Artist Profiles: Muhammad Abu Ajaj

Oud player and composer Muhammad Abu Ajaj was born in 1955 in Kseife. It was from his father’s radio, in the tent that he was born, where Muhammad heard for the first time the great Arab singers. In his ‘desert school’ he saw the American cowboys and Samira Taufic movies. There is something surrealistic in a movie screened in the open air, where only the power of the generator is your link to the western civilization.

As a child, the Bedouin ‘fantasia’ men rituals and the ‘women singing’ always attracted him. At the age of 15 he started learning guitar, bought himself a Syrian ud and started searching for teachers to teach him the secrets of the instrument.

It was Hikmat Shaheen (the father of Simon Shaheen) that heard him play and brought him to ‘Beit Hagefen’ in Haifa as his student.

Muhammad held a second degree in Musicology and the Middle East. He taught music and led various ensembles that explored the Bedouin’s music and tradition (including the Tarab Ensemble that performs occasionally with Yair Dallal). Together, Muhammad Abu-Ajaj, Salman and Muhaysin presented a musical journey from the sounds and grooves of the traditional Bedouins music to the personal desires and love that in the Bedouins’ tradition can only be realized in songs.

In 2002 he released the album Kseife featuring Muhammad Abu Ajaj on oud and vocals; Ronny Hai on percussion; and vocals by Muhaysin Al Sarayah and Salman Abu Bader.

Discography:

Kseife (ZuTa Music, 2002)

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.