Safa by Nizar Rohana

Worlds Within Worlds are proud to announce ‘Safa’, a record of solo oud from acclaimed Palestinian musician Nizar Rohana.

For Nizar Rohana, the oud has been part of his life as long as he can remember. He grew up to the sight and sound of his father with an oud in his hands. At family gatherings, his father would play, often accompanied by his mother on Darbukah or whatever percussion instrument was available.

“This might sound cliché, but I can’t imagine my life without music,” explains Nizar. “My life is about music; I connect to the world through music. It has always and still is guiding my development as a person and as a human being.”

On Safa, the acclaimed Palestinian oud player presents his third full-length album, and the first focused purely on solo oud performances. It is his most refined and intimate release to date - a reflection on his life’s journey with the oud, and where those snaking paths might lead in future. It traces the long path from his first days with the instrument, through to his 2008 debut Sard (Narration), and the 2016 release Furat (Euphrates) - Nizar’s first trio album, which explored the combination of oud, double bass and percussion.

“Safa has few meanings in Arabic. The primary one for me is purity - but it also could mean fineness, clearness, or lucidity. While it is easier to ‘impress’ with a bigger ensemble, I find recording a solo album more challenging. It is as up-close, as intimate, and as personal as it gets. Pure and revealing.”

The record contains a number of strands, beautifully woven together. First are compositions which carry Nizar’s signature style - Safa, Mayadin, and Madar Hijaz all feature a melodic and rhythmic pattern or motif that repeats and transforms, not unlike the preludes by J.S. Bach.

Second are the pieces Yasamin and Song Without Words, which take a more lyrical approach. These beautiful song-like pieces gently unfold with a gentleness that speaks to Nizar’s maturity as a musician.

Finally, the pieces Rast, Bayati and Mufradat Nahawand are grounded in Taqsim - the improvisational genre in Arab classical music. These pieces have their genesis in Nizar's PHD studies, and are inspired by two of his musical heroes: Muhammad al-Qasabji (1898-1964) and Riyad al-Sunbati (1906-1981), each of whom are considered two pillars of modern Arabic music.

This is a record which draws together these different approaches, developing a unique style that while drawing on influences from Egyptian, Iraqi and Turkish traditions of oud, marks out Nizar’s unique artistic vision as a contemporary Palestinian musician.

“A large part of the process of creating this album was during the recent war on Gaza. It has been a challenging period especially mentally. There were many moments of despair and hesitation about the meaning of life and the meaning of creating music. But at the end, as a human being and especially as a Palestinian musician I feel the need to create new music, today more than ever. Music is about personal expression as well as collective identity. “

“There is also a very personal side to this album. One of the pieces is named Darwish. Here I refer to my late father. In Persian, this word originally meant the person who opens the door. My father was the one who ‘opened the door’ for oud and music in my life. In Arabic, especially through history, the word meant a wanderer or a simple and humble person who is satisfied with very little. Though my father didn’t live a life of a Darwish, I think he was a Darwish in his soul. This album is dedicated to his memory.”

Safa was recorded by Fieke van den Hurk (Kayhan Kalhor & Rembrandt Frerichs Trio) at Dearworld Studio, mixed by Bishara Khell at VSTLive Studio, and mastered by Andreas Balaskas at Masterlab Masteringstudios. Bishara Khell - one of Palestine’s leading composers and arrangers - worked with Nizar as a composition mentor, having worked with Nizar for the past decade. The album is supported by the Ud Festival in Netherlands, and Executive Producers Abhilash Nambiar and Claypot Technologies.

Nizar has had a storied career, having performed across Europe and the Arab world - from The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, to Palestine, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt - as well as in Turkey and Japan. In recent years he has performed at prestigious venues in the Netherlands such as the National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam, and made multiple appearances at the Netherlands Ud Festival.

With his new album Safa, Nizar Rohana can comfortably be proclaimed as one of the most profound and engaging masters of the oud in the contemporary scene. He not only carries forth the torch of the Palestinian oud tradition, but also weaves together the legacies of Egyptian, Iraqi and Turkish traditions of oud, and Arab classical music.

nizarrohana.com
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