Marcel Khalife: Taqasim (Lebanon)

With his latest work,Taqasim, Lebanese composer and 'ud master Marcel Khalife takes his dedication to poet Mahmoud Darwish to a deeper level. He uses solely, and without lyrics, the lower register of the 'ud and upright bass to communicate "those tremendous but obscure dimensions that are often ignored by the listeners' ears -- the task of expressing the profound consonance between the poet and the musician." Through the 'ud, Khalifé brings Darwish's world of the Palestinian people's dispossession and exile to all, regardless of the listener's background or familiarity with Arab music, inviting everyone to embrace its deep and subtle complexities and savor its nuances. Khalifé has often spoken out for peace and reconciliation, having risked his life performing in bombed out concert halls during Lebanon's civil war. Israel seized Khalifé's cassettes upon invading his country, Lebanon, in 1982.