(headline image: Hames Bitar at Casa Árabe in 2016)
Syrian oud player and composer Hames Bitar currently lives in Madrid, Spain. His artistic trajectory is marked by a multifaceted engagement across diverse musical spheres, including classical Arabic music, Indian melodies, world fusion ensembles, and flamenco. At the helm of various creative endeavors, Bitar served as the musical director of the renowned Ensemble al-Ruzafa.
In 2007, he unveiled the album La música de Al-Andalus: Las puertas de oriente with Ensemble al-Ruzafa. This recording celebnrated the rich cultural heritage of medieval Al-Andalus.
Moving forward to 2012, Hames Bitar was one of the creators of the project The Adventure of the Flute and the Rope. This was a captivating convergence of calligraphy and live music, an artistic dialogue between acclaimed calligraphist Khaled Al-Saai and Bitar. Against a backdrop of Arab lute melodies, Al-Saai’s calligraphic strokes unfolded dynamically, presented in real-time on a grand scale. Notably, Al-Saai’s work is characterized by its finesse, chromatic elegance, and profound Sufi motifs.
Bitar’s collaborative ventures extended to the ensemble Darawish, a sprawling collective that birthed the album Madar in 2020, emblematic of cross-cultural dialogue and musical innovation.
Continuing his trajectory of musical exploration, Bitar embarked on yet another collaborative project in 2023 with the release of an album titled When The Sun Rises, in collaboration with gifted Madrid-based Iranian musician Kaveh Sarvarian.
In 2024, Bitar forged ahead with the formation of the ensemble Cardamom. He teamed up with talented Spanish percussionist Luis Taberna and Kaveh Sarvarian.
Partial Discography:
La música de Al-Andalus: Las puertas de oriente (2007)
Madar (2020)
When The sun Rises (2023)
Author: Douglas Sanders
