Shedding Some Light on Contemporary Musicians in Palestine
Yara El-Ghadban
Université de Montréal
Reprinted from the Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, Summer  2001 (with changes in orthography to HTML standards).
Copyright 2001 by the Middle East Studies Association of North America

I talked to my wife in Ram Allah a few hours ago, and I was wondering why I should continue playing music,...but then I realized that this instrument can be a weapon too.
With those words, Samir Joubran plucked the first note on his ’ud. His comments are echoed by many of his Palestinian peers, who seize every opportunity to bring awareness to Palestinian suffering through their music. His first solo improvisation or taqsim[1] immediately set the mood for a truly captivating evening of music and song, ranging from classical instrumental to nationalist to Arab folk and Palestinian repertoire. His performance was one of a series of events that took place in mid-October 2000, in Montreal, Canada, as part of “Rhythms from Palestine,” a cultural event organized by MAP, or Medical Aid for Palestine, a non-profit organization based in Montreal.

Events like this one that combine musical performance with a social message and activist goal have become commonplace for contemporary Palestinian musicians seeking local and international recognition. Their stories of discrimination, hardship, and sacrifice for their art play in counterpoint with their various experiences of Diaspora. In contrast to other musicians of the Arab world, their musical perspective is unique. Their limited ability to travel or interact with other musicians from the Arab world, combined with a lack of national infrastructure, have encouraged many Palestinian musicians to be experimental. They tend to negotiate among soundscapes ranging from international pop and jazz to Western art music to Middle Eastern musical styles. The result is not a hybrid, eclectic music―which is often the way musicians of non-Western origin are described by record labels and scholars―but a sound that is independent and innovative. This article attempts to bring to light some of this mostly undiscovered talent. It reaches out to different areas of the musical spectrum, touching on the more traditional side through Samir Joubran’s classical improvisations and El-Funoun’s reinterpretation of Palestinian-Arab folk songs, and on the avant-garde side through the music of Sabreen, the pop sound of Amal Murkus, and the musical intersections of Adel Salameh. Even though I have limited my discussion to Palestinian musicians born or living in the Palestinian territories and Israel, it is nevertheless virtually impossible to make a concise and fair synthesis of such a vibrant scene. Prominent musicians and ensembles not reviewed in this article include ‘ud master and violinist Simon Shaheen, clarinetist and ney player Suhail Khoury, and member of the Ramallah-based Oriental Music Ensemble (OME) and composer Patrick Lama.[2]

Being Palestinian myself, I was first introduced to my musical heritage through the old and often badly recorded cassettes of folk and nationalist songs my parents kept playing in the car. Lack of access to Palestine, created by the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict, has given this music a symbolic value treasured by Palestinians of the Diaspora who view it as a last tie to their homeland—pre-1948 Palestine. My current research explores this notion of homeland in Palestinian music and dance, as well as the conflicting identities that emerge from various experiences of Otherness faced in and out of exile. While I first intended to limit my work to folk music, I soon realized that contemporary Palestinian musicians have created and are in the process of creating a rich mosaic of sounds that deserve recognition and attention from scholars in Middle East studies. While vocal music has always been dominant in Arab and Palestinian musical culture, instrumental music is making headway through the efforts of these musicians, some of whom are presented in this article.

