Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rabih Abou-Khalil / Joachim K: Journey to the Centre of an Egg

197

Rabih Abou-Khalil / Joachim K: Journey to the Centre of an Egg

By

Sign in to view read count
Rabih Abou-Khalil / Joachim K: Journey to the Centre of an Egg
With a program of compositions by Rabih Abou-Khalil and Joachim Kühn, Journey to the Centre of an Egg shifts to various parts of the globe, combining mainstream jazz with world music. Most of the flavor in their creations centers on the Middle Eastern tradition. This comes as no surprise, since Abou-Khalil was born in Lebanon and lived there until adulthood. But the session also includes flavors from other areas, including Spain, the Caribbean, South Africa, and parts of South America.

Abou-Khalil's oud takes on the persona of a blues guitarist on "I'm Better Off Without You, which finds him expressing heartfelt instrumental wails and moans. Both he and Kühn take their time with this one, letting the spaces grow and giving their vibrant energy plenty of room.

Natwasheh and Kadwasheh finds the two players rambling, as if traveling on a desert caravan to some exotic place far removed from home. This, the longest piece on the program, has the most impact. The moods change from light and airy to crisp and forceful, as both piano and oud sail majestically on their way. Kühn moves to alto saxophone on this exciting number for a dramatic close. Percussionist Jarrod Cagwin's colorful kit, which he utilizes throughout the recording, is augmented by Wolfgang Reisinger's trap drums here and on the next tune.

Folk music plays a considerable role in the creations that Abou-Khalil, Kühn and Cagwin have put together here. The pitch distribution possible from an oud allows Abou-Khalil considerable freedom. Thus, oud, piano and percussion revel in their respective theaters of operation, creating a musical landscape representing influences from a sizable portion of the world's music.

Track Listing

Shrewd Woman; Little Camels; Die Br

Personnel

Rabih Abou-Khalil: oud; Joachim K

Album information

Title: Journey To The Centre Of An Egg | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Justin Time 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.