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THE REVIEW
I'll give you the eMTiV unplugged...
The refined Tunisian sound-sculptor Monsieur Anouar Brahem (oud*), accompanied by the remarkable clarinettist Mr Erkose Barbaros and the faithful yet subtly drumming percussionist Mister Hasni Lassaad, offered, within the area belonging to the megalithic "S'Ortu Mannu"** of Villamassargia, a precious and singular evening/event characterized initially by a sober, intimate, and chiaroscuro musicality of recognizable traditional Arab origin, which, with the ever more engaging flow of minutes, transformed into a performance increasingly rich in jazz nuances, intense, "open" to the surrounding Mediterranean musical landscapes, full of admirable contrasts and mellifluousness more and more unusual.
Natural talent reinforced by extraordinary interpretative rapport/interplay displayed by the three placid individuals on the modest, softly lit, sober stage surrounded by centuries-old tree trunks: musicians endowed with evident, I would dare say blinding, almost as much as the scorching sun that burns the respective desert of their native land, spectacular technical skills in using their instruments, which, fortunately and as not too often happens, are used not as a gratuitous/onanistic display of cerebration but rather diligently placed at the humble (yet extremely rich) service of the overall "feeling" and ensemble sound: ninety minutes apparently spent in the same interval as a lightning snap of the fingers between extremely intricate, elegant, sometimes nervous, impeccable, minimal yet vital sound frameworks composed through the "simple", celestial blend of three sound elements that we might have preemptively judged as poorly reconcilable if not downright daringly matched.
At the end of the performance, repeated bursts of applause, filled with satisfied gratitude, from the (relatively) numerous audience***1/2 prompted the immediate return of the phenomenal yet grateful and smiling Trio for an admirable and applauded encore which seals, as the starry midnight approaches, a pleasant and, alas infrequent, happy and full of inwardly satisfying audio-night.
* An archaic Middle-Eastern lute***
** "The Great Garden"
*** A kind of bulbous multi-stringed acoustic guitar ante-litteram
***½ Around 500 souls (more heads, fewer heads) in attendance; once again, regrettable to note, as it has now become customary in similar "engaged" contexts (albeit everyone does what they personally feel and like), one witnessed the unfortunate practice of the disrespectful "escape" by the largely recognizable handful of "bored"... Fear not, dear Sirs: for You, the following week, the (definitely) phantasmagoric/pyrotechnic performance of the National-popular Pierone (Pelù) is scheduled: I am certain He will satisfy any intense auditory need/necessity...Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Anouar Brahem’s live concert at S'Ortu Mannu featured an intimate and refined fusion of traditional Arab music with jazz elements. Alongside clarinettist Erkose Barbaros and percussionist Hasni Lassaad, Brahem showcased exceptional technical skill and emotional interplay. The performance evolved into a rich, captivating soundscape that deeply engaged the audience. The event ended with warm applause and a heartfelt encore.
Anouar Brahem
Tunisian oud master known for blending Arabic musical tradition with jazz and European chamber textures; long-time recording artist for ECM Records.02 Reviews