Born in Nazareth in 1973 into a family of ’ud makers, Samir Joubran played an instrument made by his brother for his solo concert during “Rhythms from Palestine” in Montreal. His style demonstrates an extreme sensitivity towards the ’ud, not as a tool to produce sound, but almost as a living being and/or fellow musician. His relationship with his instrument was reflected in his comments about teaching and performing. When asked what would be the first thing he would teach an ’ud apprentice, he replied without hesitation: “How to develop a relationship with the ’ud.…Some musicians rape their instruments, others are submissive to it, some treat it as a friend whom they can leave for a while and then give it an occasional visit, and some cannot live without it.”[3] Graduate of the prestigious Abdul-Wahab Conservatory for Eastern Music of Cairo (Egypt) in 1993, Joubran has specialized in the genre of taqsim. In fact, his first album (produced by Yabous Productions, a Jerusalem-based non-profit organization aiming to revive and enrich the cultural life in Palestine) is entitled Taqasim (1997). Joubran has participated in national and international festivals in France, Jordan, Qatar, and Cairo.[4] His improvisations are embedded in the classical Middle Eastern tradition of the Arab musical modes or maqamati, but also focus on exploiting the full potential of his instrument. This technique was apparent during his concert, when Joubran produced flashes of atonality, polyphonic harmonics, subtle nuances, and aggressive attacks, thus enhancing the complexity of the patterns and musical phrases he performed. Joubran may be considered a traditionalist; indeed, he has been critical of musicians who include Western instruments in the classical Arab ensemble or takht (comprised of ’ud, qanun, violin, ney, and riqq) without first mastering real knowledge and the capabilities of their own instruments. Unlike some other Palestinian artists, Joubran is hesitant to lump together instruments with different personalities, timbres, and histories.

On the other end of the spectrum, the ensemble Sabreen has not shied away from integrating Western instruments into their music. Founded in the early 1980s in Jerusalem, the group became known for their songs of political commitment. Their music addressed current events affecting the daily lives of Palestinians at the height of the Intifada of 1987. Always innovative, its two permanent members—Samir Murad, ’ud player, composer as well as artistic director and Kamilia Joubran, main vocalist and qanun player—have given the group a unique musical character, which deliberately tries to evade standard and often dogmatic categorization. According to the liner notes for Jay el-Hamam (1994), “Sabreen’s music wanders from Blues to Reggae, passing through muwashahat [5], adwar [6] and layali [7] along the way.” Their first experiments bore the mark of Arab music icons such as contemporary performer and composer Marcel Khalifeh of Lebanon. Khalifeh’s influence can be felt through their choice of poets, especially Mahmoud Darwish and Samih Al-Qassem, as well as their use of the voice as storyteller, eyewitness, and commentator on the political situation. Their album ‘An As-Sumud (c1980s) is a good example of this kind of repertoire. Sabreen felt that the political theme was something the audience could relate to, which in turn enabled them to try out new musical ideas including the integration of Western instruments, while remaining relevant to their public.

In Dukhan Al-Barakeen (c1980s), their subsequent album, however, they debated a return to more traditional instruments. That eventually gave birth to a collection of songs which give homage to classical vocal genres such as adwar and muwashahat, and celebrate the traditional instruments of the takht. Mourad recalls this turning point in an interview: “We had been using the organ (synthesizer) and drums for a long time. We wanted to reach ‘the street’—simpler songs, more down-to-earth. We faced a very serious question. Should we put the Western instruments aside and use the 'ud (lute) and qanun (zither) instead? Or both?”[8] In Mout Al-Nabi (c1990s), which features the poetry of Hussein Barghouti, instruments play a more active role, punctuating the words with interventions that not only insure musical and poetic continuity but also react to the text and act as characters in it. Their unique musical style, that give the instruments a voice of their own, had been gradually developing over the years. Murad explains: “We have several drums with which we can apply Western-inspired rhythm techniques. We divide up the music among different drums, using certain ones to play traditional rhythms. So the listener, instead of hearing just one drum, hears the bass in all the music, emanating from all the instruments.”[9] With Jay el-Hamam (Here come the Doves), a new sound emerged with jazz and blues nuances, accented by Bob Marley-inspired rhythms and phrasing. It is not so much the marriage of jazz or reggae with Middle Eastern vocal genres that leaves the listener with a curious feeling of simultaneous familiarity and instability; it is more likely the new role that traditional instruments like the qanun, the ‘ud, and the tablah are assigned, suddenly coming out of the shadow of the voice to converse actively with each other and tell the story with the voice instead of simply supporting it. As they describe it: “Our own originality lies in giving the instrument its rightful place when the human voice disappears between the folds of the song.”[10] Their latest creative endeavor, entitled ala fain (Where to?), premiered in Montreal during the “Rhythms from Palestine” event, and will be released soon.

