Amir ElSaffar: Rivers of Sound Large Ensemble | UAE Debut

When / April 30, 2016, 8pm

Where / East Plaza, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi

Tickets NOW available on our website below:

http://www.nyuad-artscenter.org/en_US/events/2016/amir-elsaffar-2/

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

Amir ElSaffar’s 17-member big band moves beyond the notions of style and tradition into a realm of uninhibited musical communication, working in a broad spectrum ranging from Iraqi maqam to American jazz.

The Rivers of Sound Large Ensemble is deeply rooted in musical forms of Iraq and nearby regions but still speaks the language of swing, improvisation and group interaction, resulting in a sound distinct from other contemporary cross-cultural musical fusions. The group embraces a broad spectrum of traditions, from Iraqi maqam to American jazz, on a range of instruments including the Middle Eastern oud, buzuq, santur (hammered dulcimer), jowza (spike fiddle), and percussion, arrayed with the piano, bass and drums of jazz, along with trumpet, saxophones, oboe, strings, and voice. Rivers of Sound combines the modal language of the maqam with the aesthetics of contemporary music and jazz to create a new musical vocabulary. This exploration of pure resonance allows the assembled musicians to explore and experiment together along a continuum of sound encompassing timbre, harmony, pitch and rhythm. Having developed an instinctive ease with ElSaffar’s highly complex music, the band plays with a creativity that transcends pure technical challenge in a style that is rooted in tradition, while creating an entirely new aesthetic. As pitches and rhythms become fluid, so do cultural boundaries: elements that traditionally divide musicians and genre specific modes are recontextualized in a fresh cross cultural landscape.

Amir ElSaffar: Rivers of Sound Large Ensemble | UAE Debut

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