Simon Shaheen - Turath

Simon Shaheen is wonderful, and this is a great CD. I've been listening to it since high school (when it was originally released by CMP), and I'm now just short of twenty-nine. My favorite track, and really one of my favorite songs, is the uber-catchy "Longa Farahfaza." The addition of the bass oud really propels the song and gives it some funky oumph (pun intended). The tempos on the other songs tend to be slower, but the track I mentioned and the longer riqq/oud duet on the next track are well worth the price of the album. It's very seldom you'll hear this kind of repertoire with such high production values. If you enjoy this, I also recommend Mr. Shaheen's album devoted to the music of Mohammed Abdel Wohab. It rocks. It really really rocks. Fun-Fact: Dead Can Dance, the leading fake world music purveyors of the 80s and 90s, sample that one for the closing credits of their "Toward the Within" concert film. -by John Grunwell, AMG

Shaheen invited three other highly-respected virtuosi on istruments played widelyin Turkey and the Arab world to participate in the project: Hassan Ishkut, a well-versed musician originally from Turkey who played the qanun (a plucked zither); multi-instrumentalist Faruk Tekbilek, another Turkish musician, heard here on the nay (reed-flute); and Samir Khalil, an Egyptian percussionist currently living in London, who plays the riqq (small tambourine) and the tar (a large frame-drum). In addtition to showcasing the talents of these artists, the album also demonstrates Shaheen's innovative treatment of the music (e.g. adding the bass 'ud, a regular 'ud equipped with thicker, custom-made strings), as well as the care he has taken to preserve the integrity and character of the repertoire performed. - from the CD cover

Artist: Simon Shaheen
Album: Turath
Year: 1991
Label: CMP (1992)
Runtime: 59:18

Tracks:
1.  Bashraf Farahfaza (Ismail Haqqi) 5:42
2.  Sama'i Farahfaza (Tamburi Jamal) 6:41
3.  Taqasim on Violin (Simon Shaheen) 1:35
4.  Longa Farahfaza (Riyad al-Simbati) 3:15
5.  Taqasim on the Beat (Simon Shaheen/Samir Khalil) 9:33
6.  Sama'i Nahawand (Masud Jamil) 8:16
7.  Tahmilah Suznak (Traditional) 6:22
8.  Sama'i Nahawand (Ali Jihad Racy) 6:27
9.  Bashraf Kurd (Asdik Aga) 4:17
10.  Taqsim on Nay (Faruk Tekbilek) 1:13
11.  Sama'i Kurd (Simon Shaheen) 5:51

Personnel:
Simon Shaheen (Oud, Violin, Bass oud)
Faruk Tekbilek (Nay)
Hassan Ishkut (Qanun)
Samir Khalil (Riqq, Tar)

Thank You Larance Marable

I just received word that the great West Coast Jazz drummer Larance Marable passed away earlier this July. Marable was not a household name by any means but certainly played an important role in the West Coast scene and, notably, as the drummer in Charlie Haden's Quartet West group for many years.

In fact, when I was in grade 12 my high school Jazz band travelled to the IAJE conference in Anaheim, California in 1995 and I heard Larance playing drums with Haden's iconic group. His drumming really spoke to me and I was really influenced and moved by his clear and swinging cymbal beat and some very tasteful accompaniment on the drums. His style and approach fit that band perfectly. 

I distinctly remember Larance taking an extended drum solo with mallets that, for me, was the highlight of the concert and really brought the house down. Charlie was going NUTS on the bass afterwards, he was so excited. That was the first time I'd ever heard a drummer play a solo with mallets and ever since it's been one of my favorite things to do during a drum solo.

Thank you Larance.

Here's a clip of Marable in a 50s trio date with West Coast pianist Carl Perkins and the underrated Leroy Vinnegar on bass:



With great thanks to Ethan Iverson over at his very fine blog Do The Math here are some words from Charlie Haden on his relationship with the great drummer, Larance Marable:

"I first met Larance Marable in the late fifties when I was playing with Paul Bley at the Hillcrest Club in L.A. and Larance was playing gigs around town. We soon started playing together with Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Sonny Clark, Paul Bley, and would often drive up to San Francisco to play with different musicians including Chet Baker. I still remember the stories he told on that drive, about Bird and other great musicians. In fact, on our Quartet West album Now Is the Hour there's a picture of him at a birthday party for Bird in Watts, sharing ice cream and cake.

He was a beautiful person that loved to laugh. My daughter Tanya once played him several games of ping pong when we were in Paris. When she missed a point, she'd say, "I'm going to get you, Wabbit" like she was talking to Bugs Bunny, and Larance would crack up.

This guy had something that was magical. I experienced it from the first time we started to play. The thrust of his cymbal was so strong. Strength is not the right word. Maybe power is right. It would happen anytime, anywhere. You could always rely on him. He had a lot of dynamics in his playing. You can’t explain it, but he had it. He functioned in my Quartet West like Jimmy Cobb functioned for Miles Davis, especially on Kind of Blue.

In 1986 or thereabouts, in Hollywood, there was some kind of benefit or reception for the movie Round Midnight. Billy Higgins was there, and he and I were talking and Higgins said, "Look over there, it's Larance Marable." Way across the room! Larance Marable! I went over to him, and we hugged. We had't seen each other in many years. I said, "Man! Are you playing?" He said, "I always loved playing with you!" and I said, "Now that I found you, we have to play together!"

First Larance subbed with Quartet when Higgins couldn't make it, but then, when Billy started touring with the Round Midnight band a lot, Larance joined my band full time.  His cymbal beat was perfect: It was earthshaking when he came in with the time.

In Quartet West he was the other part of my heartbeat."