Marwan Abado was born a Palestinian refugee in Beirut, Lebanon in 1967. As a child from Christian Palestinians he experienced as a child the fate of living the diaspora.
In 1985 Abado moved to Austria to continue his studies with the Iraqi ud virtuoso Asim Chalabi. In Vienna he found a new home as a musician, singer, composer and poet.
Abado’s instrument, the ud (the Middle Eastern lute) is essential in Arabic music .
Abado’s music has its roots in the classical Arabic music tradition of the taqsim, which is not restricted to particular rhythms, but which springs from the inner impulses of the musician.
On the one hand Abado’s melodies and musical concepts take their power from the deep relatedness to his roots. He is conscious about the rich Arabic tradition which he is musically living not only quoting. Otherwise Abado easily steps across the border between East and West by seeking interaction with European traditions and musicians. This results in Abado’s specific sound: cosmopolitan, borderless music.
Contemporary poetry and prose often provide the inspiration for Abado’s lyrics; thought-provoking commentary on the political realities of the Palestinians is interwoven through his texts.
In 2000 he formed a duo with Peter Rosmanith. Apart from this, his artistic work with musicians like Otto Lechner, Timna Brauer, Roland Neuwirth, Allegre Correa, Krzystof Dobrek, Aliosha Biz, Franz Hautzinger and many other Austrian and international musicians and poets show his artistic openness.
His creative output includes also film and theater music as well as concepts for cultural institutions and lectures about Arabic music.
Discography:
Marakeb (Iris, 2002)
Kabila (Iris)
Nard (2009)
Zugvögel (2010)
Raushana (2012)
Masaar Hubb “Path of Love” (Gramola, 2015)
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.
