イスラエル〜フランスの血を引く、蘭アムステルダム在住のピアニスト、アヴィシャイ・ダラシュによる自己名義2nd作品。同レーベル「Nomadic Treasure」（AMC012）にも参加していた彼だが、ジャズに開眼したのは16歳の頃で、同じくイスラエル出身でベルリンを拠点に活動するIttai Rosenbaumにピアノを師事。2010年にエルサレム音楽舞踏アカデミーで修士号を取得するとニューヨークに渡り、ジョージ・ケイブルス、ボブ・クランショーに師事するかたわら、 ブラッド・メルドーとも親交を深めたという。アムステルダム音楽院では、ジャズとクラシックの作曲の共同優等学位を取得している。
LABEL: A.MA Records, Italy
FORMAT: CD / AMC 017
ARTIST: Avishai Darash
TITLE: Samskara
EAN: 8031697401728
Avishai Darash (piano)
Daniele Cappucci (double bass)
Joan Terol Amigó (drums)
Karima el Fillali (vocals)
Abderrahim Semlali (violin)
Haytham Safia (oud)
Melting pot. L’identità condivisa che la commistione di etnie e religioni diverse esprime questa consueta, ma pur sempre suggestiva e curiosa, espressione si respira in ogni nota della musica incisa in questo disco. E’ la convivenza la grande scommessa delle società che viviamo, qualcosa che ha che fare con la tolleranza, che ha che fare con il dialogo, con l’incontro. E “Samskara”, qui al plurale (riti di passaggio che segnano i momenti più importanti della vita di un essere umano), ne è testimonianza appassionata e, in qualche modo, sofferta. Proprio così, perché la sofferenza è la chiave di lettura di questa musica, qualcosa di inconsapevole inclusa nel codice genetico di ognuno degli straordinari musicisti coinvolti in questo progetto. “Samskara” è il medio oriente che incrocia il mediterraneo occidentale con uno struggente caleidoscopio di suoni in cui il rinnovato interesse per la spiritualità in certa musica contemporanea prende il sopravvento. Il leader è un pianista (ma anche compositore e arrangiatore) di origini franco/israeliane attualmente residente ad Amsterdam punta di diamante della Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra – nella quale militano anche il violinista marocchino Abderrahim Semlali, il suonatore di oud Haytham Safia anch’esso israeliano, la vocalist marocchina Karima El Fillali tutti coinvolti in “Samskara” – e già vecchia conoscenza della A.Ma Records con la quale ha inciso l’anno scorso con i Nomadic Treasures. Il contrabbassista è un italiano, Daniele Cappucci mentre il batterista è uno spagnolo della Catalogna, Joan Terol Amigò. Sono i portavoce di una mentalità che non ama le etichette e che prende spunto da un certo modo di fare musica – il jazz ad esempio con il suo essere per eccellenza colonna sonora della migrazione – per esprimere e sintetizzare un modo di porsi accogliente, inclusivo, qualcosa che comunque stimoli la capacità di emozionarsi. Provate ad ascoltare Like Butter In The Sun, la penultima traccia di questo struggente viaggio sonoro, la sua soulness, la sua radiofonicità. E’ molto, molto probabile che riuscirete a riconciliarvi con il mondo.
Pianist Avishai Darash strikes again with a very beautiful, and intensely personal album, which only attests to how much of a complete and versatile musician he is. Samskara, his latest project released on A.MA Edizioni label, is an emotive and inspirational collection of eleven songs that will leave the listeners wanting more.
As with his previous album, Nomadic Treasures, he is paired with his usual band members, namely Daniele Cappucci on double bass and Joan Terol Amigò on drums. This time around, singer Karima El Fillali, as well as Abderrahim Semlali on violin and Haytham Safia on oud, joined in on the album, adding colourful layers to the release.
Throughout the album, Darash explores the multiple musical influences that make up his musicality and offers us a musical journey that meanders from the romantic ‘About Her’, to the perky Joy or even the sensual New Vision; a journey that leaves us, at the end of the album, with our very own samskaras.
The album opens strongly with the powerful multi-genres ‘Jajouka’ which immediately propels you into desert sounds. The song turns into a trance-like, spirited dance which is heightened by Darash’s rippling piano and Karima El Fillali’s evocative vocals.
With the sensitive ‘About Her’, listeners immediately grasp how personal the tune is and that Darash composed it with someone particular in mind. Cappucci’s plaintive double bass puts you in the mood before the piano leads the melody like a tide, illustrating the range of emotions one experiences in a love story. With a completely different resonance, ‘About Him’ is performed by Darash’s strongly-knit jazz trio. Sounding as the continuation of the narration depicted in ‘About Her’, the tune offers such a contrast to its moods and pace and yet, both songs appear as an inseparable pair, alternatively symbolizing feminine and masculine energy.
‘New Vision’ is an extremely sensual tune, replete with sexual innuendos. The dialogue between the piano and the oud is full of seduction and I particularly like Semlali’s violin solo which adds an Arabic touch to this otherwise Latin-hued melody and reminds us of the pain that comes with love and the magnetic pull of attraction. The whole arrangement is beautiful with nothing to be added or removed.
The cheerful ‘Joy’ is a delight to listen to. Listeners who are familiar with Darash’s playing will immediately recognize his fluid and freestyle that can get carried away by the melody and yet always in perfect symbiosis with it. In this tune, he implants extra rhythm at the beginning, allowing Karima El Fillali’s voice to dance above and in between the melody, feeling every nuance of the music, before he accompanies her on cleaner, quieter lines. Darash’s playing is so natural and mesmerizing. He is as excellent with melody as with rhythm; he has a brilliant command of tempos and structure without ever skimping on emotion. This is most apparent on the lyrical ‘Lullaby for Bendavid’, which appeared on his album Impermanence.
While ‘Samskara’ has a repetitive refrain to it, which ends abruptly, Darash’s loyal trio returns on ‘Purusha’, a smooth jazz piece where each instrument clearly displays its individuality.
‘Like Butter in the Sun’ is full of sparkle. Its catchy phrases and rhythm make us want to play it over again and again. El Fillali’s clean, luscious, breathy, slightly bluesy vocals add a funky vibe to the groove and are a perfect adornment to Darash’s playful piano.
‘Ten Sephiroth’ had to be the closing song on the album. Even with its expressive oud solo, the piece remains primarily jazzy, a genre Darash excels in. His short solo is what makes it my favourite piece. To me, ‘Ten Sephiroth’ summarises what the album is all about – a collective spirit where Eastern and Western music intermingles freely and leave us with the impression that no boundaries whatsoever truly exist. ‘Ten Sephiroth’ is the journey and the destination all at once.
Avishai Darash, once again, offers us a tremendous creative act. He is an astonishing musician and composer. The playing is responsive, emotive. An album laced with various moods and textures, Samskara is the result of a true creator, whose compositions allow us to catch the depth of the collective as well as the individuality of its musicians.
Nathalie Freson U.K. Vibe
