"ONE"
OMAR FARUK TEKBILEK, Yair Dalal, Azam Ali, Rabbi Haim Louk, Nabil Azzam, Pejman Hadadi and the New Hampshire string orchestra.
In a new CD by Yuval Ron
Manufactured and distributed by Magda Records. www.magda.co.il
With the world on the verge of war in Iraq, this new release presents a stunning reminder of the inter-cultural connection between all people of the Middle East. Most of this supremely evocative album originated from chants and traditional melodies of the three religions of the Middle East. The title track, unprecedented, brings together a Jewish Rabbi and a Muslim priest (Imam) alternating an Islamic call to prayer, Jewish chanting of the Psalms, and an Armenian Christian chant.
This stirring recording has been in the creative process for the past five years, under the wing of noted composer Yuval Ron. His collaboration with Turkish virtuoso Omar Faruk Tekbilek was first noted in the 1999 release of "One Truth" on the Hearts of Space label. A year earlier, Yuval Ron had invited Omar Faruk to record a soundtrack ("Love in the First Degree"), which was composed by Yuval. Months later, the favor was returned when Yuval was invited by Omar Faruk to compose the score for a film called "Inshallah", on which he performed all the instruments after Yuval composed the music. These unique collaborations led to the creation of the album "One" - a musical and spiritual journey combining the musical themes of both films. Recorded in the sound studios of Hollywood with string orchestra featuring soloists Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Rabbi Haim Louk, singer Azam Ali, of the group Vas, duduk and oboe player Chris Bleth, violinist Nabil Azzam and percussion virtuoso Pejman Hadadi.
Then violin and oud player Yair Dalal was recorded in the dunes of the Sinai desert, where additional field recordings were done, capturing Bedouin's voices and all the desert ambient sounds that accompany the work from its opening notes to its finale on the shores of the Red Sea. The artists that came together for this project represent a wide range of the ethnic groups of the area, and the countless musical layers, artistry and chants of the different religions create a fascinating testimony of a desert voyage to the experience of oneness.