Maalouf: Kalthoum (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Ibrahim Maalouf

• 1 Introduction (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 03:52
• 2 Overture I (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 05:24
• 3 Overture II (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 03:44
• 4 Movement I (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 07:57
• 5 Movement II (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 07:51
• 6 Movement III (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 31:10
• 7 Movement IV (Live à la Philharmonie de Paris, 2015) 14:06
• 8 Introduction 03:54
• 9 Overture I 04:46
• 10 Overture II 03:33
• 11 Movement I 06:14
• 12 Movement II 07:26
• 13 Movement III 15:19
• 14 Movement IV 10:15
• Total Runtime 02:05:31

Info for Maalouf: Kalthoum (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

"KALTHOUM" is a celebration of women who have changed the course of history and whose artistic influence has had an impact on our lives today. I have therefore chosen an emblematic figure, a true monument to the history of the Arab people, and who is also the voice I have listened to the most since my early childhood: Oum Kalthoum.

Surrounded by a virtuosic jazz quintet, Ibrahim reinterprets this mythical work, imbuing it with depth and modernity, infused with his own artistic sensibility. Kalthoum was not only a musical icon but also a major feminist and political figure, whose legacy continues to resonate today.

Pianist Frank Woeste and I took one of this Egyptian diva's greatest songs, and we "translated" it into jazz that's rather conventional, but hopefully it innovates in the way it mixes cultures: the song is "Alf Leila Wa Leila" ("The Thousand and One Nights"). The song was composed in 1969 by Baligh Hamidi, taking the form of a suite lasting around an hour (as often in those days), with a three-minute chorus and verses of between five and twenty-five minutes. A large part of the piece is reserved for improvisation, both in the original version and in this one, but this suite is above all a series of paintings, and the way it's set up was very exciting to re-transcribe.

We recorded and mixed it in New York with the same crew as for the album "Wind" in 2011, which was also a homage (to Miles Davis), so I naturally thought of "Kalthoum" as continuing that fine adventure on record, with Larry Grenadier (double bass), Clarence Penn (drums), Mark Turner (saxophone) and Frank Woeste on piano.

Since 2006, seven tours and over 1,000 concerts in France and abroad, I feel like I've spent more time with you than with my own family. Indeed, you've become family - the most beautiful family imaginable. You've given me the purist artistic freedom, allowing me to take risks, explore any and every musical direction, even when they range wildly from one album to the next and from one night to the next. Often, my live performances didn't feature music from the just-released album or the music you had expected to hear. And yet every time I was received with smiles, warm applause and open hearts.

It's thanks to you that I've found joy and fulfillment in music. Those concerts when you, my musicians and I shared so much are moments of grace. It's during these moments that I feel belonging, that I feel I've found my place in this sometimes hostile world. Ten years ago, those who would become my closest friends and collaborators asked me what I wanted, and I told them I wanted to share music, concerts, emotions, desires, hybrid styles, multitudes of musical directions, and above all, love. I dreamed of all this a decade ago… and it came true! (Ibrahim Maalouf)

Ibrahim Maalouf, trumpet
Frank Woeste, piano
Mark Turner, saxophone (track 2)
Larry Grenadier, double bass
Clarence Penn, drums

Digitally remastered

Ibrahim Maalouf
born on 5 December 1980, is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and trumpet instructor. He was born in Beirut in a family of intellectuals and artists and he now resides in France. Ibrahim is the son of trumpeter Nasime Maalouf and pianist Nada Maalouf, nephew of the writer Amine Maalouf and grandson of journalist, poet and musicologist Rushdi Maalouf. He is currently the only trumpet player in the world to play Arabic music with the trumpet in quarter tones, which his father invented in the 1960s.

Between 2000 and 2007, Ibrahim performed with many internationally famous singers and musicians, such as Amadou & Mariam, Matthieu Chedid, Lhasa de Sela, Angel Parra, Jeanne Cherhal, Arthur H, Marcel Khalifé and toured in America and Europe performing in the most prestigious venues.

Ibrahim released his 1st album, Diasporas, in October 2007 produced by his own label: Mis'ter Productions. His 2nd album, DIACHRONISM, was launched in October 2009. It’s a double album consisting of: DISORIENTAL & PARADOXIDENTAL produced by his label too. He released his 3rd album "Diagnostic" in September 2011.

Ibrahim was also featured in many artists’ albums such as Sting, Vanessa Paradis, Vincent Delerm and others. He won many prizes in the major classical trumpet competitions in the world. In July 2010, he was awarded the Instrumental Revelation of the Year Victory Prize at the “Victoires du Jazz” competition.

This album contains no booklet.