EP 3: Tarek Yamani
Our guest in our the Music Elevator is Lebanese jazz pianist and award winning composer Tarek Yamani. Described as “having a piano in each hand” Tarek’s work is rich and varied in its inspiration.
From his first album Ashur, released in 2012, Tarek has been reinventing classical Arabic music within the framework of African-American jazz in a genre often dubbed “Afro-Tarab” and most evident in his second album Lisan Al Tarab: Jazz Conceptions in Classical Arabic. He has also researched largely unexplored rhythms of the Arabian Peninsula in his work entitled ‘Peninsular’ which was released to critical acclaim and described as “luminous music anchored in jazz harmony and Arab traditions” (Télérama). Tarek is also winner of the of the prestigious “Thelonious Monk Int’l Jazz Composers Competition” for his composition “Sama’i Yamani“.
Listen in on this interview to find out about Tarek’s inspiration, his creations, research and book, while also discovering experiences that shaped his albums.
Podcast Track List
Herbie Hancock: New York Minute (from the album The New Standard)
Tarek Yamani: Ashur (from the album Ashur)
Tarek Yamani: Hala Land (from the album Peninsular)
John Coltrane: My Shining Hour (from the album Coltrane Jazz)
Explore Tarek Yamani’s music and works further on:
