Abu nawas rhapsody

Description

Born in the city of Teboulba, Youssef began his musical career at Quranic school, absorbing the influences around him. He was a muezzin before managing to set aside the money needed to buy his first oud, then he moved to Vienna at the age of 19. Dhafer settled in Paris in 2001 and then began exploring the Norwegian Nu-jazz scene revolving around Nils Paetter Molvaer, Eivind Aarset, and Bugge Wesseltoft. This Norwegian collaboration continued on his fourth album, Divine Shadows, (Jazzland) released in 2006. It features artists such as Arve Henriksen, Audun Erlien and Rune Arnesen. Unlike the previous albums, Dhafer’s voice and his oud are placed at the forefront of the record. Thus, on his new album, Abu Nawas, Rhapsody (Jazzland), we find three particularly exciting musicians: the young Armenian Tigran Hamasayan, a new rising star, on piano, the Canadian living in Paris Chris Jennings on double bass, and New Yorker Mark Guiliana on drums. There one can find Dhafer’s trademark, a combination of energy and serenity where his voice echoes the immensity of divine bliss.