Record Reviews

ARIK BEN KALIFA / MOGADOR ~ VOICES OF ELI NOT ON LABEL ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 Israeli bassist / composer Arik Ben KalifaFind albums by this artist spent six years in the US studying upright bass with William BettesFind albums by this artist and electric bass with Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist while playing with local bands. Upon his return to Israel in 2004 Arik formed the MagadorFind albums by this artist quintet with his musical partner, guitarist Guy RamonFind albums by this artist and with three young and very talented musicians: Amiram GranotFind albums by this artist (saxophones & flute), Tomer MezamerFind albums by this artist (keyboards) and Stas ZilbermanFind albums by this artist (drums). The band recorded a demo album in 2004 and later this, their debut album, which to me is a major surprise, considering the fact that it is one of the best Fusion albums I’ve heard in a long time. The music, composed mostly by Arik (with a couple of tunes co-composed with Guy) is superbly melodic, incorporating the best Fusion traditions with subtle Middle-Eastern motifs, which is not surprising considering Arik’s cultural legacy - his Moroccan-born father was a traditional oud player. Each of the tunes on the album provides a great melodic basis for the improvisations by the band members and the album offers plenty of excellent solos. Driven by Arik’s pulsating bass lines, the music is full of joy and charm, a real listening pleasure. The sophisticated melodies and the brilliant performances turn this album into something that deserves to be heard and admired, as it is as good, if not better, as any other Fusion album recorded by world’s top players. Hearing stuff like this makes me proud to be an Israeli.

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MICHEL SAJRAWY ~ ARABOP NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 885767469778) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the 3rd album by Israeli guitarist / composer Michel SajrawyFind albums by this artist, one of the most prominent and original representatives of the Jazz-Rock-World Fusion worldwide. During the four years that separate this album from its predecessor, Sajrawy further developed his unique style, both as a composer and a performer, amalgamating Jazz and Middle Eastern music in ways previously unimaginable. This album is noticeably more ethnically oriented than the previous two Fusion oriented albums, and his music is more complex by far. His stunning guitar sound merges the resonance of electric Fusion guitar and the characteristic scales of Middle Eastern instruments, like the oud, creating a completely new "instrument", which sounds like nothing else. The ensemble accompanying Sajrawy on this album is also different from the classic Jazz quartet setting he used previously and includes more original ethnic instruments. It consists of saxophonists Amiram GranotFind albums by this artist and Maali KlarFind albums by this artist, oud player and vocalist Samir MakhoulFind albums by this artist, bassist Valeri LipetsFind albums by this artist, drummer Stas ZilbermanFind albums by this artist and darbuka player Wisam ArramFind albums by this artist. Sajrawy plays electric bass on some of the tracks. The album includes nine tracks, six of which were composed by Sajrawy and the other three are folk tunes arranged by him. Although Sajrawy´s amazing guitar performances are the focus of this recording, it is very much a group effort and the interplay between the musicians is truly excellent. The overall atmosphere of this album is quite relaxed, with the music mostly flowing gently and gracefully, as if accompanying a caravan slowly crossing the desert, with the distant sounds coming over the sand dunes from a distant city. Sajrawy´s melodies are beautiful and provide a perfect vehicle for the musician´s improvisations. The cool, calm and collected mood is of course often misleading, as it increases the listener´s anticipation of the next musical development, keeping him on his toes for the entire duration of the album. And it is full of pleasant surprises indeed; with each new tune the listener discovers another vista of the Middle Eastern musical treasures. So, for the third time in a row, Sajrawy hits the jackpot with his amazing music, unparalleled virtuosity and most importantly unshaken integrity, doing his thing and believing in his vision, for which he deserves to be respected and admired. This is an album, which will grow on the listener every time it´s listened to. Just close your eyes, open you heart and let the music fill you up. This music transcends the cultural, religious and political differences of our multifaceted region, concentrating on the beautiful and eternal love of true Art, which makes us all one. Chapeau Michel, my friend!

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