From Syria and Albania: Sarab and Elina Duni

Sarab (Marwan ElGamal) and Elina Duni (ECM) albums.

© RFI

By: Laurence Aloir

3 min

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Sarāb

 is back with his second album 

, which could be translated as 

.

The album deepens a unique and committed style, between jazz, rock and music from the Middle East.

Born from the meeting between the Franco-Syrian singer 

 and the guitarist

, 

, which means mirage in Arabic, is a musical edifice that combines rock, modern jazz and traditional Arab music. The duo quickly transformed into a creature with six heads, where each one became indispensable to musical creation. The six musicians of the group play with borders and genres.

Sarāb

 is a six-member Franco-Syrian Arab jazz rock group.

The group was formed in Paris in 2018. A musical mirage that navigates between several universes with guest percussionist

, saz player 

or even the committed author and science fiction writer 

.

Sarab.

© Sylvain Gripoix

Songs played by Sarab, extracts from the album Arwāh Hurra

(L'Autre Distribution)

♦ 

, The One in My Mind see the

♦ 

("Foreign is a verb" Feat. Alain Damasio)

♦ 

Then the #SessionLive receives Elina Duni for the release of the album Lost Ships 

(ECM)

Born in Tirana, Albania, in 1981, into a family of artists, 

 first took the stage at the age of five and sang for National Radio and Television as well as in various Children's Festivals.

Elina Duni and Rob Luft.

© Rromir IMAMI

In 1992, following the fall of the communist regime, she arrived in Switzerland and moved with her mother to Geneva where she studied classical piano and discovered jazz. She studied singing, composition and pedagogy at the Bern University of the Arts, jazz section. In 2005 she created the

 with

on piano,

then

on bass and

on drums, a return to musical roots that mixes Balkan folk songs with jazz.

After two albums

 (2008) and

(2010) at Meta Records, the quartet released in 2012 with ECM

 (Beyond the mountain), and in 2015 

(Swallow). Albanian songs are found here full of lightness and rhythm and the European press gives them a very warm welcome.

In 2014,

released in Kosovo and Albania her first solo album as a songwriter "Muza e Zezë" (The Black Muse).

In 2017, she was one of the winners of the Swiss Music Prize and began a duet with London guitarist 

 The solo creation

where Elina accompanies herself on guitar, piano and percussion, was released as an album on ECM in April 2018. In November 2020 the album entitled

with Rob Luft, Fred Thomas and Matthieu Michel was published on ECM.

Elina Duni and Rob Luft at RFI.

© Laurence ALOIR

Titles performed at the large studio

♦ Kur më del në derë, Live RFI

♦ Lost Ships, extract from the album Lost Ships see the

♦ Yesterday again, Live RFI

Musicians

Elina Duni,

Rob Luft, 

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