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Exile Press

Gilad Atzmon Orient House Ensemble: Exile

(ENJA)

John Fordham
Friday February 28, 2003
The Guardian

Gilad Atzmon, the expatriate Israeli saxophonist, has somehow found time to
finish his first novel along with fulfilling one of the busiest gigging
schedules on the British scene, being a member of the late-lamented Ian
Dury's Blockheads, and much else besides. This album and Atzmon's book, A
Guide to the Perplexed, may have close ties intellectually but are worlds
apart emotionally.
The novel is a satire hung on themes of identity and exile, voyeurism versus
involvement, and the brittleness of reality. But though this gifted
performer's music is also jammed with complexities and often sounds as if it
is wrestling with cultural dilemmas, it's rarely ironic or mocking. Exile is
undoubtedly Atzmon's best-resolved album so far, a rich and eloquent flight
across the music of many lands (notably Palestine, Romania, Israel, Britain,
Italy and the US) with an expanded Orient House Ensemble including the
extraordinary Palestinian singer Reem Kelani.

Kelani's searing sustained sound, spiralling off into a chilling high
warble, opens the set against deep bowed double-bass drones, with Atzmon's
mercurial clarinet lines conversing with her, before accelerating into an
urgent folk dance. On saxophone, Atzmon re-enters with his characteristic
mingling of Middle Eastern microtonalism, and an eerie elision of notes. The
sound palette is substantially expanded, with violin, accordion, Romanian
flute (hauntingly Morricone-like on the track Orient House), and oud (Dhafer
Youssef), but Atzmon's jazz improviser identity is always at the core of the
music's spontaneity.

This is an ensemble performance, and the themes don't perhaps linger in the
mind as long as the feel of the group in action. But Atzmon and Kelani are
particularly fascinating - the former a master of dynamics and the
slow-build, mixing lyricism with hoarse, Coltranesque squalls, a combination
for which he would have a formidable international reputation as a soloist
alone. But his self-appointed mission to restore to jazz a
cultural-political clout it had in the first bop era and in the free-jazz of
the 1960s makes him something considerably bigger.

(4 Stars)

TIME OUT

Rhythm 'n' Jews
Gilad Atzmon talks to John Lewis about Israel, Palestine and falafel.

'There is nothing authentic about what we call "Jewish music",' says Gilad
Atzmon. 'Things like klezmer and so-called "Israeli folk" - actually has
far more to do with Balkan, East European and Oriental music, just played
tremendously badly by Jewish "klezmers". It's like those so-called
"Israeli" falafel shops that you see all over the place. It's just
Palestinian food!'
Gilad Atzmon does not like Israel. The Israeli-born saxophonist (also in
his time an academic, novelist, eccentric political essayist, Israeli army
paramedic, dance music producer, member of Ian Dury's Blockheads) sees the
country of his birth as an 'immoral, colonialist terrorist state' whose
people 'kidnapped by their own victim mentality'.
What's most interesting about Atzmon is the musical conclusions he draws
from his politics. He has recorded some fine albums in an orthodox bebop
stylehe has made Arabic-inflected music with his provocatively titled
Orient House Ensemble (named, of course, after the Palestinian Authority's
ravaged East Jerusalem headquarters). Atzmon has made subtle, genteel
comments on the Arab-Israeli conflict - klezmer parodies, Arabesque
rereadings of his favourite Jewish-American songwriting heroes like
Gershwin and Weill - but he has rarely matched the fury and fire of his
polemic until now. His new album 'Exile' burns with anger, sorrow and
passion throughout, ripping into Jewish and Arabic folk themes using fiery
Coltrane-ish modal jazz, ecstatic vocals and atmospheric acoustic themes.
The musical subversion is more overt - nationalistic Israeli anthems are
given Arabic lyrics; a militaristic anthem of the 1967 War is
reinterpretedwith lyrics by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish; an old
Jewish ballad which tells of a city destroyed by an anti-semitic pogrom is
renamed 'Jenin', in honour of the devasted Palestinian refugee camp.
'Exile' sees Atzmon's regular quartet - featuring the brilliant young
English pianist Frank Harrison and the Israeli pairing of Yaron Stavi
(double bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums) - joined by a host of global
musicians, including Mediterranean accordionists, Romanian flautists and
Tunisian oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef. Most importantly it features the
gutteral, full-throttle, haunting vocals of Palestinian singer and
musicologist Reem Kelani. Reem has also made a series of Radio 4
documentaries called 'Distant Chords', about the music of displaced
refugee groups around the world, but was suspicious about working with
Atzmon.
'We didn't get on at all the first time we rehearsed together,' she
laughs. 'I think we had an argument which ended up with me telling him
that he was like a bloody Israeli soldier! But there was an edge which the
album captures beautifully. We agree about most things politically but,
being a Muslim and a woman, I have a very different approach to Gilad's.
As a Palestinian who has opposed Zionism for my entire life I was actually
shocked that Gilad was even more militant than me!'
Gilad's oppositional style is offensive to many - his anti-Zionist
polemics at live gigs have led to many furious walkouts. This appears not
to worry him.
'My ex-fellow countrymen are stuck already in a deep blindless - even I
cannot rescue them!' In a pre-concert interview at the South Bank last
year, Gilad made a weighty pronouncement about the fate of Israel, before
telling us that the only people who could do anything about this were.
jazz musicians. Is there a serious side to this?
'I was taking the piss, of course, but I do believe that artists are the
greatest force to move our society forward. Academics are pathetic,
politicians in Israel are mad. But artists, people who are moved by
aesthetic principles, can move people towards change. The Holocaust can be
better understood by "Life Is Beautiful" or the Arab-Israeli conflict
better by [Elia Suliemann's] "Divine Intervention" than any number of

What's On

GILAD ATZMON & THE ORIENT HOUSE ENSEMBLE

(Feat. Reem Kelani & Dhafer Youssef)

Exile - Enja

You might be surprised, but the most telling combination of politics and
music in years has been produced by a jazz musician. Of course, jazz in the
'50s and '60s was inextricably linked to the Civil Rights Movement in the
US; and the music of Israeli-born reeds-playing genius, Gilad Atzmon, is
similarly enmeshed with the struggles of the Palestinian people. Indeed,
the
remarkable Palestinian singer, Reem Kelani, opens this staggeringly
brilliant collection. Her keening vocals hold a plaintive conversation with Atzmon's mournful clarinet, before the song spins into a defiant, swirling dance. Next up, Al-Quds takes an Israeli favourite of the '67 war and substitutes lyrics by an Arabic poet. The track interweaves Atzmon's fluid, fervent post-bop stylings with Middle Eastern, Balkan and North African modalities. A tactic he employs throughout to prove that the West and the Muslim world can coexist. And produce great art...

