Asmar

By Yair Dalal

One of Israel’s premier genre musicians, Dalal pays tribute to his native Mesopotamia with mesmerizing songs of childhood and tradition.

With this CD, Yair Dalal returns, more than ever, to his Iraqi musical roots.

This is Dalal's journey to explore and expose his Babylonian heritage, the music of Baghdad and the atmosphere of the desert.

In his own arrangements, Dalal performs music composed by 81 years old famous composer Salim El Nur as well as by composers Sallach & Daud Al' Kuweiti.

Guesting are veteran Iraqi musicians such as oud player and singer Yossef Yaakub Shem Tov.

Dalal does not waive his connection to Israel and turns to important figures in Israeli culture such as the poet Ronny Someck, the Persian singer Maureen Nehedar, the Druse poet Salman Masalha and others.

The CD consists of both Hebrew and Arabic texts as well as instrumental tracks.

Also recorded especially for this release is 'Maqam Dashti' - one of the most ancient forms of artistic Iraqi and Persian music, based on texts from Arabic and Persian poetry. The overture of this track - "A Prayer for Peace" - is taken from Yom Kippur selihot (atonement prayers) and appeared on a special CD produced for the 100 years celebrations of the Nobel Prize featuring many international musicians (as well as Dalal himself...).

ASMAR means "brownish" which is the nickname of Yair Dalal's father given to him by his Arabic, Jewish and English friends in his hometown Basra, Iraq.

Listeners will find herewith a diverse and creative CD - full of emotion and honesty with a strong sense of quest and a return to childhood.

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