Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tarek Yamani: Peninsular

8

Tarek Yamani: Peninsular

By

Sign in to view read count
Tarek Yamani: Peninsular
On his third release Peninsular, pianist and composer Tarek Yamani continues to explore the amalgamation of Arabic music and American jazz. His work is more than a simple juxtaposition of disparate styles as it is built upon shared elements in both genres. On the current album, commissioned for the Abou Dhabi festival, Yamani's focus is folk tradition of the countries on the Arab peninsula that border the Persian Gulf.

The melancholic "Gates of Tears" opens on a somber note with bassist Elie Afif's unaccompanied and introspective lines. The ensemble's undulating refrains form the core of this cinematic piece that is laced with Near Eastern mysticism. Yamani thrills with his agile improvised flourishes that are quite lyrical and showcase his superb virtuosity. The individual expressions seamlessly emerge from and fade back into the main theme.

Equally captivating is the hypnotic "Ayyala Cubana." The haunting chants and heavy percussive rhythms are common to both the Omani traditional dance, the Ayyala, and the Afro Cuban Son. The passion and poetry that fill Yamani's own pianism are also rooted in the dual heritages of the tune.

At various moments throughout the recording guest musicians enhance the core trio's performance with local color. On the title track percussionists Ahmad Abdel Rahim and Wahid Mubarak drive the melody with their galloping beats. Over these infectious vamps, Yamani lets loose flowing, resonant chords. Drummer Khaled Yassine and his thundering kit together with Yamani's chiming notes and Afif's dark reverberations contribute a touch of elegant and delightful dissonance.

Elsewhere on the emotive "Al Qorbi Nasnas" vocalist Adil Abdallah articulates the intriguing lyrics with yearning ardor. Yamani's elegant solo on the quarter tone keyboard reflects the poignancy and wistfulness of this deceptively simple song.

With each project, Yamani continues to highlight the universality the musical language. This emphasis on the cross-cultural nature of creativity, particularly the spontaneous kind, is what makes his forays into fusion successful. Of course, his superlative artistry does not hurt either.

Track Listing

Indisar; Hala Land; Samrias; Qumairah; Al Qorbi Nasnas; Gate of Tears; Peninsular; Rastprints; Ayyala Cubana.

Personnel

Tarek Yamani: piano, quarter tone keyboard; Elie Afif: acoustic bass; Khaled Yassine: drums; Wahid Mubarak: percussion; Ahmad Abdel Rahim: percussion; Adil Abdallah: vocals.

Album information

Title: Peninsular | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Edict Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Apr 10 Wed

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.