DES VOIX, DES DÉSERTS
The quartet developed from the jazz trio led by the French saxophonist
David Raymond, the current setup includes French bass player Alain
Moine, Israeli mandolin player Jacob Reuven, and the Beduin oud virtuoso
Mohammed Abu-Ajaj.
While the two jazz players create musical framework, Jacob Reuven adds
a touch of European classical music. His virtuoso mandolin draws from
baroque and renaissance era, and sometimes even resembles a speeded
up harpsichord.
Yet the strongest personality is the 47 year old oud player Abu-Ajaj,
an Arabian Beduin, whose ancestors lived as nomads at the Nagav desert
of Israel. Formerly a violin and guitar player, currently he teaches
and does research at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
The oud is one of the most ancient string instruments. Its fretless
neck can be musically flexed and stretched to produce an extensive
range of sounds and rhythms. Both European lutes and guitars developed
from the Arabian oud. Only recently the oud was introduced to Beduin
music, which was originally played on percussion, flutes and simple
string instruments. Rhythm is an important part of Beduin music. Even
the ceremony of grinding coffee is accompanied by a rhythmic pounding
on an improvised percussion as the invitees clap and shout various
exclamations.
For many Arabs and Israelis, music instruments also serves as a tool
of peace. "Oud music, and music in general, is a bonding factor," says
the Israeli player Yair Dalal, whose ancestors are from Iraq. "This
touches on the very heart of our shared culture. This is the music
which Jews and Arabs grew up on together."
Web:
www.jpost.com
www.mfa.gov.il
Music:
mp3
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