ElSaffar, Amir - Alchemy
SKU
28-Pi 51
Amir ElSaffar: trumpet
Ole Mathisen: tenor saxophone
John Escreet: piano
Francois Moutin: bass
Dan Weiss: drums
Trumpeter Amir ElSaffar’s Alchemy continues his investigations of tonal systems of other cultures within a jazz context. A recent recipient of the prestigious Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, Amir has been residing in Egypt, further absorbing the musical language of the Middle East, which is beautifully reflected in his use of Sumerian and Babylonian modes alongside his own microtonal melodic and harmonic language. With Alchemy, his first recording for standard jazz quintet instrumentation, Amir builds on the work of previous recordings to create more forward-looking works; music that continues to open the door to new possibilities for the future of jazz.
“Amir ElSaffar is uniquely poised to reconcile jazz and Arabic music without doing either harm.” — The Wire
“Avoids the sensationalistic and touristic in favor of the sincere and investigatory, searching for a common or at least consonant elements of the vocabularies of jazz and classical Arabic music.” — Downbeat