Songs of Jezireh

Jezireh, which means ‘island’ in Arabic, is an area of north-east Syria with a distinct identity. It lies on the borders with Turkey and Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and is considered the epitome of Hicksville by sophisticated Damascus types. It's home to an intriguing variety of ethnic groups that reads like a passage from the Old Testament: Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kurds, Syriacs and Armenians live side by side and, not surprisingly, the music that flows from these different cultures is richly varied.

Local musician Ibrahim Keivo is an adept multi-instrumentalist and his first solo disc offers a well-chosen selection of songs from the region; many of which he collected himself from village singers. At first hearing, it’s hard to pick out clear differences between ethnic styles and the subtle nuances of the assorted long-necked lutes aren’t always easy to distinguish. However, it’s well worth downloading the extensive notes from the Inédit website for, amongst the fairly standard fare of yearning love songs, the translations reveal touchingly human glimpses of life in the region. Boasting heroic epics contrast with devotional songs from different faiths and a tender Assyrian butter-churning song with its softly repetitive bağlama (metal stringed, long neck lute) accompaniment. Keivo’s raw vocal delivery makes little concession to Western ears, which might keep it off some people’s repeat playlist: nonetheless, a little perseverance is well rewarded.