Rabih Abou-Khalil – The Cactus Of Knowledge (2001) [DVD-AUDIO ISO]

Rabih Abou-Khalil’s ninth Enja release features one of his most expansive lineups to date — 12 pieces in all, including oud, brass, woodwinds, cello, and percussion. It’s quite a departure from 1999’s austere Yara. Here the tempos are bright, the unison lines darting and difficult, the improv heated, the tonal combinations ever-changing. Heavy-hitting jazzers dominate the band roster, including Dave Ballou and Eddie Allen on trumpets, Tom Varner on French horn, Dave Bargeron on euphonium, Antonio Hart on alto sax, and Ellery Eskelin on tenor sax. Gabriele Mirabassi’s clarinet gives the music an almost klezmer-like sound at times (a tantalizing instance of Jewish-Arab reconciliation). The gorgeous booklet includes a prose poem by Gamal Ghitany (printed in English, French, and Arabic), as well as a series of campy band portraits and a full transcription of track number five, “Oum Saïd.” Looking over the score, one gets some sense of the rhythmic complexity Abou-Khalil is dealing with (try counting in 6+5+5+3/16, for instance).

Tracklist:
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01. The Lewinsky March (05:25)
02. Business As Usual (06:23)
03. Fraises Et Creme Fraiche (09:53)
04. Got To Go Home (08:51)
05. Oum Said (10:36)
06. Maltese Chicken Farm (09:36)
07. Ma Muse M Amuse (09:37)
08. Pont Neuf (05:41)
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+ Bonus Film:
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Fraises et Crème Fraîche

Recorded by Walter Quintus and Bardo Kox (WDR) at the WDR Studio, Cologne, Germany, on July 22-30, 2000
Produced by Rabih Abou-Khalil and Walter Quintus
Mixed by Walter Quintus at Sound Studio Zerkall, Germany
Executive Producer: Matthias Winckelmann
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THE MUSICIANS:
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Rabih Abou-Khalil, oud
Eddie Allen, trumpet
Dave Ballou, trumpet
Tom Varner, frencn horn
Dave Bargeron, euphonium
Michel Godard, tuba
Gabriele Mirabassi, clarinet
Antonio Hart, alto saxophone
Ellery Eskelin, tenor saxophone
Vincent Courtois, cello
Nabil Khaiat, frame drums
Jarrod Cagwin, drums
Walter Quintus, sound engineer
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All compositions written and arranged by Rabih Abou-Khalil