So Bouzouk

On paper, the diverse musical elements that this album brings together – Kurdish traditional, flamenco and Parisian jazz – could result in a misguided hotchpotch. Nonetheless, either by creative spark or happy accident, this is an intriguing and hugely enjoyable album. Issa Hassan, an Anatolian Kurd now living in France, has been tirelessly popularising the bouzouk for over 25 years. This metal strung, long¬necked lute – closely related to both the Greek bouzouki and the Turkish saz – had become something of a rarity by the 1980s but is now enjoying a renaissance in popularity around the Levant. Jazz might not be the first genre that comes to mind when you hear the bouzouk’s distinctive, silvery sound but it’s a tribute to Hassan and his fellow musicians’ rapport that the blend works so well, with the instrument’s filigree solos floating over the piano, guitar, double bass and percussion.

There’s an interesting juxtaposition between the underlying drone of the bouzouk and the complex harmonies that surround it. Though the charming bouzouk is the undoubted star of this recording, it’s clear that all the performers share a wholehearted commitment to the overall sound; admirably captured with a really well-judged mix. There are very few players who can manage Oriental jazz fusion successfully but, on the basis of this album, Issa Hassan is up there with masters like Rabih Abou Khalil and Anouar Brahim.