Credits:

Anouar Brahem

Description:

Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem's 1995 release has been re-released with a new part number, Khomsa, an old Tunisian woman's name meaning "five fingers of the hand," a symbol of good luck in the Tunisian Bedouin tradition. It is also the name of the heroine in Nouri Bouzid's film Besnes, for which Anouar Brahem composed the music. Brahem is recognized as an outstanding improviser who stands above the Tunisian and pan-Islamic musical traditions with his masterful interpretations of these traditions. However, Anouar has a long history of working in film and theater in his native Tunisia, and Khomsa revisits material he has written over the past decade for these contexts, reworking it quite freely. These pieces, he states, "remain with me as images of a cluster of vibrating sensations." The piece highlights Braem's talents as a composer and as a soloist. The titles of the songs are often cinematic allusions.Nouvelle Vague" (for accordion and piano) and "E la nave va" (for bass, piano, and accordion) are named after the works of Godard and Fellini, respectively." Regard de Mouette" (here in solo violin version) is the title music for Kalthoum Bornaz's film " Ain Ghazel" ("Eye of the Gazelle," performed by an ensemble excluding Bécile Selmi) is named after the first Tunisian film ever made, produced in 1924 and rediscovered and restored shortly before this album. [Personnel] Anouar Brahem (oud) Richard Galliano (accordion) Francois Couturier (p,synth)Jean Marc Larche (ss) Bechir Selmi (vln) Palle Danielsson( double-b) Jon Christensen (ds)

Tracklisting:

1.Comme Un Depart
2.L'infini Jour
3.Souffle Un Vent De Sable
4.Regard De Mouette
5.Sur L'infini Bleu
6.Claquent Les Voiles
7.Vague
8.E La Nave Va
9.Ain Ghazel
10.Khomsa
11.Seule
12.Nouvelle Vague
13.En Robe D'olivier
14.Des Rayons Et Des Ombres
15.Un Sentier D'alliance
16.Comme Une Absence