*****

JOE CUSHLEY

Back to Exile page

NYC's Village Voice,
"Consumer Guide" column,

Consumer Guide
by Robert Christgau
June 2nd, 2003 2:30 PM
GILAD ATZMON
Exile
(Enja/Justin Time)
I knew they were playing Middle Eastern jazz-loved the sound of Atzmon's
'Trane-driven sax up against Kuwaiti-schooled diva and tango accordion.
But it was four or five spins before I found out they were Israeli exiles
whose theme is Palestine and whose strategy is to Arabize Israeli hits.
Not much, but as near to resolution as any Palestinian is liable to get right
now.
Recorded in London. Tell Tony Blair the news. A MINUS

BBC Review

Gilad Atzmon
Exile
(Tiptoe)

The first bars of 'Dal'ouna', an ominous bowed double bass, an
incantatory vocal in Arabic from the Palestinian singer Reem Kelani and
soprano saxophone from Gilad Atzmon himself, usher you into Exile with a
striking introduction.

This gives way to a song driven by a repetitive bass figure,
jumpy Israeli riffs, syncopated accordion and subtle drums. Somewhere
between jazz and the music of the Middle East, and exploiting the
similarities between the music and the experiences of the Jewish and
Palestinian peoples.

The song perfectly states Gilad Atzmon's aim: similarity should
outweigh difference; difference should be celebrated.

Atzmon explicitly makes the point that modern Israel was founded
on a notion of 'return' and asks: "How can modern Zionists ... be so blind
when it comes to a very similar Palestinian desire?" To make his point, he's
taken traditional Jewish songs, the anthem of the '67 War, a melody from the
film Salach Shabati and Palestinian songs, 'Dal'ouna', 'Ramallah',
'Imhaaha', and reinterpreted them in a jazz context.

Middle Eastern basslines and and harmonies pass through jazz
chord voicings and arrangements, a chorus will give way to a synchronised
Middle Eastern riff; Hebrew lyrics about longing for homeland are sung in
Arabic, an Eastern European ballad about a town burnt in a pogrom is
re-christened 'Jenin'.

Much of the album's success has to be down to Gilad Atzmon's
splendid command of the idioms of jazz and Middle Eastern music. His soprano
and alto sax slips between the two with a stinging melancholy ('Jenin'),
hopeful insistence ('Al-quds') and something like joy ('La CÃ´te'), while
Frank Harrison on piano and Yaron Stavi (bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums and
percussion) all play with a wonderful collective touch which is subtle,
energetic and unconventional.

While some may find Exile's premise provocative, it's satisfying
music that reaffirms the essentially constructive nature of collaboration.

Reviewer: Neil Bennun

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LoopDiLoop-Ireland

****

Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House
Ensemble featuring Reem Kelani
& Dhafer Yousseef
Exile
Enja/Tiptoe
2003 :: 49 mins

Political jazz. There's no way to escape the truth and

as the truth is that this is a disc of political jazz I figure it's

best to get that out of the way at the very outset before diving

on in and telling you how good the disc actually is.

So, if those two little words haven't scared you off,

let's get on with this review.

Gilad Atzmon is a former member of the Israeli Defence

Forces. A self-styled anti-Zionist living in what he

describes as self-imposed exile in London's Kilburn, he's

now plying his trade with a saxophone and a clarinet

rather than IDF-issue armaments. For the last couple of

years he's been a member of Ian Dury's Blockheads,

touring with the band both now and during Dury's last

few months alive. He recorded with them on the tribute

disc, Brand New Boots And Panties, which featured an

eclectic mix of Billy Bragg, Sinead O'Connor, Shane

MacGowan, Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams and others

all performing classics from the rhythm stick-master's

back catalogue. When not a Blockhead, Atzmon can be

found fronting his own group, the Orient House Ensemble

(the name refers to the Palestinian Authority's

headquarters in East Jerusalem and it should give you a

fair idea of the political stance Atzmon is taking), which

features on this, Atzmon's eight disc.
Atzmon admits to being stylistically influenced by

Cannonball Adderly and is most frequently compared to

John Coltrane (though with the success of his satirical

novel, A Guide To The Perplexed, a comparison with

Robbie Coltrane may not be totally amiss). If you've

listened to Andy Sheppard you'll have a good idea of

Atzmon's playing style, a by-times honking, by-times

lyrical, free-flowing muscular sound, a complex blend of

dissonance and harmony, delivered with force and

conviction and mixing diverse world influences as well as

traditional jazz stylings.
For Exile, Atzmon has recruited the voice of Reem

Kelani, a Palestinian singer living in the UK specialising in

traditional fallahi - peasant - folk music. Jew and Arab

performing together might sound like the plot of Tom

Robbins' Skinny Legs And All but is not as unheard of as

it at first might seem. Take for instance Israeli orchestra

conductor Daniel Barenboim's recent collaboration with

Palestinian dissident Edward Said, the book Parallels and

Paradoxes: Explorations in Music and Society.
In Biblical times music was said to have had the power to

tear down the walls of Jericho. Despite its political focus,

it's Atzmon can't hope to achieve such ends with Exile.

Instead, all he can do is use it to ask the obvious

question: how can Zionists, who are motivated by a

genuine desire to return to what they see as their

homeland be so blind when it comes to the very similar

Palestinian desire to return.
Whereas the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor's

intifada track - Yanqui UXO's 09-15-00 - tries to pack a

political punch by the way the music moves you,

engendering a subconscious sense that all is not well in

the world, Atzmon is here being more like Daniel

Barenboim in his approach to Israeli/Palestinian politics.

