Rabih Abou-Khalil
Encyclopedia
Rabih Abou-Khalil is an oud
player and composer
.
and moved to Munich
, Germany during the civil war
in 1978. He lives part-time in Munich and part-time in the South of France with his wife and two children.
, a fretless string instrument, similar to the European lute
. He studied in the Beirut conservatory from oud virtuoso Georges Farah. After moving to Germany, he studied classical flute at the Academy of Music in Munich under Walther Theurer.
He has often blended traditional Arab music
with jazz
, rock and classical music, and has earned praise such as "a world music
ian years before the phrase became a label—makes the hot, staccato Middle Eastern flavour and the seamless grooves of jazz mingle as if they were always meant to." Together with Anouar Brahem
he has helped highlight the oud as a vehicle of eclectic "world jazz". Abou-Khalil's oud playing style has often been likened to jazz guitar: "Abou-Khalil spins more oud notes in 10 seconds than most jazz guitarists do in their short commercial lifespans".
Abou-Khalil's music uses elements from Arab music traditions, together with many jazz, rock and classical references, particularly to the school of Ornette Coleman
and Don Cherry
, which itself broke ground in terms of introducing new global influences. Other influences include Frank Zappa, Bela Bartok, and such unexpected musicians as the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener from Trinidad. Jazz elements are present in most of his recorded work, for instance in the use of the acoustic pizzicato bass, generally played by recognized jazz musicians like Steve Swallow
and Glen Moore
. At the Beijing Jazz Festival of 2003 he performed to great acclaim accompanied by tuba
and clarinet
as well as the percussion he has always favoured.
company, Nafas (1988), largely traditional Arabic elements are to the fore, although a combination of drums of different national origin signals the eclecticism
to come. In Al-Jadida and Blue Camel (1992), the former with alto saxophonist
Sonny Fortune
and the latter with alto saxophonist
Charlie Mariano
and flugelhorn
player Kenny Wheeler, Turkish
influence comes to the fore, in the form of complex time signatures (like 11/4 for the composition "Sahara"). Classical Turkish metres like 10/8 (phrased as 3+2+2+3), are found widely in Abou-Khalil's opus ("Nightfall" on Between Dusk and Dawn, "Ziriab" on Blue Camel, "After Dinner" on Tarab, and "On a Bus " on Yara). In recent years mixtures of these metres have emerged, setting new standards in complexity while retaining freshness, wit and the jazz value of swing.
Nafas and Tarab make use of the ney
, the Turkish end-blown flute. 1995's Arabian Waltz featured Abou-Khalil's compositions for string quartet
(performed by the Balanescu Quartet
), along with oud, tuba (or serpent
), and frame drum
s.
Morton's Foot (2004) brings in Luciano Biondini on accordion and Sardinia
n singer Gavino Murgia whose base vocals evoke Tibetan throat singing to create a bizarre, exotic blend of European and Eastern traditions.
Journey to the Centre of an Egg (2005) features a trio of oud, piano (Joachim Kühn
, who doubles on alto saxophone
) and drums.
Live performances have made heavy use of digital vocalisation devices, and the end of these innovations is not in sight. Abou-Khalil and his associates are arguably creating a new international platform for improvised music, comparable to John McLaughlin
and his associates in Shakti
.
soon establishes a reputation for healing the blind and deaf. The restaurant, however, is banned and closed by the authorities which forces Dr. Gieler back to Austria where he is now selling ties to businessmen. Various compositions are inspired by such humorous stories, common to many is the absurdity of "commuting between cultures".
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
player and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Life
Rabih Abou-Khalil grew up in BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany during the civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
in 1978. He lives part-time in Munich and part-time in the South of France with his wife and two children.
Music
From early on, he learnt to play the oudOud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
, a fretless string instrument, similar to the European lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
. He studied in the Beirut conservatory from oud virtuoso Georges Farah. After moving to Germany, he studied classical flute at the Academy of Music in Munich under Walther Theurer.
