Record Reviews

DIRAR KALASH ~ OF QUIETUDE DISCUS 100 (Barcode: 5051078983127) ~ ISRAEL ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is a solo piano album by Palestinian pianist / composer Dirar KalashFind albums by this artist, resident in Ramallah, recorded during his visit in UK in January 2020. The album presents just two extended solo piano improvisations, both lasting slightly above or below the half an hour mark. Kalash released several albums on his Berlin based al-bayanFind albums on this label label, which I am sadly not familiar with, and he defines himself as "a musician and sound artist whose work spans a wide range of musical and sonic practices within a variety of compositional and improvisational contexts". The music is a collection of sounds produced by striking the piano keys, creating a minimalist tapestry of sounds, which is pretty unrelated to the external world beyond the workings of the pianist´s mind and his inner ears. Obviously Avant-Grade and quite unique, the music is not making any effort to reach out towards the listener and leaves him to interpret the sounds Kalash produces by his own aesthetic / emotional values. Clearly such music has an a priori limited audience, mostly due to the fact that it drives the listener to make an intellectual and / or emotional effort to relate to the music, which in most cases is way more that can be currently expected. Nevertheless such effort will be deeply rewarding, as the music has a transcending quality, almost like a Buddhist chant, that purifies the listener´s soul from any mundane troubles he might be preoccupied with. Overall I found the music a fascinating listening experience, difficult and demanding, but completely worth the effort to put away an hour and just submit yourself to the sounds, letting the soul to do the rest. I can imagine that Kalash finds a very limited local audience in Ramallah, but to be perfectly honest Avant-Garde is by definition intended for limited audiences and even at the epicenters of Culture it has very limited appeal. As to problems with an access to an instrument, mentioned in the album´s PR, from my experience there are plenty of pianos around Ramallah, instrument shops and music schools, but I am also sure that the Jerusalem Music Academy, just half an hour from Ramallah, will welcome Kalash and provide him with access to an excellent piano – after all we are neighbors, often way closer than what the world chooses to portray. Congrats, as always, to Martin ArcherFind albums by this artist, for releasing this music on his excellent DiscusFind albums on this label label, regardless of its commercial appeal. You are a true pioneer!

Updated: 21/11/2020Posted: 21/11/2020

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