CD of the Month
Produced by Jafra Music Productions and Beit Almusica
Supported by the Welfare Association – Taawon
The word kazdara (literally “stroll”) in the dialects of the Levant also carries the connotation of meandering. It relates to stories, scenes, faces, and smells, and – in the background – if listeners of kazdara let their imaginations sail, they will be transported to music that has various integrated temporal and spatial elements, similar to fusion. This image forms the inspiration for the album Kazdara that aims to convey stories and portray people through new and original contemporary music.
Its place of origin is Palestine, with all its diversity, which makes this music a vehicle of transferred resonance that might be better described as Eastern Fusion. It suggests the sounds of this place, as they are embodied in the music that has shaped its identities. But it goes a step further. The past, the surrounding contexts, and the present become associated with the wider place and the world. They present themselves through the voices of their locality that are universally linked with the world.
The album highlights the Palestinian music scene by inviting the listener to partake in a meeting that has brought together musicians from Palestine, the occupied Syrian Golan, and the world. It also is part of a larger project, titled Crossing, whose mission is to provide opportunities for musicians to compose and produce their music and bring it to audiences, no matter where they are.
Kazdara features:
- Khalil Khouri – Qanoun
- Rami Nakhleh – Drums
- Mohamed Najem – Clarinet
- Jovan Pavlovic – Accordion
- Øystein Bru Frantzen – Contrabass and Arrangements
- Youssef Hbeisch – Percussion
- Elie Khoury, Tareq Aboushi, Amer Nakhleh, Ahmad Alkhatib – Composers
- Mahmoud Awad – Artwork