He has often blended traditional Arab music
Arab music
Arabic music or Arab music is the music of the Arab World, including several genres and styles of music ranging from Arabic classical to Arabic pop music and from secular to sacred music....
with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, rock and classical music, and has earned praise such as "a world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
ian years before the phrase became a label—makes the hot, staccato Middle Eastern flavour and the seamless grooves of jazz mingle as if they were always meant to." Together with Anouar Brahem
Anouar Brahem
Anouar Brahem is an oud player and composer. He is widely acclaimed as an innovator in his field...
he has helped highlight the oud as a vehicle of eclectic "world jazz". Abou-Khalil's oud playing style has often been likened to jazz guitar: "Abou-Khalil spins more oud notes in 10 seconds than most jazz guitarists do in their short commercial lifespans".
Abou-Khalil's music uses elements from Arab music traditions, together with many jazz, rock and classical references, particularly to the school of Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
and Don Cherry
Don Cherry (jazz)
Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
, which itself broke ground in terms of introducing new global influences. Other influences include Frank Zappa, Bela Bartok, and such unexpected musicians as the Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener from Trinidad. Jazz elements are present in most of his recorded work, for instance in the use of the acoustic pizzicato bass, generally played by recognized jazz musicians like Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow
Steve Swallow is a jazz double bass and bass guitarist and composer born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.One of the leading bassists in jazz, Swallow is noted for collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton and Carla Bley...
and Glen Moore
Glen Moore
Glen Moore is a jazz bassist who occasionally performs on piano, flute and violin.His performing career began at age 14 with the Young Oregonians in Portland, Oregon where he met and played with Native American saxophonist, Jim Pepper. He graduated with a degree in History and Literature from the...
. At the Beijing Jazz Festival of 2003 he performed to great acclaim accompanied by tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
as well as the percussion he has always favoured.
Albums
In his first CD release for the ECMECM (record label)
ECM is a record label founded in Munich, Germany, in 1969 by Manfred Eicher. While ECM is best known for jazz music, the label has released a wide variety of recordings, and ECM's artists often refuse to acknowledge boundaries between genres...
company, Nafas (1988), largely traditional Arabic elements are to the fore, although a combination of drums of different national origin signals the eclecticism
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
to come. In Al-Jadida and Blue Camel (1992), the former with alto saxophonist
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
Sonny Fortune
Sonny Fortune
Sonny Fortune is an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. He also plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone and clarinet.-Biography:...
and the latter with alto saxophonist
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
Charlie Mariano
Charlie Mariano
Carmine Ugo Mariano was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and died in Cologne, Germany.-Biography:Mariano was the son of Italian immigrants....
and flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
player Kenny Wheeler, Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
influence comes to the fore, in the form of complex time signatures (like 11/4 for the composition "Sahara"). Classical Turkish metres like 10/8 (phrased as 3+2+2+3), are found widely in Abou-Khalil's opus ("Nightfall" on Between Dusk and Dawn, "Ziriab" on Blue Camel, "After Dinner" on Tarab, and "On a Bus " on Yara). In recent years mixtures of these metres have emerged, setting new standards in complexity while retaining freshness, wit and the jazz value of swing.
Nafas and Tarab make use of the ney
Ney
The ney is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. It is a very ancient instrument, with depictions of ney players appearing in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and actual neys being found...
, the Turkish end-blown flute. 1995's Arabian Waltz featured Abou-Khalil's compositions for string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
(performed by the Balanescu Quartet
Balanescu Quartet
The Balanescu Quartet is an avant-garde string quartet founded in 1987 by Alexander Bălănescu that achieved fame through the release of several complex cover versions of songs by German experimental electronic music band Kraftwerk on their album "Possessed"....
), along with oud, tuba (or serpent
Serpent (instrument)
A serpent is a bass wind instrument, descended from the cornett, and a distant ancestor of the tuba, with a mouthpiece like a brass instrument but side holes like a woodwind. It is usually a long cone bent into a snakelike shape, hence the name. The serpent is closely related to the cornett,...
), and frame drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s.
Morton's Foot (2004) brings in Luciano Biondini on accordion and Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
n singer Gavino Murgia whose base vocals evoke Tibetan throat singing to create a bizarre, exotic blend of European and Eastern traditions.
Journey to the Centre of an Egg (2005) features a trio of oud, piano (Joachim Kühn
Joachim Kühn
-Biography:Kühn was a musical prodigy and made his debut as a concert pianist, having studied classical piano and composition with Arthur Schmidt-Elsey. Influenced by his elder brother, clarinetist Rolf Kühn, he simultaneously got interested in jazz. In 1961 he became a professional jazz musician....
