Out of Border - Review of Daphna Sadeh's latest album

[R.A.S. <richards...>]

(This was meant to go out Monday night - unfortunately, a deceased CPU
cooler fan kept me offline and off the computer!)


Daphna Sadeh and the Voyagers - Out of Border


Daphna Sadeh should be familiar to many through recording and performing
credits with one of Israel's leading "world fusion" ensembles, The East
West Ensemble, of whom she was a member from 1990-97. Originally released
in 2002, "Out of Border" is an album with her latest project, The Voyagers,
recorded in Israel although Daphna Sadeh is now based in the UK.

A classically trained double bass player, Daphna Sadeh has a wide range of
performing experience in both classical and world music and combines these
with her passion for Middle Eastern music as well as Jazz influences. On
"Out of Border", she proves herself a formidable composer, with all four
tracks her own. The album was recorded "live" in the studio and conveys the
spontaneity of a live performance very well indeed. There is an abundance
of
energy and a great atmosphere of exploration. There is also an obvious
great
empathy among the players, all of whom acquit themselves with impeccable
musicianship and technical excellence.

The music of "Out of Border" is a fusion of classical, jazz, traditional
Jewish, and other Middle Eastern music. It is one of those rare beasts, a
truly successful and organic fusion - something that Israel seems to
produce more than its fair share of for some considerable time now. Indeed,
I'll venture to say that a significant majority of the best and most
exciting
world fusion music of the last decade or two has come out of Israel or from
Israeli musicians based elsewhere, regardless of whether the foundation of
this fusion is jazz, classical, world music or rock.

If you labour under the impression that contemporary classical music has to
be either almost totally a-melodious and jarringly dissonant (and
preferably
with unspeakable things being done to instruments), or bland, naive,
new-agey
tatt that may well be "soothing" to some but shows about as much
imagination
and musical inventiveness as a bovine breaking wind, you're not listening
to
enough new music, the good stuff's definitely out there if you persist
looking for it. Daphna Sadeh's "Out of Border" is an outstanding example of
contemporary classical music. The melody is given free reign, flowing
freely
and dominating. Ideas flow and are explored. The music always remains
wonderfully accessible and is warm and intimate. Like all the best music,
it
speaks directly to the heart and makes your spine tingle. Middle Eastern
melodies and rhythms are at the heart of this album, while some of the
soloing is distinctly jazzy. Western and Middle Eastern instruments blend
supremely well here and are clearly equals, no using something for purely
exotic "effect".

The opener, "Ancient Memories", is a very reflective, introspective piece,
opening with a gentle violin introduction that leads into the main section
of the composition, an exciting blend of an incredibly Middle Eastern
sounding piano and strings, oud and percussion alternating with more sombre
bass, piano and percussion. A subtle yet highly memorable tune, it is at
times reminiscent of Andalusian music as well as of Ottoman art music, yet
all in a distinctly modern and individual idiom. "Inner Sound" continues in
a similarly reflective vein. The title track, "Out of Border", is a more
extrovert, lively composition, almost like a Middle Eastern Piazzolla
tango,
exciting and vibrant. The closer, "Awakening", starts off introspectively,
then picks up and turns increasingly lively, and again in parts is almost
Piazzollaesque. "Out of Border" is at once hauntingly beautiful and
tremendously exciting music that leaves you wanting to hear more.

If you're in the UK, watch out for live performances by Daphna Sadeh and
the
Voyagers. This week, they'll be at Leo Back College in Finchley on 3rd July
at 8pm -
more details on the main Jewish Music page of Rainlore's World of Music -
http://www.rainlore.demon.co.uk/Jewish.html


More soon.

Richard
"Renaissance Man"

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+