BRAHEM,ANOUAR BARZAKH

Personnel: Anouar Brahem (oud); Bechir Selmi (violin); Lassad Hosni (percussion).
Recorded at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, Norway in September 1990. Includes liner notes by Steve Lake.
Personnel: Bechir Selmi (violin); Lassad Hosni (percussion); Anouar Brahem (oud).
Liner Note Author: Steve Lake .
Recording information: Rainbow Studio, Oslo, Norway (09/1990).
Photographer: Moncef Fehri.
This starkly beautiful collection of 13 tracks by Tunisian composer Anouar Brahem is his debut release for the ECM label. The album spotlights Brahem's solo oud pieces, which range from the meditative ("Sadir") to the propulsive ("Ronda"). This solo work is nicely augmented by stellar contributions from violinist Bechir Selmi and percussionist Lassad Hosni; Selmi is featured on the transcendent "Barzakh," while Hosni figures prominently on "Souga" and "Bou Naouara." The three musicians come together for the joyous dance number "Parfum de Gitane." Throughout Barzakh, Brahem and the others forge an appealing mix of Middle Eastern sonorities and jazz phrasing, an intimate sound perfectly suited to the clean and spacious ECM recording style. This is a great title for fans of both international music and jazz. ~ Stephen Cook

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop