Maouzoun, Inger Hannisdal, Shble Saleem – Maouzoun (Fiol, 2024)
Maouzoun, the collaborative project by Syrian oud player Shble Saleem and Norwegian violinist Inger Hannisdal, intertwines diverse backgrounds to explore and reinterpret classical Arabic forms through contemporary compositions.
The splendid, masterfully crafted album draws heavily on the instrumental legacies of Egyptian oud player Mohamad Qasabji and Syrian violinist Sami El Shawa, whose works embrace taqasim, improvisations within the Arabic maqam tradition.
Saleem and Hannisdal stay rooted in Arabic musical forms and rhythms, yet they seamlessly incorporate modern and Norwegian folk influences, making Maouzoun both a tribute to, and a renewal of traditional Middle Eastern music.
Supporting the duo are equally gifted instrumentalists, cellist Ellen-Martine Gismervik, who lends a baroque-like classical touch, and Greek-Norwegian percussionist Marianna Sangita Røe. Røe’s mesmerizing frame drum adds a Mediterranean dimension to the ensemble, replacing the traditional riq often used in Arabic takht ensembles. Together, the musicians create an inventive, elegant set that embodies stories of travel, memory, and intercultural dialogue.
Musicians: Shble Saleem on oud; Inger Hannisdal on violin; Ellen-Martine Gismervik on cello; and
Marianna Sangita Angeletaki Røe on percussion.
Recorded by Eivind Hannisdal
Cover by Inger Hannisdal
Produced by Inger Hannisdal
Buy Maouzoun.
Author: Tyler Bennet