His political stance is reflected more in his choice of

music, a choice of music that has a distinct history for

the residents of that region. Barenboim, you'll

remember, caused a stir in Israel by playing a piece

from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde at a concert in

Jerusalem in 2001, despite an unofficial ban on Wagner's

music in Israel, because it is too identified in the minds

of many with the Nazis.
On a similar level, you're likely to catch a version of the

Marelene Dietrich classic Lili Marelene performed at one

of Atzmon's live shows, with Kelani singing the lyric in

Arabic. On a more complex but equally subversive level,

there's Atzmon's choice of music for this disc, where he

takes traditional Jewish airs and Israeli nationalist

melodies and gives them an Arabic slant by overlaying

them with Palestinian lyrics, emphasising the similarities

- not the differences - in the dreams and hopes of the

two peoples.
This is what's happening on the track Al-Quds (the Arab

name for Jerusalem), the tune of which - Yerushalayim

Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold) - was an Israeli anthem

during the 1967 six day war, and tells of the Jewish

yearning for Jerusalem. The words used on this version

come from the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and

talk of the pain of Palestinian exile. The track Ouz

borrows its melody from an Israeli film, Salach Shabati,

which tells the story of Zionist cruelty to new Jewish

settlers from Arab countries. Dal'ouna On The Return is a

traditional Palestinian song, which dreams of exiles

returning to their promised land. The tune of Jenin -

which refers to the West Bank refugee camp of the same

name - is borrowed from a traditional Balkan ballad

telling of a pogrom against the Jews in which a village is

destroyed.
Taken with Joe Sacco's recently reissued comic Palestine

and Elia Sulieman's film Divine Intervention, Gilad

Atzmon's Exile offers a slant on the Israeli/Palestinian

question that is not often visible in the mainstream

media, asking pertinent questions and raising the simple

issue of Arab and Jew working together, not fighting

against each other. Leading by example, Atzmon shows

that bloodshed and baton-rounds need not be the only

outcome of Israelis and Palestinians coming together.

Exile shows that something beautiful can come of such a

collaboration.

THE BOSTON GLOBE

JAZZ NOTES

A dozen recent releases to cruise by

Mystery singer tops the list

By Steve Greenlee, Globe Staff, 7/4/2003

Gilad Atzmon & the Orient House Ensemble: ''Exile''
(Justin Time) -- This album is bound to make some people angry. The
musicians, all exiles, use traditional Jewish and Israeli melodies as the
basis for tunes that tell stories of Palestinian suffering. Regardless of
whether you agree with the message, it's hard to deny the beauty of the
music.

News & Reviews

Gilad Atzmon, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool Aug 3 2004-Liverpool Echo

By Laura Davis, Daily Post

EXILED by choice from his native Israel, Gilad Atzmon has elected to spend his life spreading his political message across the world through the idiom he knows best - his music..

Whether waiting for his cue in the silver shadows at the side of the stage or concentrating his thoughts on a rhythm as he plays illuminated by a yellowing spotlight, he has a powerful presence that demands attention.

Though his beliefs are fiercely uncompromising - he left his home in Jerusalem in disgust at the way his people, Jewish Israelis, treat the Palastinians - his voice is gentle and his laughter hearty as he devotes a number to the political leaders he feels are destroying the world. Tony Blair, George Bush and Ariel Sharon all receive the dubious honour of a dedication.

His powerful pieces intertwine bebop rhythms with brief snatches of songs that are references to the culture he distrusts.

From sensual ballads that make your senses ache to fast, uplifting melodies that repeat themselves over and over in your mind long after the concert is over, his music evokes past memories and yet is like nothing you will have ever experienced before.

The wide ranging programme proves Atzmon is master of many reed instruments and his band, the accomplished Orient House Ensemble on drums, piano, violin and accordion, could each entertain solo.

This breathtaking performance is a forceful way of making a political statement but it is almost a shame that Atzmon chooses to do so.

He leaves behind the sensation that despite the differences of an embittered world, this is the kind of music that could make many united.

KLEZMER SHACK
Gilad Atzmon & the Orient House Ensemble / Exile

Gilad Atzmon
& the Orient House Ensemble
Exile
Enja Records TIP-888 844 2, 2003
Matthias Winckelmann GmbH
PO Box 19 03 33
D-80603 Munich, Germany
http://www.enjarecords.com/

With his most recent album, Israeli expatriate jazz musician Gilad Atzmon
achieves an awesome fusion of jazz and Middle Eastern music. Less
genre-bending than the recent album by fellow expatriate Koby Israelite,
this album is nonetheless solid and deep. Opening with the amazing voice of
Reem Kelani, this is both an album about exile, but also an album in which a
space for exiles, and for those in transit, is created. It is also
disquieting, and will be especially disquieting to many given the current
situation in Israel. To realize that the quiet, moving ballad, "Jenin" is a
transposition of a Yiddish folk song about a Russian town in which a pogrom
was carried about is not a quiet thing, especially in the light of recent
history of Jenin (and myths about same). Similarly, the humor of "Ouz", out
of the Israeli comedy "Salah Shabati", is darkened, considerably, by the
commentary in the liner notes. Yet for the weeks before I read the liner
notes, it was all simply brilliant fusion, beautifully and passionately
done.

This is not a generic album about exile. Those who read the papers regularly
know that the Orient House is the PLO headquarters in Jerusalem. Atzmon is
explicitly anti-Zionist in his writing. The choice of words for the songs
that have words, the choice of material, much of this is informed by
explicitly championing the cause of Palestinians in exile as against that of
his homeland, Israel. In being forced to come to terms with himself as an
Israeli, Atzmon is, in other senses, in exile from his own people, and
perhaps (but who am I to say?) in exile from himself.

What I can say for certain is that the music is compelling, wonderful jazz,
expertly, indivisably fused with Arabic modes and music at times, but still,
great jazz. Atzmon is an incredible saxophonist, and the ensemble is tight
and expressive. The music is compelling. The words behind the music are also
worth hearing.

Reviewed by Ari Davidow 6/8/03

LA Time

ALL THAT JAZZ

New music, venues and a thriving genre

By Don Heckman
Special to The Times

April 18 2003

Jazz and protest

A few weeks ago I wrote a column noting the relatively modest amount of
jazz activism, especially in recent years. As it turns out, my comments were
a bit premature.

A new album by multi-reedman Gilad Atzmon, who has performed with, among
others, Paul McCartney and Sinead O'Connor, takes a strong stance regarding
issues dividing his homeland of Israel.