, who doubles on alto saxophone
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
) and drums.
Live performances have made heavy use of digital vocalisation devices, and the end of these innovations is not in sight. Abou-Khalil and his associates are arguably creating a new international platform for improvised music, comparable to John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
and his associates in Shakti
Shakti (band)
Shakti was a group which played a novel acoustic fusion music which combined Indian music with elements of jazz; it was perhaps the earliest practitioner of the musical genre world fusion....
.
Visions of Music
Rabih Abou-Khalil hosted the television series Visions of Music. This 13-part documentary series produced by EuroArts Entertainment set out to explore the blending of jazz with traditional music (Caribbean salsa, Brazilian samba, Argentine tango, French musette, Spanish flamenco, Jewish klezmer, New Orleans R&B and Mississippi blues, as well as West African, South African, Indian and Middle Eastern music) through historical footage and interviews of musicians (by Abou-Khalil). The music of the TV-series was released on the album Visions of Music - World Jazz by Enja Records in 1998.Humor
Humor is a very important ingredient in Abou-Khalil's art and live performances. For instance, the song Dr. Gieler's Wiener Schnitzel (Morton's Foot, 2004) is inspired by an alleged Austrian dentist who settles in Abu-Dhabi to open a restaurant where his Wiener schnitzelWiener schnitzel
Schnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet , coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is a popular part of Viennese, Austrian cuisine and German Cuisine...
soon establishes a reputation for healing the blind and deaf. The restaurant, however, is banned and closed by the authorities which forces Dr. Gieler back to Austria where he is now selling ties to businessmen. Various compositions are inspired by such humorous stories, common to many is the absurdity of "commuting between cultures".
CD cover design
Rabih Abou-Khalil's CDs are conspicuous for their high quality covers depicting Arabic non-figurative art, some designed by the author himself.Major/recent collaborators
- Howard LevyHoward LevyHoward Levy is a Grammy Award–winning, American harmonicist, pianist, composer, and producer....
(harmonica) - Glen VelezGlen VelezGlen Velez is an American percussionist, vocalist, and composer, specializing in frame drums from around the world. He is largely responsible for the increasing popularity of frame drums in the United States and around the world....
(frame drums, percussions) - Milton CardonaMilton CardonaMilton Cardona is a percussionist, vocalist and conga player from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.-Biography:Milton has made over 500 recordings in his career and was highly influenced by Mongo Santamaria. He studied violin during his childhood in Puerto Rico and played bass professionally in New York City...
(conga) - Sonny FortuneSonny FortuneSonny Fortune is an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. He also plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone and clarinet.-Biography:...
(alto saxophone) - Glen MooreGlen MooreGlen Moore is a jazz bassist who occasionally performs on piano, flute and violin.His performing career began at age 14 with the Young Oregonians in Portland, Oregon where he met and played with Native American saxophonist, Jim Pepper. He graduated with a degree in History and Literature from the...
(bass) - Steve SwallowSteve SwallowSteve Swallow is a jazz double bass and bass guitarist and composer born in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.One of the leading bassists in jazz, Swallow is noted for collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton and Carla Bley...
(bass) - Gabriele MirabassiGabriele MirabassiGabriele Mirabassi is an Italian jazz clarinetist. In 1967 he was born in Perugia and is a graduate of the Morlacchi conservatory in that city. Mirabassi is active in contemporary music and is one of the founders of the Artisanat Furteux Ensemble....
(clarinet) - Luciano BiondiniLuciano BiondiniLuciano Biondini is a jazz and folk music accordion player that has appeared on the albums of various musicians, including Gabriele Mirabassi, Fratelli Mancuso, Ivano Fossati and Rabih Abou-Khalil.-References:...
(accordion) - Michel GodardMichel GodardMichel Godard is a French tuba player and jazz musician.Godard was admitted at the age of 18 to the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio-France. His ability to produce overtones and musicality leaves the listener surprised at how light a seemingly cumbersome tuba can sound...
(tuba) - Mark NauseefMark NauseefMark Nauseef , is a drummer and percussionist who has enjoyed a varied career, ranging from rock music during the 1970s with his time as a member of the Ian Gillan Band and, temporarily, Thin Lizzy, to a wide range of musical styles in more recent times, playing with many notable musicians from all...
