Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Hazzan '2018

Tracks list

Jacques Schwarz-Bart writes: Hazzan is a Jazz creation embracing Jewish
liturgical music, improvisational sequences and infectious rhythms. The name
Hazzan means cantor in the Jewish tradition. It came to me from a Rabbi
commenting on my performance of Adon Olam as a jazz duet for the Jewish French
Foundation (FJF) in 2008. He said: when you played, your notes sounded like a
prayer. You are a Hazzan on your saxophone. This was 3 years after my father
passed away, and since then I have decided to pay tribute to his memory by
creating a project revolving around Jazz music and Hazzanout (the art of
chanting Jewish prayers). As soon as I started working on the arrangements, it
became clear that these powerful ancient melodies lent themselves to
impressionist harmonization, and could be enhanced with infectious rhythms from
the African diaspora. Armed with these founding elements, I researched Jewish
traditions from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, selecting songs of
contrasting colors to paint a mystical and uplifting fresque. In The Morning
Star, my father describes a character who -just like me- is a jazz musician from
Jewish and Black descent. He refuses to be labeled half Jewish and half black,
and claims to be 200\%: 100\% Jewish and 100\% black. I hope Hazzan will do
justice to this conception of my Jewish identity as the blossoming fruit of
universal cross pollination.

Tracklist:
01. Jacques Schwarz-Bart feat. David Linx - Shabbar Menuka Hi
02. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Mi Shebeirach
03. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Oseh Shalom
04. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Ahot Ketana
05. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Avinu Malkenu
06. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Adon Olam
07. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Ma Nishtana
08. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Maoz Tsour
09. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Havdalah
10. Jacques Schwarz-Bart - Daienu

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