"Exile" (Enja/Justin Time), scheduled for release on May 6, is an effort,
Atzmon writes in the booklet notes, "to emphasize the similarity between the
two peoples that have lived in perfect harmony for hundreds of years." He
reaches beyond that relatively modest statement, however, by adding that the
album tells "the story of Palestine, a beautiful and historically ecumenical
land that was suddenly stormed by radical Zionist zealots."

The music, performed by his group Orient House Ensemble, embraces
everything from passionate, Coltrane-esque free playing and tango textures
to Middle Eastern rhythms occasionally peppered with the sound of oud and
wooden flutes.

Occasional lyrics in Arabic address the issues more subtly than the
leader's essay. On its own, without activist references, the album is an
entertaining collection of music led by a first-rate saxophonist and
composer.

But Atzmon, a secular Jew who was raised in Israel, obviously has more
far-reaching goals, and accordingly will surely be greeted with criticism.

Besides the remarks he makes in his liner-note commentary ("How is it that
a people who have suffered so much and for so long can inflict so much pain
on the Other?"), he underscores his points by positioning Jewish traditional
songs and Israeli melodies within Arabic interpretations.

Agree with Atzmon or not, "Exile" is a persuasive example of jazz and
world music's too-infrequently explored activist potential.

CMJ (College Music Journal) June 6, 2003

GILAD ATZMON
Exile (Enja/Justin Time)
Palestinian saxophonist Gilad Atzmon's Exile is his call for the peaceful
return of the Palestinian people to their homeland now held by "Zionist
zealots." Interestingly, Atzmon recasts a few Jewish traditionals and
hymns
with traditional Palestinian lyrics and/or a distinct Arabic sound. His
own
songs are jazzier in nature with fairly out playing at times, but he
maintains elements of traditional music in much the same way that Zorn's
Masada works. Admittedly, the agenda is a heavy-handed one, but the music
here is nonetheless a joy.

(June 24, 2003)
bc-us-politicaljazz-feature

Israeli-born saxophonist adds to political jazz tradition
By Ken Franckling, United Press International
Jazz as protest music goes back to Billie Holiday's anti-lynching
recording "Strange Fruit" in the 1940s, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins'
"Freedom Suite," the Max Roach-Abbey Lincoln "Freedom Now Suite," both in
the 1960s and singer Nina SimoneÂ1s "Mississippi Goddam," which in their own
way took on segregation and advanced the civil rights movement.
Dave and Iola BrubeckÂ1s "The Real Ambassadors" project, featuring Louis
Armstrong, Carmen McRae and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, gave a less than
gentle jab to the U.S. State DepartmentÂ1s jazz goodwill tours overseas. It
was first presented at CaliforniaÂ1s Monterey Jazz Festival in 1962.
Now, saxophonist Gilad Atzmon, an Israeli expatrite living in England, is
making political jazz built around his Middle Eastern heritage and the
continuing bloodshed and destruction that divide his homeland.
His seventh and newest CD, "Exile, is on the enja record label. Its U.S.
release matches the publication of his first book, "A Guide to the
Peplexed."
In both projects, Atzmon raises questions with elusive answers.
In the liner notes accompanying the CD, he asks, "How is it that people
who have suffered so much and for so long (as Jews have) can inflict pain on
the other?" While it is a question without an easy or simple answer, Atzmon
said it still must be asked.
He said his personal mission is "to emphasize the similarity between two
peoples who lived in perfect harmony for hundreds of years. This album is a
call for attention to Palestinian suffering," Atzmon said. "
The project leader, who plans alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet and
flute, is best known in England as a soloist with Ian DruryÂ1s Blockheads. He
has also recorded with Paul McCartney, Sinead OÂ1Connor and Robbie Williams.
The recording by an expanded version of his Orient House Ensemble is a
blend of jazz, Middle Eastern melodies and political musical statements. The
project is expanded with the inclusion of Palestinian singer Reem Kelani and
singer-oud player Dhafer Youssef.
Atzmon was born in 1963 and raised as a secular Jew in Israel. His
mandatory National Service experience and outrage of IsraelÂ1s attitude
toward Palestine prompted a move to England. A chance meeting with drummer
Asaf Sirkis, a fellow Israeli musician who joined him in the Orient House
Ensemble, prompted an exploration of the diverse music of the Middle East.
"This album is made by musicians who live in exile," Atzmon said. "We try
to tell a story of Palestine, a beautiful and historically ecumenical land
that was suddenly stormed by radical Zionist zealots. It is an image of
harmony shattered by bloodshed and destruction.
"Zionism draws its force from the vivid fantasy of return," he said. "How
can Zionists, who are motivated by a Â1genuine desire to return, be so blind
when it comes to the very similar Palestinian desires?"
The music on "Exile" draws from both musical traditions and celebrates
their intersection. In some cases, Atzmon deconstructs traditional Jewish
songs and Israeli nationalistic melodies and reconstructs them with Arab
vocals and global rhythms that look beyond nationalistic boundaries.
"Al Quds," an Arabic interpretation of an Israeli 1967 war anthem, has a
hopeful, call-to-prayer feel. "Ouz" offers rambunctious dance rhythms. The
title track, "Exile," has a dirge-like somberness. Atzmon said "Jenin" was
inspired by the 2002 devastation of the Jenin refugee camp by the Israeli
army. (Editor's note: The extent of the "devastation" is disputed, with
initial reports discredited.) The tune was based on an old Jewish ballad
about a city burned in a pogrom.
"Exile" was released this spring at the same time as his first book,
published by SerpentÂ1s Tail.
His Jonathan Swift-like satire "A Guide to the Perplexed," is described
by the publisher as "a darkly comic futuristic story that dares to imagine
the journal of a mid-21st century archivist when the state of Israel has
been dismantled and a new Jewish diaspora has begun."
Those reading his futuristic farce can listen to AtzmonÂ1s strident
political music as aural accompaniment.
--

Global Hits

June 18, 2003

Technical Help
Artist: Gilad Atzmon
Title: Exile
Label: Justin Time
Country: Israel
Region: Middle East
Music Available from: Public Broadcasting One
More World Music at: BBC Music Online

We expect to get a lot of mail regarding the subject of today's Global
Hit. That's because Gilad Atzmon is an avant-garde musician who doesn't shy
away from expressing his views. That doesn't always help his popularity,
given where he's from. The World's Marco Werman explains.
Some people consider the Israeli Palestinian conflict the most
controversial situation in the world today. In that case 40-year-old
saxophone player Gilad Atzmon may be the world's most controversial
musician.

