Morocco / Sweden / Denmark, 2020, Arabic jazz / afro-jazz
Over half the tracks on this seven-track album are jazz interpretations of original (gnawa?) songs, which would explain the moments of liturgical Islamic singing over the rich, ritualistic drumming. The other three tracks are original Bekkas compositions, with Kajfeš, Nordenström, and Pasborg contributing to the final track. A warm mystery permeates every corner of this album, inviting the jazz listener into new avenues of the near-limitless genre. The gumbri and the oud guide the joyful, distant trumpets and the wide-eyed piano along meandering, psychedelic routes. The destination of those routes is some funky-ass fusion.
Museum Musica 