Marcel Khalifé

“Caress”

(Nagam)

Reviews by: Wilma Salisbury / Plain Dealer Music Critic

The Lebanese oud player, a cultural icon in the Arabic world, embraces western techniques in collaboration with his sons Rami, piano, and Bachar, percussion and vibraphone.  Completing the ensemble is double bass player Peter Herbert.  Marcel Khalifé’s compositions fuse the intricate melodies and rhythms of Near Eastern music with the riffs and improvised solos of jazz.  “Gra nada’ treats the oud like a Spanish guitar.  “Tents” evokes a desert scene.  “Passport” develops into a lively jam session.  The composer sticks to simple harmonies in a lyrical piano piece, and he shows a firm command of bowed string techniques in a dramatic solo played by violinist Omar Guey.  Throughout the album, the musicians perform with vibrant rhythms and a feeling of spontaneity.   A-