Pharaoh Blue (CD)

Benjamin Koppel has grown up to the tunes of the orchestra Bazaar's music. The legendary trio, with Peter Bastian, Flemming Quist Møller and Benjamin's father Anders Koppel, were, from 1976 and almost 40 years, some of the most important musical bridge builders between European music tradition and world music. Their music demanded short and well invention of a new genre designation, "Bazaar Music", which is characterized by drawing equal parts of inspiration on the one hand from jazz and European classical music, on the other hand, Balkan, Cuban and Arabic music. And Benjamin was from the start. For as a three-year-old, at that time, the little red-haired boy was on tour and slept on the stage, in an intermistile bed made of the carpets that his father Anders' hammond organ was wrapped in during the transport. And thus, Cuban rhythms, Arabic harmonies and Balkan melodies became a fully incorporated part of Benjamin's musical upbringing and tonal language.
Forty years later, Benjamin, who has since become one of Europe's most productive and high-profile soloists, has now created an extraordinary musical collaboration with the Egyptian trio of Maktoub. Accordionist Wael Elsayed, Ahmed Omran and Ahmed Maher on the Egyptian string instrument oud and percussionist Ayman Mabrouk have played together since 2013 and have placed themselves firmly on the world stage as a contemporary and fresh bid for fusion between Egyptian folklore and jazz with improvisation as the focal point.
The group is completed by the Swedish double bassist Thommy Andersson. Together they have two blah. played and recorded with top names like Paul Bley, Daniel Humair, Miroslav Vitous and many more.
The music is composed of original compositions, written by Benjamin Koppel for the ensemble as well as songs,composed jointly by Trio Maktoub. Among the compositions are titles such as "To the Uncles of Bazaar", a tribute to Benjamin's two uncles, Peter
Bastian and Flemming Quist Møller; "The Valley of Queens", inspired by a visit to the Luxor area of Egypt, where the Queen's Valley, with its
overwhelming cultural history, almost knocked beneath Benjamin;
"Song for Om Kalthoum", the largest Arab singer ever, who became acquainted with Benjamin both in the Bazaar tour as a boy, but also because Bazaar often took songs from Om Kalthoum's repertoire on the program; "Pharaoh Blue" is a tribute to Egypt's magical culture and art for millennia; and Trio Maktoub's three subtle and highly personal compositions: "Nour"- the Arabic word for "light";
"Sohad" - named after the Arab girl name which means "insomnia"; and
"Magazz" - the trio's bid for a real jazz composition, but with a clear Arabic touch. And finally, the creative collective has included a completely new interpretation of the Danish folk song "I went out on a summer day", which puts intercultural dialogue in renewed focus.
With PHARAOH BLUE, Benjamin Koppel once again surprises - and shows that he is still as artistic curious and intercultural inspired as he has always been. The musical upbringing in the middle of one of Denmark's most iconic orchestras, Bazaar, does not deny itself and Benjamin is more than happy to stand on the shoulders of father Anders and the uncles from the Bazaar. And the result is an astonishing musical liaison and a work that draws a thick line under the importance of getting to know other cultures. For the musical experience, nothing less than terrific!