Om Al Aagayeb

Album review

The Franco-Syrian flautist Naïssam Jalal, recently awarded a Victoire du Jazz award, lived in Cairo between 2003 and 2006. The young artist faced a wide array of emotions during these three years, navigating between hope and darkness, love and hate. In Paris ten years later, she is reunited with Abdo Dagher, the talented Egyptian violinist. Having accompanied the greats (Oum Kalthoum, Abdel Wahab) and been shaped by generations of musicians familiar with the intricacies of taqsim (melodic improvisation), he had taught the flautist in his music room, an experience which would forever leave an impression on her. Their reunion led to Naïssam returning to Cairo and writing this breathtakingly intense but refined programme. Jalal’s free-flowing and majestic flutes are superimposed with the poetic whispers of violins, drums, the oud, the accordeon, the qanun and the double bass, or enter into dialogue with the magical voices of Om Sameh, Adel Mikha, or Cheikh Mohamed Mohammadi. Om Al Aagayeb is not only a beautiful album but an enchanting and powerful work of art: listening to it will enrich your day beyond measure. The compositions, the voices, the instruments, the way they interact and move together are all unmistakably fulfilling. © Benjamin MiNiMuM/Qobuz