1 Opening Day 07:01
2 La nuit 10:29
3 Blue Maqams 08:42
4 Bahia 08:46
5 La passante 04:06
6 Bom Dia Rio 09:24
7 Persepolis's Mirage 08:07
8 The Recovered Road To Al-Sham 09:27
9 Unexpected Outcome 10:59

Anouar Brahem (oud)
Django Bates (piano)
Dave Holland (double bass)
Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Other than a few cassettes in the 1980s, Tunisian oud master and composer Anouar Brahem has spent his entire career recording for ECM. The one exception was his score and soundtrack for the 1994 film Les Silences du Palais. In 2017, Brahem celebrated his 60th birthday with Blue Maqams, recorded at Avatar Studios in New York (a first) without his longstanding quartet of pianist François Couturier, bassist Björn Meyer, and bass clarinetist Klaus Gesing. With producer Manfred Eicher, Brahem assembled a band for this special date featuring bassist Dave Holland (who worked with the oudist on 1994's brilliant Thimar), drummer Jack DeJohnette (who has a nearly 50-year history with Holland), and British pianist Django Bates. The album title signifies the union between the incredibly complex Arabic modal and harmonic system and the "blue" so often evoked in jazz improvisation. Throughout, Brahem seamlessly combines the uncommon time signatures, sonic timbres, and whole-tone textures of Arabic music with the dynamic adventure of jazz improv. That premise is immediately put forth in the first track, "Opening Day." Brahem's haunting intro is joined by Holland's resonant playing inside of a minute, DeJohnette's cymbals increase the tempo, and Bates eventually transforms a spare modal ballad into an exercise in swing. The laid-back tom-tom groove DeJohnette establishes on the title track is an indicator. He's joined by the rest of the rhythm section before Brahem enters with a tender melody that swings gently. "Bahia" -- on which Bates sits out -- was previously recorded for Jan Garbarek's Madar. It commences with an oud solo accompanied by Brahem's humming, and opens onto a full-on jazz trio conversation. The oudist uses the scalar maqam ballad style as his rhythm section delivers grooving support in contrast. "Bom Dia Rio" is almost skeletal, while the oud develops the melody with Brahem's wordless vocalizing in accompaniment. When his bandmates enter, it twists and turns into a sprightly -- if moody -- 10/8 groover. On "Persepolis's Mirage," Brahem turns in some of his knottiest playing before the quartet delivers a processional Arabic melody augmented with layers of rhythmic invention. Bates adds fills from his instrument's lower and middle registers, providing weight and texture, but it's Brahem's meaty playing that ultimately shines. "The Recovered Road to Al-Sham" is an oud/piano duet that brilliantly juxtaposes Western chamber and Arabic classical music. "Unexpected Outcome" offers a moody lyric mode from Holland and Brahem before cracking open into an 11-minute, full-blown quartet jazz jam. There are excellent solos from each member and plenty of blue accents. Bates' elliptical chordal statements and fills add an elegant flourish in a closing statement to both the track and the album. Blue Maqams is lovely. It's a nearly perfect illustration of balance between cultural and musical inquiry, underscored by the confidence and near symbiotic communication of this gifted ensemble. This is an exceptional outing, even for an artist as accomplished and creative as Brahem. ---Thom Jurek, AllMusic Review

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01 Claquent Les Voiles
02 Kashf
03 Telwin
04 Mazad

Anouar Brahem - Oud
John Surman - Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone
Dave Holland - Double Bass

Salvator Kirche, Duisburg, Germany march 19, 2000

Brahem is well-known as one of the foremost Arabic jazz oud players and composers. His work (especially his more recent recordings) tend to be meditative in tone, but he can still surprise with fiery intensity on occasion.

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01. Le Pas Du Chat Noir 8:01 
02. De Tout Ton Coeur 7:41 
03. Leila Au Pays Du Carrousel 6:37 
04. Pique-Nique Ŕ Nagpur 4:13 
05. C'est Ailleurs 8:04 
06. Toi Qui Sait 6:03 
07. L'Arbre Qui Voit 6:13 
08. Un Point Bleu 1:52 
09. Les Ailes Du Bourak 4:54 
10. Rue Du Départ 6:05 
11. Leila Au Pays Du Carrousel, var. 5:39 
12. Déjŕ La Nuit 5:10

Anouar Brahem - (Oud),
François Couturier - (Piano),
Jean-Louis Matinier - (Accordeon).

Oud player Brahem has established his own little niche with the instrument; his music, strongly Arab-inflected, has the spare, chamber feel that makes it a perfect fit in the ECM catalog. He's a contemplative player, and this melding with piano and accordion suits his style perfectly, as notes and ideas draw out marvelously. The interplay between musicians is as delicate as lace -- thoughtful, with everyone listening as much as playing. It's a record with many moments of great beauty, like the exquisite piano on "C'est Ailleurs" or the filigree touches between accordion and piano that decorate and nudge along many of the tracks. Brahem is a superb, if reserved, musician, as are his colleagues: Francois Couturier on piano and Jean-Louis Matinier on accordion. Together they trace something exquisite, an experience for the eras and the heart. --- Chris Nickson, Rovi

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01. Ronda 3:17
02. Parfum de gitane 4:21
03. Houdouth 5:38
04. Le chien sur les genoux de la devineresse 3:45
05. Sebika 5:34
06. Leila au pays du Caroussel, Variation 5:41
07. Diversion 5:39
08. Comme une absence 3:17
09. Nihawend Lunga  3:34
10. Claquent les voiles 2:08
11. E La Nave Va 4:43
12. Vague 2:39
13. Bou Naouara 2:25
14. Mazad 5:06
15. Hulmu Rabia 2:19
16. Astrakan Café 4:44
17. La nuit des yeux 5:29

Anouar Brahem- Oud
Kudsi Erguner- Ney
François Couturier- Piano, Synthesizer
Jan Garbarek- Sax
John Surman- Sax 
Dave Holland- Bass 
Palle Danielsson- Bass
Jon Christensen- Drums

Tunisia-born Anouar Brahem is best known by his collaboration on ECM releases with such musicians as Jan Garbarek and John Surman. But beside of that he is releasing solo albums as well.

Being often called most progressive oud player, his music is deeply rooted in Magreb folklore tradition. With some influences of modern jazz, Anouar plays Arabic folk scented with improvs and some European jazz arrangements (participating such ECM stars as Jan Garbarek, John Surman, Palle Danielsson,Dave Holland and Jon Christensen).

Vague is his only compilation album for a moment and a rare ECM release for French market only. Meditative but well adapted to Europeans ears music is pleasant and easy accessible, but fortunately quite successfully balances between world fusion and easy listening.Hardly a release for jazz purist,this album could be enjoyable listening for fans of contemporary world music with jazz elements. --- jazzmusicarchives.com

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