Esbe - Desert Songs: Memories of Rumi '2018

Tracks list

My introduction to Desert Songs

I first became interested in the literary heritage of the Middle East when I
read that the European troubadours shared a tradition with Bedouin poet
travellers. Id always been intrigued by the Troubadours – the freedom and
romanticism. Reading more about the era and examples of poetry – in
English translations – I was struck by the resonance of their themes and
timeless connection with contemporary thought and life experience. With two day
passes to the British Museum, I pored through various almost forgotten
translations of Ibn Said, Jamil of Udhra, and the most famous of all today,
Jalaluddin Rumi – the most widely read poet in America.. The earliest
date from around the 9th Century, whilst Rumi, the mystic Sufi poet from
Afghanistan who lived most of his life in Turkey was born in the C13th. The Rumi
poems are taken from Words of Paradise, a book of new interpretations of Rumi by
friend, Raficq Abdulla. This album is my homage to the region, its poets and our
own literary past. 

Unlike most of my other writing, the text very much arrived first, being
existing poems. But as always the music itself is a Neo-Classical –
Psych-Folk fusion. As many of the poems are written in a prose style, the
approach is probably more classical and there are only a few standard
verse-chorus structures, although the melodies repeat in a similar and familiar
way. Ive never overly analysed the harmonic progressions and scales, but have
always been drawn to rich close harmonies and lyrical Middle Eastern/ East
European music and love Russian and French composers. Vocally, Im drawn to Early
Music, in particular Dowland, and somehow feel a little part of the British
song-writing tradition. Were lucky to be living at a time when we can hear so
many styles of music, and on this album there are glimpses of those Ive heard. A
very special recent one was when a group of local musicians were hastily
assembled for an impromptu courtyard gig when I was cycling in Macedonia. 

I recently realised that whilst writing theres always an accompanying visual
image, perhaps of the people, or scene – just like a sketchy memory of
somewhere Ive actually been. Ive included a few illustrations of these as simple
line drawings - the CD cover is I Just Retrace Your Wake from the last line of
Burning Lips. Beneath two other lyrics, Rise Anew Like Green Shoots portrays
little sapling fingers reaching out to the sun and the forlorn girl in I Long
for Night sits, bereft, beside a pillar, lost in thought, solitary in her
private courtyard. One of my favourite eras is the Art Nouveau and the wonderful
illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley. Although I cant attain such detail, I love to
explore simple flowing lines – in fact, all my art begins with the
natural flow of a pencil. 

esbe

Tracklist:
01. Esbe - Where Is He?
02. Esbe - Your Promise
03. Esbe - Die
04. Esbe - Under a Scorching Sky
05. Esbe - Habib
06. Esbe - Take Heed
07. Esbe - Burning Lips
08. Esbe - Where You Dwell
09. Esbe - Magic Screed
10. Esbe - Seek
11. Esbe - Listen
12. Esbe - Buthaina

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