Nassim Maalouf - Improvisations Orientales (Club Du Disque Arabe, 1994) *****

My recent review of Ibrahim Maalouf's "Diasporas", made me search for his father's Nassim Maalouf's "Improvisations Orientales" from 1994, the first solo trumpet CD with his quartertone trumpet, and of which I now found a copy. For this trumpet he added a fourth valve, half the length of the second valve, which is played by the index finger of his left hand. On this CD he demonstrates how Arabic scales or "maqamat" can be played with the trumpet. But the record brings more than just a demonstration. It brings music of a purity seldom heard. If you like Frank London's Invocations, you may like this one even more; it does with Arabic music what London did for jewish prayer songs, turning it into a moving solo trumpet incantation. Most of the music is very spiritual, slow, melancholy and sad, but luckily some dances are included as well, breaking the monotony. On some tracks he is accompanied by Adel Chams Eddine on frame drums. His playing is exceptional, and so is the music.



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