Winter, 2006
Oudist Mukhtar has had quite a glittering career for one not yet 40-years-old, with praise from many parts of the globe. For this release he's turned his thoughts back to his native Iraq and its maqams. In Arab classical music the maqam is a mode; in Iraqi classical music it also refers to a suite, which is an improvisation within certain rules, and that is what's presented here. The ensemble--oud, ney flute, percussion, qanun (a type of hammered dulcimer) and joza (spike fiddle) interact beautifully on a series of Mukhtar compositions mostly based around old maqams, but frequently updated, as on "Doulab Mukhtar," where the circular feel and use of only four or five notes from the mode gives a near-Greek feel. Mukhtar himself is both an effective leader and superb player as he shows on the atmospheric "Motherly," where his instrument teases out the emotion of the music. The album ends with taqsims--free improvisations--for oud, qanun, and joza that act as showcases for the musicians' skill, and these guys are among the best, as both "Segah" and "Moments in the Mosque" show. The Road to Baghdad not only takes Mukhtar home, it hopefully brings a great talent onto a wider global stage. The only fault is the rather empty, sterile production (by Mukhtar) which actually works against the group feel of the players. However, with luck he'll have someone else behind the board next time around.