The CD opens with a spirited, almost hymn-like piece: "Ya Bahriyyeh" is based on a composition by Khalifé's first ensemble, Al Mayadine, which was founded in the 1970s. It includes verses from the US-Palestinian Fady Joudah, who uses strong images of fishermen pulling together on the same rope to create metaphors for freedom. "La Prière De L'Absent" builds up over a trotting ostinato and develops a hypnotic pull that is similar to Ravel's Bolero thanks to the dulcet tones of Bassam Saba's ney.

At the peak of its power

In the central piece of the suite, "Amr I Bismiki", the Absolute Ensemble shows itself at the peak of its powers. Following a vocal solo by Khalifé, whose soft, almost tender voice is astonishing and encourages the audience to sing along, it is above all the wind section that not only comes up with amazingly compact interjections but also creates precisely conversing groups. The three relatively short compositions by Schnyder that follow are all related.

"Da Kord" features an exchange of perspectives: Schnyder leads the way with a fiery soprano saxophone chase through arabesque lines; Khalifé follows suit with a rapid stringed flight accompanied by a driving, funky rhythm section.

"Oyun" parts I and II, which complete the dramatic core of the suite, are of a similarly fiery nature, while the finely woven "Bayat" brings things to a lyrical conclusion.

Here, ney and violins intertwine. Starting with these two instruments, the idiom of the classical Viennese school and the Arab orchestral tradition merge into one in the arrangement. In this final piece in particular, the cello, bassoon and trumpet successfully lend a magnificent transparency to a rich, well thought-out texture.

A merging of styles

Although "Arabian Nights" does not succeed in squaring the circle – after all, by eliminating quarter tones, all musical incompatibilities were done away with from the start – with its variety of voices from intimate solo passages to big band effects, it certainly does succeed in convincingly building a bridge between Arab and Western music vocabulary. In short, this project is not just another example of musicians adding one musical tradition to another, as has often been the case in so many earlier "East meets West" projects.

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