Breath

Yinon Mualem, Breath (Tinshemi) (Magda Music, 2011)
ALL TRACKS FCC CLEAN Reviewed by Abu Ramses

Yinon Mualem was born in Israel to parents of Iraqi origin. A composer and percussionist (darbuka, def, bendir, Iranian zarb, kanjira -south Indian tambourine- and Gatham -clay pot). In 1998 he began playing the oud and went to study music in Istanbul, where he still lives. He has produced 5 albums of his own compositions, collaborated with prominent Turkish musicians, performed for the Turkish prime minister and as a soloist with the Tekfen Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, & initiated collaborations between Israeli & Turkish musicians. On the album: Sinan Cem Eroglu (saz, fretless & acoustic guitar, kaval, kopuz); Cenk Erdogan (keyboards, double bass, guitars); Yinon Mualem (vocals, percussion, kalimba); Sumru Agiryürüyen (vocals); Selim Koytak (oud); Hakan Gürbüz (electric bass); Serdar Pazarcioglu (violin); Alper Kiliç (double bass); Dilek Mualem (vocals); Cemil Tatllipinar (electric bass); Vincent Couprie (tabla); Jan Rast Mualem (vocals)

Tracks

I like 1, 2, 8, 9, 10

1. Breath (For Dilek) – slow, kaval (flute) intro, electric guitar backup, Hebrew vocal - 5:17
2. Abu (Father) – Up-tempo, flamenco-klezmer instrumental mashup - 3:21
3. Lonely– Mid-tempo instrumental; flute, oud, guitar, nice violin solo- 3:15
4. Ana Behasdeha (I’m at your mercy) – mid-beat, flamenco guitar intro, then violin, Hebrew vocal by Yinon - 5:09
5. The Sound Of Rhythm – Up-tempo, mainly violin solo, imitates a wailing clarinet; slows at 4:25 to feature percussion & kalimba until reprise - 6:58
6. On The Mountain – Intro Saz and kaval, then droning chorus in back, strings join in towards end - 4:03
7. Alma Ve Lama (A Maiden and why) – guitar & kaval intro, downbeat vocal features vocal by Yinon + female vocal backup with guitar and nay - 4:02
8. Rast Taksim on Oud – mid-tempo oud solo. Rast is a mode, like a major scale. Short but beautiful! - 1:26
9. Rast – All instrumental Oud is featured with flute, guitar, and percussion -3:16
10. Longa Oriental – Loose interpretation of the Longa, an upbeat Middle Eastern instrumental form. Mixed with some blues & flamenco elements - 3:47
11. Small Rast – Slow, baby crying & kalimba with background instruments - 3:29