French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf’s latest album, ‘Trumpets of Michel-Ange’ sees itself as more than just a record. It is also part of an initiative to make the quarter tone trumpet his father invented accessible via a series of lessons, instruments and recordings. The instrument was crafted with an additional fourth valve which enables the player to mix Middle Eastern and Western scales together in a way that was previously impossible. Each of the tracks on ‘Trumpets of Michel-Ange’ was written and performed on the instrument and represents a fantastic calling card for the invention as well as being a joy in its own right.
Maalouf’s biography demonstrates that he is a high-quality practitioner rather than a random experimenter. After establishing himself as a promising young classical performer and winning prestigious international competitions, he rebelled against the constraints of classical orthodoxy, becoming fascinated with jazz, soul, hip hop and Middle Eastern music and the ways of blending these sounds together. Two-time Grammy nominated, he has been welcomed into the inner circle of Quincy Jones, collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, John Legend, A$AP Rocky and J Balvin as well as releasing a collaborative record with Angelique Kidjo.
The ten tracks that constitute ‘Trumpets of Michel-Ange’ were recorded live without any overdubs and edits, an approach that captures the zest of a band playing together whilst showcasing that they are polished performers. Its storyline, despite being almost exclusively instrumental and thus leaving plenty of space for the imagination, is the journey of two young lovers from marriage, the birth of their children through to the sting of their departure as adults. The album starts joyously with the high-energy ‘The Proposal’, propelled by frenetic percussion and sounds of a celebratory crowd. Maalouf’s trumpet playing on this track has a Middle Eastern flavour, capturing hope, excitement and an outpouring of emotion. ‘Love Anthem’ maintains the momentum, though with his playing having more of a Western jazz tone. It is easy to imagine this opening pair of tracks soundtracking Mardi Gras. ‘Fly With Me’ has a more relaxed pace, opening with a bossa nova shuffle and incorporating some lovely jazz guitar. As its title suggests, ‘Zajal’ sees a return to the Middle Eastern vibes, although the way the song can shift between styles shows the flexibility the quarter tone trumpet offers.
The contemplative ‘Stranger’ is a tribute to his father, a farmer who came to France and took shelter in a church, working there while also developing his trumpet. Maalouf’s playing is especially rich as it builds from calm yet emotive to a brief crescendo before returning to its subdued origins. Named for Maalouf’s third daughter, ‘The Smile of Rita’ exudes a sense of tenderness and pride, the lead trumpet temporarily giving way to some exquisite guitar picking. While its title suggests ‘Au Revoir’ has been misplaced at seventh on the track listing, it drifts contentedly in the background before the playing becomes harmonic, one of a number of tracks that gives the impression of there being a vocal melody in the background.
In a significant shift of mood, ‘Capitals’ is led by buoyant percussion, the horns following with a conversational call and response chorus to create another track that conveys the sense of a massive party. As well as being the album’s longest track at a shade under eight minutes, ‘Timeless’ incorporates rare vocals, delicate kora playing, the odd bluesy guitar lick and some boundary crossing trumpeting. Ironically, what had been mainly an instrumental record ends with a brief reprise ‘Au Revoir – Live in Brittany (A Capella Version)’ in which what sounds like a crowd of thousands sings along to recreate the trumpet melody as a vocal line.
On an album that is a celebration of love and family, it is fitting that the cover image is a 1925 photo of Ibrahim’s grandfather and his band taken in their village in Lebanon. It is a unifying boundary-splicing record, exquisitely played and brimming with ideas.
Ibrahim Maalouf: Trumpets of Michel-Ange – Out 20th September 2024
Maalouf – Love Anthem (Official Music Video) (youtube.com)
I was editor of the long-running fanzine, Plane Truth, and have subsequently written for a number of publications. While the zine was known for championing the most angular independent sounds, performing in recent years with a community samba percussion band helped to broaden my tastes so that in 2021 I am far more likely to be celebrating an eclectic mix of sounds and enthusing about Made Kuti, Anthony Joseph, Little Simz and the Soul Jazz Cuban compilations as well as Pom Poko and Richard Dawson.
