MARCEL KHALIFE "Taqasim" Connecting Cultures

WHEN LEBANESE OUD virtuoso Marcel Khalife discovered the verse of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, Khalife writes in the notes to his new album, "I knew it was written for me -- to sing, to play, to shout, to pray."

There are no words on "Taqasim" ("improvisations"), yet Khalife insists that the album is possessed by Darwish's writing, conveyed in "a system of rhythm, melody and harmony."

Khalife's collaborators for this venture are son Bachar, a percussionist, and jazz bassist Peter Herbert. Both also performed on the oud player's previous album, "Caress," which ventured even further into jazz. Herbert's prominent bass sometimes steers "Taqasim" away from standard Arab styles, yet overall this is a more orthodox album than its predecessor.

During part of the last (and best) of the three 20-minute pieces, Khalife uses only the oud's lower register, offering an effective contrast to his son's higher-pitched drumming. Such experiments, however, are anchored by Khalife's mastery and the music's traditional foundation. Whether inspired by Darwish or Khalife's own roots, "Taqasim" never discounts the intricacy and emotion of classical Arab music.

-- Mark Jenkins