Gilad Atzmon: You know the time I was serving in the Israeli army, I
started to realize what the Palestinian cause is all about, and I started to
realize what is my involvement in this crisis being an Israeli soldier. I
didn't like it at all. For quite many years, I felt very guilty. And in the
last few years I decided to take responsibility. It is me that was living on
their land.

So Gilad Atzmon spoke out and still does. His rhetoric is filled with
numbers, the products of a volatile situation. He mentions the population of
6 million Palestinians, 3 million of them in what he calls the diaspora,
another 3 million living in refugee camps. And though these figures don't
literally make it into his music, Gilad Atzmon makes sounds that echo his
feelings about the middle east.

Gilad Atzmon's music is part Coltrane, part Israeli and part Arabic. He
gets there on this track with help from Palestinian singer Reem Kelani.

Not long ago, when Gilad Atzmon was rehearsing with vocalist Reem Kelani,
Atzmon scolded her jokingly in what Kelani felt was a rough tone of voice.
Kelani responded by saying Atzmon not only looked like an Israeli soldier,
but acted like one.

Gilad Atzmon: (Laughs) I have to admit it, I was an Israeli soldier, and
probably if you see me I remind you of an Israeli as well. But still, I
thought that she is an astonishing performer, amazing singer, and I wanted
her to join the band and to be part of the album. And she did and I'm very
happy with it.

Gilad Atzmon: I was raised in a very very very right wing background.

Gilad Atzmon says his is a family of Zionists. His grandfather was even a
member of the Stern Gang, the Israeli freedom fighters. You might say
Atzmon's political views today are a reaction to that background. But Atzmon
says he's not so sure.

Gilad Atzmon: My grandfather was a terrorist. My mum was involved in right
wing activities. I myself grew up as a settler. My father still lives on an
occupied territory. And he has a factory that is definitely in an occupied
territory. So I wouldn't say that I became objective or not objective, and
who knows if I am objective. That's the way I see things.

Gilad Atzmon could no longer cope with the contradictions of his country.
And eight years ago, he moved to England. There were other factors involved
in this decision, he says. Israelis for example remain highly critical of
Atzmon's essentially anti-Zionist views. He's received more than 200 death
threats. Most of those are for his political views, though, not his music.

But even musically, he drives a political wedge into the compositions on
his just released CD "Exile."

Gilad Atzmon: I try to raise questions, so in the album, I take for
instance a tune, "Jenin," that is originally a tune that is sung by Jewish
people mainly in what is the memorial day for the holocaust. The Shoah. And
it's about a town that is completely burning, and nobody help, and nobody
address the issue and nobody care. And I took this melody, and changed it a
bit. And called it Jenin. Because this is what the story of Jenin is. And
whether there was a massacre or there wasn't a massacre, it looked like
Hiroshima.

What happened at the Jenin refugee camp in April of last year is still
disputed. Gilad Atzmon's description of a bombed city is accurate though.
His composition "Jenin" expresses profound melancholy and angry confusion.
All Gilad Atzmon's compositions and his views are like the Middle East
conflict itself. They're filled with controversy and emotion.

For The World, I'm Marco Werman.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oxford Time

Gilad Atzmon, The Spin
Iâ¤™d previewed this gig as â¤unmissableâ¤* but hadnâ¤™t planned to review it,
having written up a couple of Atzmonâ¤™s recent visits to Oxford. It turned
out to be such a special occasion that several of the club regulars urged me
to review it.

What made this gig so special? The audience played its part: the venue was
sold out before the music started, and the punters were attentive and
supportive throughout. Gilad Atzmonâ¤™s Orient House Ensemble is an
established group of exceptional musicians: we knew all about Gilad himself
and his drummer Asaf Sirkis, but Yaron Staviâ¤™s energy and lyricism on the
bass, and the two-handed power of Frank Harrisonâ¤™s piano playing, were
revelations. But great bands have played to full houses at The Spin many
times before.

It was the long Atzmon composition â¤20th centuryâ¤* from the Nostalgico
album that first alerted us that this was to be a special night. This is a
poignant post-modern pastiche built on the themes of It ainâ¤™t necessarily
so, Caravan, and Mack the Knife. Itâ¤™s ambitious, structurally satisfying and
multilayered. Not the sort of thing you normally hear in a room above a pub.

But the real magic ingredient here was political passion, an increasingly
prominent feature in Atzmonâ¤™s music and on this occasion personified in the
remarkable Palestinian singer Reem Kelani. She doesnâ¤™t sing the music, but
lives it with her whole body and soul. The sheer emotional power of it hits
you right in the solar plexus, but itâ¤™s totally controlled â¤" she can switch
instantly from anger to laughter, from grief to celebration. Look deeper,
and you find that the Israeli Atzmon is building Arabic songs of Palestinian
exile on the ruins of national and traditional Jewish melodies. This band
reminds us that the mother and father of jazz and blues were oppression and
cultural integration.

Roger van Schaick

7pm, 02/07/2004, Music Meeting, Nijmegen, Holland-

Rory Braddell , The Handstand.org

Gilad Atzmon & Orient House Ensemble

Gilad Atzmon: Clarinet, Alto & Soprano Saxophone

Dimitru Fratila: Violin

Roman Viazzani: Accordian

Frank Harrison: Piano

Yron Stavi: Bass

Asaf Sirkis: Drums

Gilad Atzmon was born in Israel, but later moved to London, where he met the Israeli drummer Asaf Sirkis and founded the Orient House Ensemble. It is through the medium of music that Atzmon is most vocal in expressing his criticism of the politics of Israel, a country which he now avoids. In the recent CD Exile, which won the “BBC Jazz CD of the year” award 2003, Atzmon and his group explore the similarities between the musical expression of Israel and Palestine. The Music Meeting festival in Holland, a world music event, was actually a good setting for this jazz gig, as the Orient House Ensemble manages to achieve a vibrant and aurally interesting synthesis of Jewish and Arab music, which is not confined to the jazz mainstream. Despite being the first up on stage in the early evening and the bad weather, Gilad Atzmon & Orient House Ensemble launched the 20th Nijmegen Music Meeting with a very successful performance.

