Salwa Jaradat - Nafas نَفَس (Thawra/Tiny House) [Arabic / World Music]
- The Slow Music Movement
- 28 minutes ago
- 2 min read
*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's March 22nd Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***
I’m so glad I stumbled across this release today. The Arab world has been demonised since the Twin Towers, and more recently the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Iran not just character assassinated but murdered in numbers, often in real time before our eyes, their suffering neatly packaged to feed our doom-scrolling addictions. All of which makes albums like this stunning debut from Salway Jaradat, that oozes Arabic soul, craft, grace and emotional weight, all the more vital and timely.
Although I wasn’t previously aware of Jaradat, she’s a Palestinian vocalist, musicologist and researcher now based in Paris, who is using music as a space of memory, resistance, and continuity - the classic sounds and classic themes of her past given a lick of lyrical paint, alongside some jazz flourishes and even the odd experimental injection. The training and study have certainly paid off and is accentuated by her crack band: Cham Salloum on oud, Ali Hout behind the percussion, Raphaël Haddad on soprano oud and violin, and Makram Aboul Hosn taking care of the low end on double bass, oh, and just for good measure, there’s also a choir and some buzuq in the mix.
If you haven’t paid any real attention to Arabic music, then you’re in for a treat. Jaradat’s vocals are clear, true, powerful and poignant; I’m sure she has a sweet side, but not this time round. The musicianship is formidable - full of passion and intensity, with even the quieter passages oozing intrigue. So ditch the doom scrolling and instead sink into the sounds of civilisation’s cradle..
Playlist Companion
Find Jaradat in the Slow World Playlist.