Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rabih Abou-Khalil: Em Portugues

517

Rabih Abou-Khalil: Em Portugues

By

Sign in to view read count
Rabih Abou-Khalil: Em Portugues
Musical alchemist, oud virtuoso and springer of surprises, Rabih Abou-Khalil has never been shy about immersing himself into challenging musical environments. So the suggestion by Ricardo Pais, director of the Teatro Nacional Sao Joao, Porto to have Abou-Khalil write music to the words of five Portuguese poets represented an irresistible challenge. The project sees Abou-Khalil utilizing a singer for the first time—the impressive fadoist Ricardo Ribeiro. Em Portugues however, is not fado, but a marriage between its poetic, blues spirit and the imagination of Abou-Khalil. The music lies firmly in the bed of the rhythmic complexities and melodies stemming from his Arabic roots and wider musical vision. The result is both challenging and powerful.

It may seem like an odd project, but the oud is not such a distant cousin of the Portuguese guitar and there is an obvious symmetry between the poetry of fado and Arabic song; odes to love, yearning, loss and unrequited love are central to the great body of songs of both cultures, and these poems of the heart and soul must have resonated with Beruit-born Abou-Khalil on a deep level. It wouldn't be impossible to imagine Egyptian legend Om Kolthoum or Lebanese diva Fairouz singing here.

Vocalist Ricardo Ribeiro's powerful baritone voice and rich timbre invest gravitas and beauty on these poems, turning them into songs of vitality and emotional depth. "Como un rio," where his voice is operatically powerful as he in- tones: 'If the night can shelter me ah this sun, this sun, ah this sun is nothing..." then tender in turn, brings all the elements of this experiment together—beautiful lyrics animated by Ribeiro, subtly shifting dynamics, and exhilarating oud playing from Abou-Khalil. There are fewer exhibitions of oud virtuosity here than on the haunting Songs for Sad Women (Enja, 2007) but as always Abou- Khalil is a team player, surrendering himself to the needs of the music. For the most part his oud rides on the wings of Ribeiro's wonderful voice.

Although Ribeiro is arguably the star, this is most definitely a Rabih Abou- Khalil record; the feeling of familiarity which permeates the music of such an original project is down to the chemistry provided by long-standing sidemen Michel Godard on bass, serpent and tuba, Jarrod Cagwin on frame drums, and the tasteful employment of accordion by Luciano Biondini, who has recorded with Abou-Khalil before, on Morton's Foot (Enja, 2007). Broadly speaking, unison lines follow the contours of the songs, although Godard shines on a solo on "Casa de Mariquinahs" accompanied by the wordless voicing of Ribeiro which recalls the great Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for power and expression.

The sound translation into English of the intimate, brooding and joyous poetry contained in this beautifully packaged CD, bring these songs to life. The imagery is colorful, moving and unforgettable: "Lovely woman, intimate being, left like an unread book..." These songs are like strange but beautiful stones—hard to put a name on, but most definitely precious.

Track Listing

Como un rio; No mar das tuas pernas; A lua num quarto; Amarrado a suadade; Ja nao da como esta; Se o meu amor me perdisse; Quando te vejo sorrir; Casa da Mariquinhas; Biejos ateus; A gaviota qu tu es; Jugo da vida; Adolescencia perdida.

Personnel

Ricardo Ribeiro: vocals; Rabih Abou-Khalil: oud; Luciano Biondini: accordion; Michel Godard: bass, serpent, tuba; Jarrod Cagwin: drums, frame drums.

Album information

Title: Em Portugues | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Enja Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.