Another voice that has recently graced the international scene is that of Amal Murkus. Although a citizen of Israel, Murkus was discouraged from trying to produce a recording in her own country because Israel simply does not produce Palestinian material. Though angered by the idea that she could not release a compact disc in her homeland, Murkus persevered and finally released her self-titled CD, Amal on the Israeli label Hemisphere in 1998. Albeit controversial, her decision reflects her conviction that Palestinian citizens of Israel should not isolate themselves from the Jewish majority, but instead should seize every opportunity to educate Jewish Israelis about the plight of the Palestinians, and the discrimination they face in Israeli society. Murkus’ musical language follows the same principal. She and her fellow musicians, who are of different musical and cultural backgrounds (three of them are Jewish Israelis), developed a style that strikes a beautiful balance between folk, classical, and popular Arabic/Middle Eastern song: “We don’t try to make Eastern music Western or Western music Eastern, every musician plays the music that he knows very well and they make a carpet under my voice” (National Public Radio, 1998). Listeners will recognize Palestinian-Arab folk tradition in Alouf Mashaal (track nine), a song that dates back to Ottoman times, and Marcel Khalifeh’s music in a new arrangement of his composition Asfour (track eight). A calmer, more subdued version of Fairuz’s Ya ba la la (track ten) meshes perfectly with Murkus’ round and soulful voice. Throughout the album, her singing floats over a tapestry of sound created by the highly dynamic instrumental ensemble. The dramatic value of the music and text is enhanced without over-indulging in ornamentation. The listener is therefore not overwhelmed with the variety and multiplicity of the musical layers.

Last but not least, Adel Salameh, a Palestinian born in Nablus, the West Bank, in 1966 and a graduate of the Music Institute in Baghdad, has inherited his passionate style of improvisation from Munir Bachir, with whom he studied in Iraq. When asked about his approach to improvisation and numerous musical collaborations, he replied: “It is entrenched in tradition, this way of entering into the music of the person with whom you're performing, to engage in an exchange, to converse with him or her and the public through music. All great Arab musicians improvise this way” (CMTRA, 2000). Ever since the release of his self-entitled debut Solo Adel Salameh (1996), Salameh has taken his ’ud on a long journey through different cultures. He visited India through his collaboration with Krishnamurti Sridhar, a player of the sarod (a North Indian plucked lute) in Arab Path to India (1996). Sridhar describes their partnership as a meeting of minds: “Our presentation is based on feeling and mood rather than technique,” he explains. “Using the same skills, we take a melody from India or Arabia and play it together, but in our own style…We are two different cultures merging very well, rather than two different cultures trying to mix something which can end up like oil and water” (The Advertiser, 1995).

In “Mediterraneo” (1996), Salameh sailed along the Spanish Mediterranean with Eduardo Niebla (guitarist). Rejoicing in the reunion of two close relatives, the ’ud and the guitar, the musicians bring out the intricacies of two overlapping musical traditions. According to a review in the New Internationalist (1996), “Mediterraneo,” “is rather an exploration of territory, looking not only towards Spain and Palestine for its roots, but also to a place where their music, in all its modern aspects, can sit.”

Salameh continues his exploration in his latest album, “Nuzha” (2000). Along with Algerian vocalist Naziha Azzouz, Israeli bendir (frame drum) player Asaf Sirkis, and clarinetist Eyal Sela, he has made a point of reclaiming paths to musics which in past centuries were in constant contact and dialogue. For him, this album is extremely political. It is his way of expressing peace through music. In an interview with Le Centre de Musiques Traditionnelles Rhône-Alpes (2000), Salameh explains Nuzha’s message of peace: “Listen to the CD that we have just produced.…Our music made of ’ud, clarinet, and percussion is beautiful. I was surprised at first, at the number of things, we Palestinian and Israeli musicians had in common.”

