Karkadé

Egyptian-born Mohamed Abozekry is the latest in an illustrious line of oud players from the Arab world who have graced their adopted France with compositions imbued with virtuosity and beauty. Following Ring Road in 2015, Abozekry's second album on the Jazz Village label is further proof of an astonishing maturity. At 25, he has decided to explore both the popular and traditional repertoire of the homeland he left in 2009 and, in doing so, takes listeners on a powerful voyage that transcends both these genres. The player-composer also draws poetic inspiration from his adopted French town of Grenoble, the album's title being drawn from a restaurant there that serves the karkadé hibiscus tea so associated with Egypt.

Abozekry is ably accompanied by the excellent Lotfy Abaza on violin with compelling percussion by Hany Bedair and haunting ney (end-blown flute) by Mohammed Farag. Their exploration is multi-tiered: Abozekry draws from Sufi traditions to pay homage to one of its greatest vocal exponents, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tûni. His composition ‘Ala el Felouka’, meanwhile, bows to the popular melodies that swayed Egyptian peasantry toiling along the Nile riverbanks. Then there is the evocative ‘Isis’, an instrumental that disturbs and questions while retaining an aura of mystery. All in all, Karkadé is compelling listening.