Anouar Brahem, one of the most valuable and refined virtuosos of the contemporary oud, will play on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at the XXVII Gărâna Jazz Festival!

Anouar Brahem will take to the festival stage with his quartet, created in 2009 for the recording of The Astounding Eyes of Rita. For the first time, the Anouar Brahem Quartet returns to old musical territory with a repertoire that includes some of the group’s regular compositions and pieces from older albums such as Conte de l’Incroyable Amour (1991), Madar (1992), Thimar (1998), Astrakhan Café (2000), The Astounding Eyes of Rita (2009), Blue Maqams (2017). The Anouar Brahem Quartet also includes Klaus Gesing – bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, Björn Meyer – bass, Khaled Yassine – percussion.

With a musical career spanning almost 40 years and a rich discography, Anouar Brahem is undeniably a true master of the oud, who has revealed to the world the sonic magic that this ancient oriental lute carries with it. The power of Brahem’s music lies in his resolute openness to the world and the tenacity with which he has built bridges between modernism and Arab and Islamic musical heritage. With a huge respect for tradition, he has produced a remarkable jazz repertoire, recording no less than 11 albums on ECM Records. John Surman, Dave Holland, Jan Garbarek, Django Bates and Jack DeJohnette are just a few of the musicians who have “succumbed” to Anouar Brahem’s melodious spell.

Constantly seeking to weave together the many influences and passions that have marked his artistic development, his music has become free: sensitive yet rigorous, balancing discretion and sensuality with nostalgia and contemplation. Recognition of his cultural value has come from his native Tunisia as well as from France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Anouar Brahem was made a life member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters and was awarded the title of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Republic.

Festival passes or day tickets can be bought online: bilete.ro/garana-jazz-festival-editia-xxvii/ or in the Inmedio & RELAY, Germanos and Vodafone shops as well as the offices of the Romanian Post.