherif, an Algerian musician based in Switzerland, who plays mandole. Hear oud, violin, accordion, hammered dulcimer, percussion, bass combined with the ney flute of the late Lebanese multi-instrumentalist and educator Bassam Saba in music from The Epichorus. Then, listen to a work by Lebanese oud player and composer Rabih Abou Khalil as performed by Silk Road Ensemble. Plus, hear music for oud, string quartet and orchestra by Tunisian composer and oud player Anouar Brahem, who combines Arab classical music, folk music and jazz.    - Caryn Havlik

Program #4586, Arab Chamber Jazz (First Aired 1/27/2022)

ARTIST: The Epichorus
WORK: Refuah (Healing) [1:18]
RECORDING: Ten at Dreamland
SOURCE/INFO: theepichorus.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Anouar Kaddour Cherif
WORK: Albatross [5:06]
RECORDING: Djawla
SOURCE: Riverboat Records
INFO: worldmusic.net

ARTIST: The Epichorus
WORK: Refuah (Healing) [6:42]
RECORDING: Ten at Dreamland
SOURCE/INFO: theepichorus.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Amir ElSaffar/Rivers of Sound Orchestra
WORK: Transformations [9:55]
RECORDING: The Other Shore
SOURCE/INFO: amirelsaffartworivers.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Amina Alaoui, Jon Balke, Barokksolistene, Jon Hassell
WORK: Ya Safwati [5:18]
RECORDING: Siwan
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com | Available at Amazon.com, Spotfiy, AppleMusic

ARTIST: Layale Chaker & Sarafand
WORK: Mkhammas Suite - I Hawwel ya Ghannam [5:18]
RECORDING: Inner Rhyme
SOURCE: In a Circle Records
INFO: layalechaker.com/music

ARTIST: Silk Road Ensemble With Yo-Yo Ma
WORK: Rabih Abou Khalil: Arabian Waltz [7:35]
RECORDING: New Impossibilities
SOURCE: Sony Classical
INFO: silkroad.org/listen |Available at Amazon.com, Spotfiy, AppleMusic

ARTIST: Anouar Brahem, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana; Pietro Mianiti, cond.
WORK: Souvenance [4:44]
RECORDING: Souvenance
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com | Available at Amazon.com, Spotfiy, AppleMusic