(percussion) - Gavino Murgia (vocals, tenor saxophone)
- Jarrod Cagwin (drums)
- Selim Kusur (vocals, nay)
- Setrak SarkissianSetrak SarkissianSetrak Sarkissian is a Lebanese tabla player. He has won numerous awards in the Middle East and in Europe for his contributions to both traditional and modern Arabic music. His compositions and arrangements have been featured on over 30 recordings and movie soundtracks, including five with Farid...
(darabukka) - Joachim KühnJoachim Kühn-Biography:Kühn was a musical prodigy and made his debut as a concert pianist, having studied classical piano and composition with Arthur Schmidt-Elsey. Influenced by his elder brother, clarinetist Rolf Kühn, he simultaneously got interested in jazz. In 1961 he became a professional jazz musician....
(piano, alto saxophone) - Ramesh ShothamRamesh ShothamRamesh Shotham is a percussionist and drummer.-Life:Ramesh Shotham was born in Madras, South India. He graduated with a degree in zoology from Loyola College, University of Madras...
(Indian percussion) - Alexander BalanescuAlexander BalanescuAlexander Bălănescu is a violinist and founder of the Balanescu Quartet.He emigrated with his family to Israel in 1969....
(violin) - Nabil Khaiat (percussion)
- Charlie MarianoCharlie MarianoCarmine Ugo Mariano was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and died in Cologne, Germany.-Biography:Mariano was the son of Italian immigrants....
(alto saxophone) - Gevorg Dabagyan (duduk)
- Kenny WheelerKenny WheelerKenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
(Flugelhorn) - ARTE QuartettARTE QuartettThe ARTE Quartett was founded in 1995 by the saxophonists Beat Hofstetter, Sascha Armbruster, Andrea Formenti and Beat Kappeler.They are mainly committed to contemporary music and to jazz and free improvised music...
(saxophone quartet)
Discography
- Compositions & Improvisations (MMP, 1981)
- Bitter Harvest (MMP, 1984)
- Between Dusk and Dawn (MMP, 1987; Enja Records, 1993)
- Bukra (MMP, 1988; Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1994) - Nafas (ECM, 1988)
- Roots & Sprouts (MMP/Enja Records, 1990)
- World Music Orchestra: East West Suite (Granit Records, 1990)
- Al-Jadida (Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1990) - Blue Camel (Enja Records, 1992)
- Tarab (Enja Records, 1992)
- The Sultan's Picnic (Enja Records, 1994)
- Arabian Waltz (Enja Records, 1996)
- Odd Times (Enja Records, 1997)
- Yara (Enja Records, 1998)
- The Cactus of Knowledge (Enja Records, 2001)
- Il Sospiro (Enja Records, 2002)
- Morton's Foot (Enja Records, 2004)
- Journey to the Centre of an Egg (Enja Records, 2005)
- Songs for Sad Women (Enja Records, 2007)
- Em Portugues (Enja Records, 2008)
- Selection (Enja Records, 2009)
- Trouble in Jerusalem (Enja Records, 2010)
As guest musician
- Chris Karrer: Dervish Kish (Schneeball/Indigo, 1990/91)
- Michael Riessler: Heloise (Wergo, 1992)
- Charlie Mariano & Friends: Seventy (veraBra records, 1993)
- Glen Moore: Nude Bass Ascending (Intuition, 1996/97)
- Ramesh Shotam: Madras Special (Permission Music, 2002)
Other
- Jakob Wertheim & Rabih Abou-Khalil: KopfKino (cassette, Ohrbuch-Verlag, 1988)
- The Jazz Club Highlights (DVD, TDK JAZZ CLUB, 1990)
- Rabih Abou-Khalil presents Visions of Music - World Jazz (accompanying TV series, Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1999)
External links
- The Official myspace.com Page
- Official website
- Rabih Abou-Khalil page at ENJA Records
- Rabih Abou Khalil at All About Jazz
- RABIH ABOU-KHALIL - LIST OF ISSUED RECORDS compiled by Johann Haidenbauer
- Rabih Abou-Khalil
- Fotos Rabih Abou Khalil & Termites at work - 2007 jazzit
- Portrait of Rabih About-Khalil on Qantara.de by Lewis Gropp