The musicologist Gustave Reese points out in his book Music in the Middle Ages that before Christ, both Hebrew and Greek music were both greatly influenced by ancient Egyptian culture. This surely illustrates the importance of the Middle East and Asiatic culture as the root of musical culture, and to a degree this has been established through archaeological finds. Reese comments that “the old vocal melodies of the Jews were not those of most present-day synagogue-song in Europe and America, which is all of modern origin.” It is probable that the ancient Hebrew music developed into the Christian Chant of the medieval period. What happened in the Jewish culture, according to Reese, is that the Jews have assimilated much of the culture of “host countries.” Jewish music is a synthesis of East European cultures and oriental influences, and it shares a great deal with Arabic music.

In this context, the inherent political message of Gilad Atzmon’s music is interesting because it brings together cultures in a way that cannot be part of any so-called political, ethnic or social divide. The music of Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble is a discourse between traditions that would normally be considered as divergent, but in fact are not, because ultimately everything comes from the same source. Jewish klezmer music from East Europe is mixed freely with influences from Arab, Turkish and Balkan music. Atzmon makes these traditions completely at ease with one another by skilfully incorporating them into the Coltrane inspired spontaneity of black jazz music. The music of the oppressed black minorities becomes a means to unite and assimilate different cultural strands. This is achieved in a relatively tight manner, and the assimilation of musical structures is given just enough freedom for us not to loose track of the fact that it is still contained within the structure of a jazz arrangement. The syncopated rhythms and figures of Jewish music, mixed with middle-eastern music, invigorate the Jazz idiom. The range of the music is phenomenal, because Atzmon plays both slow beautifully haunting melodies and builds up faster speeds, as his fingers create denser more invigorated textures that carry us forward in a musical whirlwind. This is completely enhanced by the excellent drumming of Asaf Sirkis, which is both tight and charged with energy. Likewise, the pianist Frank Harrison provided a firm jazz-harmonic and rhythmic foundation. The level of musical communication is at a peak when the ensemble works as one organic unit.

The musicians, who mostly come from different countries, each bring something individual and distinct to the music. The drone of the accordion, played by Romano Viazzani, often provides a rich sonorous backdrop for the slower more melodic tunes, and likewise, the violin player Dimitru Fratila and the bowed-bass of Yron Stavi often provide a chamber-music-like quality. These features not only introduce new sonorities, which are not often heard in the context of jazz, but they inject the music with Balkan like vitality. This is something that I have not heard since I listened to John Zorn’s CD “Masada,” which focuses more on the klezmer aspect. Over and above everything else, what is incredible is the ability to bring the music in and out of different idioms. Atzmon is quick to exploit this during improvisation and interplay between musicians. This can add a humorous almost narrative quality to the music which also contributes to the political message of the music.

The political motivation of Gilad Atzmon’s music is to connect the common heritage of Jewish and Arab music together and provide a music forum for the abandonment of separation, exploitation, and oppression. I think that it is clear in the music without Atzmon having to explain it in words, but it is however enhanced by his witty and apt political remarks. One of the pieces they played, Atzmon dedicated to the three worst men in the world, Bush Blair and Sharon (BBS). The Piece was entitled “the twenty-first century” and had some humorous changes and perhaps theatrical shifts of musical idiom. Atzmon defeats the notion that the artist should avoid using art as a vehicle of musical expression, and his art places the political discussion at the very core of what he does. On the CD Exile Atzmon takes well known nationalistic Israeli melodies and fuses them with Arabic music, creating a form of expression that allows everything to live comfortably together. This musical inversion is apparent in the tune “Jenin,” the final encore of the concert, which was dedicated to Palestinians of the Jenin refugee camp and the people in Iraq, “who should be liberated by those who suppose to liberate them.” I did not know this when I heard it, but this piece is actually a Jewish folk song about a town burnt in a pogrom. The irony and subversion of this is very fitting, taking into account the recent suppression of Jenin by Sharon and his army.

Atzmon not only plays the alto and soprano sax, but he also plays the clarinet, which is an excellent instrument for Jewish and Balkan music, due to the fact it can be played very rapidly and has a warm tone. On the sax he plays in a way very reminiscent of Coltrane, and I think that he is surely one of the most outstanding jazz musicians around. Also, with the addition of the different members of the Orient House Ensemble, Atzmon’s musical creations are really crafted into something that is very attractive to listen to.

Rory Braddell

INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL MIXTURE WAS AWESOME

GILAD ATZMONâ¤™S EXTENDED ORIENT HOUSE ENSEMBLE at the Bonington Theatre

Alan Joyce

ISRAELI-BORN saxophonist Gilad Atzmonâ¤™s septet performed an exciting blend
of Balkan, Eastern European and Middle Eastern themes before a capacity
audience.

In past gigs by Gilad we have come to expect the unexpected and this
occasion was no exception, especially when it came to his outrageous but
hilarious political comments.

Gilad was on top form, his fiery alto and weaving soprano saxes coupled
with sonorous passages on clarinet were the perfect foil for the incredible
voice of Reem Kelani who was joined by musicians from Italy, Turkey and
Romania.

He also introduced Italian violinist Marcel Mamaliga, a captivating and
intense soloist, along with fellow countryman Romano Viazzani playing a very
nimble accordion. Bassist Yaron Stavi displayed amazing technical abilities
while contributions from long-time members of Orient House, Oxford-born
pianist Frank Harrison and master percussionist Asaf Sirkis, were
outstanding.

Singing throughout in Arabic, Kelaniâ¤™s adroit use of tonics and
sub-tonics, coupled with her question and answer routines with Giladâ¤™s sax,
were uncanny in their resemblance to devices used for decades by jazz
musicians. Her amazing voice spanned a multitude of emotions from pain and
despair to sheer joy and exuberance.