Other prominent artists who should be mentioned in this brief review include El-Funoun. Their CD, Zaghareed (1997), a collection of Palestinian wedding songs that served as the soundtrack for the theatrical production of the same name, has enjoyed tremendous success since its release in North America in 1999. A music and dance troupe whose inspiration stems mainly from Palestinian folk heritage, El-Funoun’s goal is to promote and build on the rich repertoire of song and dance which has been passed on through oral tradition, as well as be inspired by international folk music and dance in general. For that reason, traditionalists and nostalgic exiled audiences have sometimes accused them of being inauthentic. Khaled Katamesh, a former dancer and current manager of the troupe, explains that El-Funoun has never pretended to be a traditional folk troupe, but simply a folk troupe, meaning that their productions not only are inspired by tradition, but also strive to reflect the realities of the present. In order to remain relevant, one must embrace change and not fear it. Founded in 1979, El-Funoun has since produced Folkloric Scenes (1982), Wadi a-Tuffah (1984), Mish’al (1986), Afrah filastiniya (1987), Marj Abu `Amer (1989), Talla wara Talla (1994), Zaghareed (1997), and Haifa, Beirut and Beyond (1998).

Rim Banna returned from Russia after graduating from the Higher Music Conservatory with her husband to add her talented voice and compositions to the Palestinian music scene in Nazareth. Well-known for children’s bedtime songs, Banna has helped bring them out of bedrooms to the stage through local and international festivals. She has performed traditional and nationalist songs. So far, Banna has released five CDs including Mukagha (1996), Qamar Abu Leileh (1995), and The Dream (1993).

As leaders in the field of Middle Eastern studies we often find ourselves introducing and promoting Middle Eastern culture to our students. Perhaps we should take the lead in not simply playing the easily acquired recordings from the great stars of Egypt and Lebanon, but also seeking out contemporary Palestinian musicians who are struggling to have their music heard in the international arena. Several of these artists and musicians have their own websites (listed below) which helps counter the difficulties in acquiring their CDs for lack of world-wide distribution or proper references, a situation that is gradually improving. Nevertheless, the best venues to enjoy the talent and music of these artists are still the music festivals and cultural events which take place quite regularly around the world.

Bibliography
Racy, Ali Jihad. “The Many Faces of Improvisation: The Arab Taqasim as a Musical Symbol.” Ethnomusicology 44.2 (2000): 302-320.

Shiloah, Amnon. Music in the World of Islam: A Socio-Cultural Study. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1995.

Boullata and Hilterman. “Improvisation and Continuity: The Music of Sabreen,” in “Jerusalem and the peace agenda,” Middle East Report, No. 182, Vol. 23.3, May-June 1993, 32-35.

Institut du Monde Arabe, Musicales, No. 7, 1997. This issue was dedicated to the Printemps Palestinien (Palestinian Spring) festival in France and includes short articles on Sabreen, The Soufi Ensemble of Jerusalem, Samir Joubran, Nazareth Takht, and Adel Salameh by various journalists and ethnomusicologists.

Discography
· Joubran Samir, Taqasim, Yabous productions, 1997.

· Sabreen, Here come the Doves, Sabreen Studios, SAB 004, 1994.

· Murkus Amal, Amal, Hemisphere Records, 7243 4 96134 2 3, Israel,1998.

· Salameh Adel, Solo Adel Salameh, Pastorale Records, PAS003 1996.

· Salameh Adel, Nuzha, Arion ARN 64500, 2000.

· Salameh Adel, Arab Path to India, Realworld WSCD101, 1996.

· Salameh Adel, Mediterraneo, Riverboat, TUGCD1012, 1996.

· El-Funoun, Zaghareed/From The Palestine Holy Land, Sounds True, M109D, 1999.

