I have always wondered why we listen to the music that we listen to. Cesaria Evora from Cabo Verde sang in Portuguese Creole that no one, not even Portuguese speakers could understand but she had millions of fans.
Lyrics and words are important but in my case the change in tone of the music is what touches me, the best example I can give you is Persian Music. I listen to a lot of Persian music and I do not understand a single word but when I get the lyrics translated, of those songs I loved, the lyrics are lovely too. So, something in the music which touches my brain starts a harmony of notes that cascades a lot of emotions including Saudade (Longings).
The music to which I am not hereditary to but have come to love all have a theme running through it, Nostalgia or Longings or Saudade. And acts as a gate to enter another sphere.
Mornas and Coladeras from Cabo Verde
Flamenco
Modern Jazz (the improvisation lets you into a world of imagination)
Tango
Tonight, I was listening to Chaabi music which falls into the music that soothes me, and was glad to discover a fusion chaabi with jazz. I listened to the album Koum Tara where the singer is a Chaabi singer from Algeria.
Abdel Hado Halo is the leader of this bank. He is the son of the famed El Anka
KOUM TARA – CHAÂBI, JAZZ AND STRINGS
Koum Tara is a meeting of four musical worlds centered around a common project, created and directed by pianist-composer Karim Maurice: traditional chaâbi music, classical string quartet, contemporary music, and jazz. The raw material was extracted from the traditional repertoire of Algerian singer Sid Ahmed Belksier.
These themes were worked, distorted, reharmonized and restructured to create a hybrid, cross-cultural style. As part of the writing process, these musicians brought their own identity and their specific know-how to each piece. This has been a cultural meeting of minds, resulting in a unique musical texture. Chaâbi’s traditional poetry and love songs are blended with the tradition of the Western string quartet, jazz improvisation and electronic music, creating a fusion of styles and genres within each piece.
At a time when humanity, respect for cultures, and tolerance are seen as much-needed values for building a better world, this performance offers a musical universe in which each person brings his or her identity, cultural heritage and originality to sing universal love.
Karim Maurice is a French pianist-composer-arranger. His Karim Maurice Project was named “Revelation 2008” at the Jazz Festival of Ramatuelle. In 2013 he won the SACEM Autoproduction Award, and was named Best Composer at the international “Made in New York Jazz Competition” in 2015.
Gaël Rassaert is the laureate of several chamber music competitions and enjoys an international career as a chamber musician. He is a regular guest of the Lyon National Orchestra, the Radio-France Orchestra and the Lyon National Opera. He is part of Portugal’s Darcos Ensemble, directed by composer Nuno Côrte-Real (heard on Odradek Records album ‘Mirror of the Soul’, ODRCD336). Today he devotes a large part of his activity to the artistic direction of the conductor-free La Camerata string ensemble, which he founded in March 2004. La Camerata has established itself as an important player in the musical landscape. Comprising 20 musicians from Lyon, La Camerata embraces repertoire ranging from Schoenberg, Bartók, Britten, and Shostakovich, to traditional music (Algeria, Argentina, Chile), jazz, and contemporary music.
As I speak Spanish and Portuguese, I do listen to music from South America as well as from the erstwhile Portuguese colonies in Africa. Latin America is full of rhythms and Brasil is very musical, Cuba and Brasil would be my favourite musical countries in the region with Mexico and Colombia following. Tango from Argentina truly lifts my spirits up.
Since October 5, 2019 I have listened to a lot of Persian music and I enjoy them very much. I listen to Israeli music, obviously and am partial to Mizrachi music, fusion music incorporating the middle eastern countries of the origin of the many Israeli musicians. There is hardly any music east of Persia that I listen to: China, Japan, Korea, India. None of these countries add to my repertoire of listening
Today is Nowruz, the first day of Spring, the first day of the Persian New Year 1399. I have listened to music from Iran, Israel, Algeria, France. I am grateful to the music streaming services. I have noticed that I do not listen to much music in my own language, English. There is a steaming service with Buddha Bar kind of music which is in my phone.
Perhaps today it was Nowruz today, even though no one was particularly enthusiastic about celebrating it this year, I had contact with all those I needed to be in touch with, all through the day I have been feeling very elated and the music was appropriate enough and I was glad to discover the fusion Chaabi music.
To celebrate Nowruz, I listened among others
Faramaz Aslani and Dariush..Ebi Mohsen Yageneh...
Here is Faramaz Aslani and Dariush singing ESHGH...
Oh Love
Love is like the flight of a bird
Love is the dream of a runaway deer
I am a thirsty pilgrim under the rain
Love, is a lake but it's poisonous
I die because of this poisonous water
But the one who has died of love is alive every moment, until the doomsday
I die of this poisonous water
A lover's death is like life, it's the peak of a bird's flight
You, who is the meaning of love, give me some meaning
Bury this liar voice in the cemetery of myths and tales
Call my name, from the depth of the night, behind the wall
Be my last reason to live
I am the seed of an outcry, be the fertile soil of my land
Be the illuminating dawn of my rebellion. Be my awakening
Love, is sacrificing your life
Love has been the beginning of the story
I'm on my way, don't say it's early
The one who has given his all, is nothing compared to us
I'm on my way, don't say it's early
But the one who has died for love, has never died
ONCE YOU KNOW THE LYRICS TO THE PERSIAN SONGS, YOU WOULD LOVE THEM EVEN MORE