A highlight of the show, the final Nottingham Jazzhouse gig of the current
season, was the explosive Hebraic melody Ouz, where Giladâ¤™s soprano inspired
all around him in an awesome demonstration of his skills.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainlore.Com

Renaissance Man Review

Artist: Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble, Feat. Reem Kelani
& Dhafer Youssef
Album: Exile
Date of
Release: 2003/02/24
Label: Enja/Tiptoe
Cat. No.: Enja/Tiptoe TIP 888844 2
ASIN: B00008JLOZ
Country:
Genre/s: 1) Jazz
2) World|Jewish
Sub-
Genre/s: 1) Swing, Contemporary, Post-Bop, World Jazz
2) Contemporary, Other
Type: Studio
Time: 51:56
Date of
Review: 2003/05/16

Web site: http://www.gilad.co.uk/

Purchasing Info!

Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble - Exile

More and more, the British media - mainstream general, national, as
well as specialist musical, are hailing Gilad Atzmon as the greatest thing
ever to have emerged on the British jazz scene. For once, they are being
modest, even conservative. Gilad Atzmon is probably the most exciting
phenomenon to have hit the international jazz world since Eric Dolphy and
John Coltrane."Exile", the latest album by Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House
Ensemble, featuring Reem Kelani & Dhafer Youssef, is more than ample
testimony to this. It is without a doubt the most exhilerating, inspired and
innovative jazz album in some three decades. A fusion of post-bop, swing,
Sephardic, Ladino, Palestinian, Arabic, klezmer and Balkan, "Exile" is
"world jazz" at its very finest.

This is jazz in its purest form. Music with edge, plenty of it,
music arising out of strong, deeply felt emotions, out of oppression, and
also a reaction to this; out of anger and frustration, out of deep love and
a deep longing for justice and peace. All the very ingredients that made
jazz what it was in the first place. Gilad Atzmon has achieved a full-blown
renaissance of the original spirit of jazz over the course of his so far
three albums with his Orient House Ensemble, something that has been absent
for too long. The previous albums, the self-titled "Gilad Atzmon & The
Orient House Ensemble" and "Nostalgico", each an outstanding achievement in
its own right, fresh and exciting, refreshing and just, well, brilliant,
could be seen, in the light of "Exile", to have been preparing the ground,
giving notice of things to come. For on "Exile", the phenomenon that is
Atzmon raises his music to yet another level.

Of course, Gilad Atzmon is a highly political artist, and his music
is driven by his strong, sincerely and deeply held political convictions.
But, whether one agrees, sympathizes, or vehemently disagrees with his
politics, the music is the thing and ultimately has to stand, or fall, on
its own, and needless to say, it stands. Tall. If the political sub-text
interests you, to paraphrase Atzmon himself, fine, if not, equally fine,
just enjoy the music. No matter how strongly one might feel about the
politics, to ignore or reject music of this calibre purely because of
disapproval of the politics would be akin to cultural vandalism.

"Exile" blends Jewish and Palestinian/Arabic music and highlights
their commonalities, and thereby the commonalities between Jews and Arabs,
which as always are far greater than the differences, and also celebrates
those little differences. Atzmon's aim is to bring people closer together,
to promote greater understanding and mutual respect, to break down and
remove the artificial and unnecessary barriers between Jews and Arabs and
the two cultures that not only for the most part co-existed in perfect
harmony but co-evolved so closely and collaborated creatively for so long.
With "Exile", he seeks to draw attention to the plight of the Palestinian
people, drawing parallels to the Jewish experience. It is, in its way, a
desperate and angry outburst, shouting 'This madness has got to stop, we all
have to re-learn to live together in peace again!'

Gilad Atzmon's prodigeous chops and immense improvisational prowess
alone would long have been sufficient to secure a formidable international
reputation. His outstanding voice on clarinet as well as saxes, lyrical as
well as passionate, often, on sax, reminiscent of Paul Desmond and also
showing influences such as Trane and Cannonball Adderley, has been honed
ever more finely and is a further huge and exceptional asset. On "Exile",
Atzmon plays with a tremendous emotional power, intensity and passion,
sometimes reminding one of Gato Barbieri at the height of his powers, now
angry, even furious, now wailing in an agony of weltschmerz, then soaring
extatically, floating, gliding along lyrically, seductively. However, his
achievement of re-imbibing jazz with the socio-cultural and political spirit
that appeared to have pretty much gone with the death of 'Trane goes well
beyond securing a mere great reputation for Gilad Atzmon. It makes him
something immensely greater and no doubt assures him a prominent place in
the history of jazz.

For "Exile", Gilad Atzmon expanded the Orient House Ensemble from
its usual quartet format to include Romano Viazzani, an accordionist of
Italian extraction, Romanian violinist Marcel Mamaliga, featured special
guests, the superlative Palestinian singer Reem Kelani and Tunisian singer
and oud star Dhafer Youssef, as well as guest contributions by Israeli-born
multi-instrumentalist Koby Israelite on accordion, Gabi Fortuna on Romanian
flute, and Peter Watson on accordion. The core of the Orient House Ensemble
has undergone a personnel change with Israeli bassist Yaron Stavi taking
over from Oly Hayhurst, otherwise remaining unchanged and consisting of
Atzmon himself, percussionist/drummer Asaf Sirkis and pianist/keyboardist
Frank Harrison. Most of these performers are living in some form of exile or
other, some self-imposed, some enforced, dispossessed. While the core Orient
House ensemble has long been probably the tightest band on the contemporary
jazz scene, the close empathy extends fully to the guest artists and weaves
its usual magic. Special mention however surely is due Frank Harrison who is
fast maturing into an outstandingly fine jazz pianist in the finest
tradition of the likes of McCoy Tyner and, I dare say, Art Tatum.

The hybrid of Jewish and Palestinian/Arabic music on the one hand
and jazz on the other that Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble present
on "Exile" is appealing to connoisseurs of all these individual types of
music at once, and indeed will be appreciated by any genuine afficionado of
truly great music. It transcends "genre" and individual ethnicity to emerge
as something that's very much bigger than any of these. "Exile" is driven
music, with an intensity and passion and depth that make it utterly
compelling, even irresistable. Charm and wit complete the magic.

