HR-Big Band feat. Jim McNeely: The Artistry of Rabih Abou-Khalil - live at Bavarian Broadcast 2010

Rabih Abou-Khalil, oud
Michel Godard, tuba, serpent


Jarrod Cagwin, perc

Jim McNeely, cond
HR Big Band

recorded live at Bavarian Broadcast, Munich, May 7, 2010

1. "Ma muse m'amuse" (Rabih Abou-Khalil, Arr. Jim McNeely)
2. "No mar das tuas pernas?" (Rabih Abou-Khalil, Arr. Jim McNeely)
3. "How can we dance if I cannot waltz?" (Rabih Abou-Khalil, Arr. Jim McNeely)
4. "Maltese chicken farm" (Rabih Abou-Khalil, Arr. Jim McNeely)

Rabih Abou-Khalil grew up in Beirut and moved to Munich, Germany during the civil war in 1978. From early on, he learnt to play the oud, a fretless string instrument, similar to the European lute or Greek bouzouki. He studied in the Beirut conservatory from oud virtuoso Georges Farah. After moving to Germany, he studied classical flute at the Academy of Music in Munich under Walther Theurer. He has often blended traditional Arab music with jazz, and has earned praise such as "a world musician years before the phrase became a label, he makes the hot, staccato Middle Eastern flavour and the seamless grooves of jazz mingle as if they were always meant to" (John Fordham, Guardian 2002). He helped highlight the oud as a vehicle of eclectic "world jazz". Abou-Khalil and his associates are arguably creating a new international platform for improvised music, comparable to John McLaughlin and his associates in Shakti. Humor is a very important ingredient in Abou-Khalil's art and live performances. Various compositions are inspired by humorous stories, common to many is the absurdity of "commuting between cultures". Rabih Abou-Khalil's CDs are conspicuous for their high quality covers depicting Arabic art.

After recording with jazz greats, with traditional Arab musicians, with classical string quartets or Armenian musicians, after writing symphonic orchestral works for the BBC Orchestra in London and the Ensemble Modern in Germany – what would a Lebanese composer do next? Of course he would join forces with an upcoming, well known German Big Band, the Frankfurt Radio Big Band (HR-Big Band) conducted by arranger Jim McNeely.
Rabih Abou-Khalil´s latest CD called "EM PORTUGUÊS" was released on enja.