Taqasim

A master instrumentalist on the oud, Marcel Khalife uses this sets of taqasims, or improvisations, to pay homage to the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. And, it has to be said, he does him proud in three long pieces that swing through an exquisite series of moods and show the range of his playing, from subtle little fills to wild strumming. It helps that he's backed by two very sympathetic musicians on bass and drums, as adventurous as he himself is. They have their moments to shine solo, but it's when the trio works together that the magic really comes through. It might seem odd to celebrate a poet, a man of words, with music and no lyrics, but what's on offer here is as eloquent and beautiful as any verse. This is an album that give Khalife total freedom, and he draws upon all his knowledge and skill to turn in the performance of a lifetime.