Gilad Atzmon originals account for six of the nine tracks on this
album and as ever testify to his great melodic gifts. Influences of
Piazzolla are more evident than previously. A further track, "Ouz", is
co-written with Yochanan Zaray. The remaining two are traditional
Palestinian and Ladino, respectively. The opener, "Dal'Ouna - On The
Return", is a traditional Palestinian mini song-cycle, with the lyrics of
the intro by Monzer El-Dajani, sung by Palestinian singer-extraordinaire
Reem Kelani. A deeply moving telling of the Palestinian people's dream of
'return', its parallels with the Jewish dream of 'return' are inescapable
and tragic. The simple, elegant arrangement and the superb vocals by Kelani
and Atzmon's here Middle-Eastern style clarinet are spine-tingling.
"Al-Quds" (the Arabic name, 'The Holy', for Yerushalayim) uses the Israeli
'anthem' of the seven-day war in an Arabic interpretation. The original
Hebrew lyrics about the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem have been
replaced with Arabic lyris from an original poem by Mahmoud Darwish, dealing
with the identical longing for homeland. Again, Reem Kelani's passionate
vocals are outstanding and supremely offset as well as complemented by Gilad
Atzmon's empassioned alto. At ten minutes, "Al-Quds" is the longest track on
this album, with some superb extended improvs. "Jenin" is inspired by an old
Yiddish song about the burning down of a shtetl in a pogrom and applies this
context to the destruction of the Jenin Refugee Camp in April 2002. Dark and
sombre, plaintive at times yet always lyrical and restrained, Atzmon and
pianist Harrison keep the listener spellbound with their special brand of
magic. Partly borrowing from another Hebraic tune from the acclaimed Israeli
film Salach Shabati which tells the story of established Zionist settlers'
cruelty to new Jewish settlers from Arab countries, "Ouz" applies this theme
to immigrants joyfully colonizing new land while ignoring its indigenous
population. The music here takes a lighter turn, but in a satirical manner,
even touching on the ironic. "Orient House", like the band, takes its name
from the East Jerusalem offices of the Palestinian Authority. Klezmer and
Balkan inspired, this is a lively piece with a very catchy theme and soaring
improvs. "Land of Canaan" could be described as a kind of Sephardi tango,
haunting and sophisticated, with Atzmon's improvs floating, soaring
stratospherically at times. The title track, "Exile", is a traditional
Ladino tune given the Orient House treatment. Reflective, even somewhat
grave and mournful, it is full of unfulfilled longing. Easily the lightest
and liveliest track, "La CÃ´te MÃ©diterranÃ©e" features the outstanding voice
and oud of Tunesian star Dhafer Youssef. The appropriately titled "Epilogue"
provides the closer. Somewhat Piazzolla-esque, it's a haunting, highly
memorable tune that's hard to get out of your head. Appended to this, after
a few seconds of silence, is a brief, closing snippet of a folkish tune with
celebratory ululations, the latter provided by Tali Atzmon.

As previous, this album is of the "CD-Plus" type, with multimedia
content in addition to the audio track, including a bonus video track of
"Epilogue". The well designed album sleeve is of the folding card type, the
liner notes are brief and to the point. Included are English translations of
the lyrics of songs. Both the booklet and the multimedia presentation are
generously endowed with photographs.

Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble's "Exile" is a stunning,
mesmerising album. The flow of ideas seems just inexhaustible and
unstoppable. This is jazz as it hasn't been played in decades, incandescent
and incendiary. As if all this wasn't enough yet, to Atzmon has to go the
further credit also of finally taking Jewish music firmly into the
mainstream; nothing and nobody has raised general awareness and appreciation
of Jewish music as much or as prominently, as Gilad Atzmon & The Orient
House Ensemble and their spectacular music, at any rate in the British
context. "Exile" is also, deservedly, proving to be a remarkably popular
album, even attaining the number one position at the Virgin Megastore in
London's Oxford Street in April. No mean feat this in itself. Released on
Enja at the end of February, "Exile" has already been nominated for the
prestigeous BBC Jazz Award 2003. A better, more appropriate nomination to
these awards there couldn't be. Gilad Atzmon's "Exile" is a truly monumental
album, and undoubtedly one of the great milestone recordings of jazz. Grab
it while you can, in years to come the original release is destined to be a
highly prized collectible classic; but most of all, grab it for the
beautiful music.

World music

Gilad Atzmon

Wardrobe, Leeds

James Griffiths
Friday February 14, 2003
The Guardian

There is an art to making extremely angry music. Gilad Atzmon, the Israeli
saxophonist now living in self-imposed exile in Britain, has mastered it
with immense skill. Atzmon is openly critical of his native government's
handling of the Palestinian crisis, and he channels his rage directly into his
compositions. His source materials range from east-European folk music
through to hard bop, funk and French accordion tunes. He manages to weld it
all together with such righteous fury that the end result is nothing short of
devastating.

For this latest tour, Atzmon has extended his band, the Orient House
Ensemble, into a septet, and the group now features the extraordinary
Palestinian singer Reem Kelani. Kelani's voice is a technical marvel,
capable of transforming deeply felt emotion into a range of pulverising
hollers and keening wails. At the Wardrobe, she had the physical awareness
of an opera singer; she pounded her head and gesticulated wildly while she
sang - a potentially melodramatic approach that remained impressively
heartfelt.

Here, Kilani was simply one virtuoso among many. Drummer Asaf Sirkis
and pianist Frank Harrison strained towards cranium-shattering levels of
intensity, while accordion player Romano Viazzani and violinist Marcel
Mamaliga added jubilant colour and light to a performance that explored
some very dark territory. Exile, the title track from the new album, was
particularly sepulchral, with a slow, military drumbeat and forbidding
piano discords.

Later in the set, a piece called 20th Century juxtaposed a slow, mournful
clarinet lament with a deceptively reassuring accordion theme. This was
promptly overwhelmed by a truly apocalyptic crescendo of pounding drums,
mad piano glissandos and terrifying sheets of double bass from Yaron Stavi.

A hulking presence in the centre of the stage, Atzmon remained fiercely
focused, frequently closing his eyes and screwing up his face, even when he
was not playing. His saxophone solos had a Coltrane-like intensity. But
while Coltrane strivedtowards spiritual transcendence, Atzmon seems
primarily motivated by anger and disgust. "This tune is dedicated to the
war-mongers: Blair, Bush and Sharon," he said, before launching into a
steam-rolling composition that conveyed all the terror of an air raid.

He may have nothing but contempt for war-hungry world leaders, but Gilad
Atzmon's music sounds as if it was designed to flatten armies.