Discussing the project Yazz shares: “The Epic of Gilgamesh speaks of a wise woman, a goddess, Siduri, who lives on an island at the edge of the sea. ‘Her land is a garden in which the sun walks in the morning, the trees bear jewels, pearls, and gold.’ I imagined that this mystical place might be Bahrain, the island of two seas. Siduri joins my trio of mythological muses, alongside Polyhymnia and La Saboteuse, and this piece is an invitation for her to grace the suite with her wise nurturing presence. She Stands on The Shore introduces the voice of Natacha Atlas. Her expressive performance is exactly what I had in my inner ear whilst composing, even though we hadn’t met at that time. In 2020 I was invited by producer and violinist, Samy Bishai, to collaborate on Natacha’s EP, The Inner & the Outer, recorded during the global pandemic, and in turn they agreed to contribute their exquisite artistry to my project.
I wrote the lyrics first and then sang the words to myself to compose the melody. This song has been played many times as an instrumental on tour with my quartet. In developing a solo set, initially, for live sessions during lockdown, I created expansive orchestral textures by processing sounds made solely with my trumpet. These have found their way onto this album version, appearing over the extended drum and percussion loop on the tail of the track.”
Due 28 February, A Paradise In The Hold is an album of yearning. It’s about Yazz’s dual heritage, drawing on traditional music and folklore as well as her own personal experience as a British-Bahraini woman. A sweeping epic where tradition meets innovation, she melds ancient rhythms with contemporary musicianship. The record is a tribute to the sorrowful songs of Bahrain’s pearl divers, the strength of Arab women, and the celebratory rhythms of women’s traditional drumming circles, while also telling the story of Yazz’s decade-long voyage of self-discovery.
Image provided courtesy of Practice Music
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