Artiste : Majid Bekkas, Nguyên Lê, Hamid Drake
Album : Jazz At Berlin Philharmonic XVII : Gnawa World Blues
Label : ACT Music
Lien : https://actmusic.com/en/jazz-at-berlin-philharmonic-xvii-gnawa-world-blues/ACT-8007
Style : Musique du Monde, Jazz Contemporain, Blues
With its world-renowned acoustics and distinctive architecture, the Berlin Philharmonic regularly opens its doors to jazz artists. The equally renowned ACT label has been echoing this since 2014 with the Jazz At Berlin Philharmonic series. For this seventeenth volume, the recording is of an encounter full of cultural fusion. Moroccan multi-instrumentalist Majid Bekkas, a former classical guitar teacher, blends Gnaoui tradition with blues and jazz; Nguyên Lê is a French jazz musician of Vietnamese origin who mainly plays guitar and bass; Hamid Drake is an American drummer and percussionist specializing in jazz and improvised music.
The music played during the concert recorded by ACT is the perfect illustration of these influences, sailing between Africa and America, where the traditions of the Maghreb countries meet with hints of trance music, like a link between the blues and the sub-Saharan regions that becomes more evident on certain tracks. Particularly interesting are the reinterpretations of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” on which the guitar takes on a slightly more catchy tone. The ensemble shines with its freshness and sense of freedom, in keeping with the modernity of the contemporary jazz artists present.
Each musician brings their own contribution and particularities to the collective work. However, Jazz At Berlin Philharmonic XVII: Gnawa World Blues does not sound like a juxtaposition of talents, but rather like an ensemble, a sharing and a common love of music, wherever it comes from. The choirs join Majid Bekkas’ voice on traditional songs, while the drums support and embellish the guitar when it takes on a bluesy tone. The timbres are always clear and each artist’s playing blends perfectly with that of the others. The distribution of the musicians on the sound stage is beautifully precise and enhances these connections.