NASEEM ALATRASH

BRIGHT COLORS ON A DARK CANVAS

Levantine Music

Naseem Alatrash, cello/composer; Chase Morrin, piano; George Lernis, percussion; Bruno Raberg, acoustic bass; 1^st Violins: Bengisu Gokce, Lilit Hartunian, Greta Myatieva, Heeyeon Chung, & Aija Reke. 2^nd Violins: Eric Mrugala, Liubomyr Senyshyn, Helen Sherrah-Davies, & Miyu Imai. Violas: David Wallace, Anna Stromer & Raymond Dineen. Mina Kim & Naomi Steckman, cellos. Conductor: Eugene Friesen.

Since 2021, Naseem Alatrash has been the cellist for the GRAMMY Award-winning Turtle Island Quartet. He is an extraordinary cellist, an outstanding composer and educator. His artistry embraces the Arabic music heritage, contemporary European classical music and it is fused with jazz traditions.  This makes for an unusual, but very artsy world music production.  This entire album is a suite of music for cello, piano, percussion and string orchestra.  Naseem Alatrash has composed every song.

This is Naseem Alatrash’s debut album where Alatrash reimagines the cello as a leading voice in Arabic music. The cellist finds lyrical beauty in his instrument and presents his original compositions with vigor and emotional depth.  He is pushing the boundaries of Arabian music and stretching the contours of the Middle Eastern compositions to fit into a more contemporary setting, with jazz being the inspiration.  This is particularly evident in Track 3 called “Ramad” which translates to ‘Ashes.’  The music itself is fire, energized by the string ensemble and the lush percussion of George Lernis. Chase Morrin’s outstanding piano solo provokes the imagination and stuns this listener to attention.

Throughout his illustrious career, Naseem Alatrash has collaborated with an impressive list of musicians including Terence Blanchard, Roger Waters, Terri Lyne Carrington, Christian McBride, Steve Vai, Danilo Perez, Simon Shaheen and Amir Elsaffar to name just a few.

The Alatrash composition titled “Echoing in the Hollow” showcases the beauty of Naseem’s cello mastery, adding Arabian rhythms that push the music forward, like a caravan across the sands.  The strings sound like the wind whispering above the caravan with wisps of harmony. This is an album that blends jazz in a vey unique way, hugging it to the breast of the Middle East and kissing it with the lips of contemporary classical music.

The closing track is energized with improvised solos and excitement. It is the second part of a tune called “Risala,” (that translates to “Message”) and it is full of energy and vitality. It’s impressive with all the drama!

Today, Naseem Alatrash serves as Assistant Professor of Cello and Ensembles at the Berklee College of Music.  He is also Director of the Arab Music Ensemble at Tufts University and Director of the Global Folk Traditions Ensemble at the Longy School of Music. He offers us world music on another level. It is meant to open your mind, body and spirit to a fresh level of art and music.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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