· Banna Rim, Mukagha, Al-Tufula Centre, Nazareth, 1996.

· Shaheen Simon, Saltanah, Water Lily Acoustics, WLA512, 1997.

· Shaheen Simon, Turath, CMP Records, CMP30062, 1992.

Internet sites:

· Yabous productions: http://www.yabous.org

· World Music Portal: http://www.worldmusicportal.com

· “Smithsonian Jerusalem Project: Palestinian Music” in Fact File, Jerusalem Quarterly File, No. 3, 1999: http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/journal/1999/ jqf3/music.html

· Samir Joubran: http://www.yabous.org/promote/samir.html

· Sabreen: “Sabreen Music Ensemble Artist of the week,” in This Week’s Artist, This Week in Palestine, No. 20—December 1999: http://www.jmcc.org/ptw/ 99/Dec/art.htm

· Amal Murkus: Gradstein, Arab recording artist popular in Israel (on-line audio report), National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, July 1998: http:// www.britannica.com/bcom/internet_guide_display_page/0,5866,4545305,00.html

· Amal Murkus: Ritter and Shulamith, Dirty Linen, The Magazine of Folk and World Music, No. 83, August/September 1999 : http://www.futuris.net/ linen/83/amal.html

· Adel Salameh: http://www.worldmusic-portal.com/Artists/Palestinian/adel salameh.htm

· Adel Salameh and Naziha Azzouz: Nuzha: Promenade de Lyon à Londres, et d’Israël à la Palestine...Entretien avec Adel Salameh et Naziha Azzouz Centre de Musiques Traditionnelles Rhône-Alpes, No.38, 2000: http://www.cmtra. org/entretiens/archivenrtetiens/lettre38/Nuzha.html

· Adel Salameh and Edouardo Niebla: “Reviews: Music,” in Rush to Punishment: Criminal Justice on Trial, The New Internationalist, No. 282, August 1996: http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue282/reviews.htm

· Adel Salameh and Krishnamurti Sridhar: A meeting of minds rather than notes, The Advertiser, Australia, 1995: http://www.sridhar.org/reviews.htm

· El-Funoun: http://www.el-funoun.org

· Rim Banna: http://www.rimbanna.com

· Simon Shaheen: http://www.simon-shaheen.com

· Oriental Music Ensemble: http://www.yabous.org/promote/oriental%20 ensemble.html
[1] “In the Arab Near-East, improvising modally on such instruments as the ud, qanun, ney, and violin is known as taqasim (singular taqsim).” Ali Jihad Racy, “The Many Faces of Improvisation: The Arab Taqasim as a Musical Symbol,” Ethnomusicology 44.2 (2000): 302-20.

[2] Shaheen, née Rassmussen A., “Turath (Heritage). Simon Shaheen Performs Masterworks of the Middle East,” Ethnomusicology 40.1 (Winter, 1996); OME see, http://-www.yabous.org/promote/index.html; Lama see http://www.estart.com/arab/entertain-ment/patricklama.html

[3] This is a quote from a conversation I had with him the day following his concert in Montreal on 30 October 2000.

[4] The 1996 Le printemps palestinien festival in France (April to October 1996), Palestinian Heritage festival in Al-Doha, Qatar and Arab Book Fair in Cairo, as well as the 1997 Jerash Festival in Jordan.

[5] A strophic vocal genre said to originate in Andalusia but currently practiced by singers such as Fairuz, Sabah Fakhri, and Sabrii Mudallal.

[6] A pre-composed metric genre performed by the takht, the solo singer and the choir, together with short improvisational passages performed by the soloist in the middle section. It is usually part of a wasla, a compound form composed of a sequence of instrumental and vocal genres.

[7] A vocal improvisatory non-metric genre, accompanied by an instrument, usually the ud, to support and alternate with the singer.

[8] Middle East Report, 1993.

[9] Middle East Report, 1993.

[10] Also quoted in the liner notes of Here come the Doves.