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Ahmed Warshanna: Ishta
ByDedicated to this mom's chemo struggle (yes there's the sound of that in his playing too), Istha is an elemental city narrative told by an aspiring apprentice seamster who makes all the fine stitching disappear. Raised in an Egyptian-American home, Eastern winds blow against and subside to Kenny Burrell's soft dialogue and Wayne Shorter's blues and all the quixotic worlds between.
Both serving as surprisingly intimate intros to Warshanna's roughly allusive, urban style, there's mystery afoot ("Inty Omry"), and there is intrigue ("Alf Leila"). Whereas as an almost-too-predictable (though comely) bout of cool ("Samaka") might derail the passive listener, it gives the rest of us elbow room to observe the whimsical "Azra" and the meandering, still oddly focused, "Intisar." Each a player in his own emerging, saxophonist Dominic Ellis, bassist Thomas Owens, trumpeter Hart Guonjiam-Pettit, trombonist Daniel Sperlein and drummer Charlie Seda generously make Warshanna's maiden voyage a good, true listen. Give it more than one.
For more of Warshanna solo and septet, see his Youtube link below
Track Listing
Inty Omry; Alf Leila; Samaka; Azra; Intisar.
Personnel
Ahmed Warshanna
guitarHart Guonjian-Pettit
trumpetDominic Ellis
saxophone, tenorJosh Miller
pianoThomas Owens
bassCharlie Seda
drumsAlbum information
Title: Ishta | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Self Produced
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Ahmed Warshanna
Album Review
Mike Jurkovic
Kari-On Productions
Ishta
Self Produced
Kenny Burrell
Wayne Shorter
Dominic Ellis
Thomas Owens
Hart Guonjiam-Pettit
Daniel Sperlein
Charlie Seda