Palestine

Le Trio Joubran are three Palestinian brothers: Samir; Wissam; & Adnan Joubran.

Samir Joubran was born in 1973 in Nazareth, Palestine, from a family rich with musical tradition. He started playing music at the Nazareth Music Academy before moving to Cairo to enter the Mohamed Abdel Wahab Academy where he studied until 1995.

Once his harmonious & magical oud playing was recognized, it didn't take long before he gained widespread renown, first in the Middle-East, then the rest of the world. Samir played many festivals while composing film scores as well as music pieces for dance shows. He then encountered the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish who led him to grasp the core of Arabic poetry.

Samir's first album Taqassim was released in 1996, followed by Sou' Fahm in 2001. In 2002, he formed a oud duo with younger brother Wissam. Wissam (born in 1983) had inherited from his father, a famous Lute maker, the passion of his trade. Wissam had already become a luthier of great craft & dexterity. He was the first lute maker from the Arab world to graduate from the Antonio Stradivarius Academy in Italy.

Together, the two of them recorded Tamaas/Daqui in 2003. Their third brother Adnan joined them in 2004, giving birth to Le Joubran Trio. It is as a trio that their music entered a new musical era. Adnan's talent added to his brothers' to reach an intense yet peaceful quality of incredible musical exchanges. The Joubran Brothers were brought up with a common love of music from an early age. Their music is not only an expression of their dreams, but it is also, from the first note to the last, an alchemy of spirit & sound, an ocean of sensuality & softness all entwined.

Majâz is the second release of Le Trio Joubran. Majâz means metaphor. A metaphor is an expression that tells us that one thing is the same as another otherwise unrelated object. Through their music on Majâz, the trio is musically carrying their listeners from one emotion to another emotion that is shown to be the same even if we thought it was unrelated. On this release the Brothers feature guest percussionist Yousef Hbeitsch.

 Le Trio Joubran  (الثلاثي ج) - Majâz  ( مجاز), Harmonia Mundi, 2007. 

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Tracklist -

Masar

Roubbama

Laytana

Tanasim 1

Majâz

Shajan

Tanasim 2

Sama-Sounounou

Min Zaman  

Tanasim 3

 Hawana

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Rim Banna is a Palestinian Singer, Lyricist, & composer from Nazareth, Palestine. She attended the High Institute of Music in Moscow studying music & singing, specializing in modern singing & conducting singing ensembles. She has released thirteen albums of her own work, has appeared on the compilation Songs Across Walls of Separation, & was chosen to represent Palestine by singing the song “Tomorrow” for a Quincy Jones compilation. Her eleventh release was 2007s Seasons of Violet, love songs from Palestine.

Her songs are inspired by the Palestinian people’s conscience & sentiments, from their culture, their history, & their folklore. They come from the nature around her & from the sound of the ancient Canaanite Hymns. They speak to the modern Palestinian people, with a message of hope, dignity, & freedom for a bright future. She is an artist & activist for modern Palestinian justice.

Appearing on Seasons of Violet are: Rim Banna – vocals; Eivind Aarseth – guitar; Leonid Alexeienko – acoustic guitar; David Wallumroed – piano & keyboards; Gjermund Silset – electric & upright bass; & Rune Arnesen – drums & percussion, with Siddhartha Krishna – backing vocals. 

 

 RimBanna – Seasons of Violet (ريم بنّا – مواسم البنفسج), Strange Ways Records Way 266, 2007.

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Track List -

The Hymn of the Sea (ترتيلة البحر)
The Night has Fallen Down (أمسى المسا)
The Light Gown of Soul (غلالة الروح)
Seasons of Violet (مواسم البنفسج)

The First Rain (المطر الأوّل )
Beit Allah (بيت اللّه )
I’ll Come to You Daisy Like (أجيئك أقحوان)
After You Left (من بَعدكَ )
The Dream (الحلم)
A Prayer (صلاة)
The Weeping of The Rose (بكاء الوردة)

Enjoy,
NØ