Cat No HE23

• Ahoar is the name adopted by two Iraqi classical-traditional concert musicians, a Belgian jazz pianist and a jazz double bassist from Germany. By combining two very different styles of music and venturing into new musical territory in this project, the four musicians perform a daring, unique experiment, full of virtuoso musicianship.

• Ahoar’s music is made up of catchy melodies, like children's songs, minimalist motifs, rather light piano chords, repeated gently and evenly - but with no drums, no richly coloured percussion, only frame drums or Arabian tablas on some compositions.

• Rarely is the combination of Iraqi ‘maqam’ melody and Western harmony as successful as it is here. Sparse, open compositions - structured, but seemingly with no movement, only a sound rising and sinking again imperceptibly slowly. just a mutual, calm, abstract flow of sounds, rhythm and modulations.