UA-46884927-1

mukdad rothenberg lankow - “In the wake of memories”

First meeting at David Rothenberg's "Nightingales in Berlin" project, these three musicians recorded this oud, clarinet and percussion fusion at Studio Wong in that city. A meditation on survival and resilience, on empathy and love, each musician interweaves phrases and nuanced expressions of pain, joy, expectation and relief.

This is an album of music from an entire region of the world, crossing cultural barriers and tribal sides.

Wassim Mukdad is a Berlin-based musician from Syria. He plays the oud (the Arabic fretless lute), composes, and conducts various ensembles. Specializing in several genres such as tarab, dance and traditional music, Mukdad fuses elements of middle-eastern and western music. He has performed at the Maxim Gorki Theater and the Komische Oper Berlin. He is also a member of the Babylon Orchestra, an orchestra in Berlin that stands for the connection of Arabic and European music. Before moving to Germany, Wassim appeared with a variety of ensembles in Syria and Turkey, focusing on opening dialogue between cultures and advocating peace in the face of racism and war. A trained medical doctor, Mukdad was a target of the Syrian regime and is a torture survivor. He has testified before the European Court of Human Rights in its pending case against the Syrian government.

Volker Lankow, Berlin-based percussionist, has played with the Improvisation Group Tangram Project and collaborates with other improvisation groups, like KrautX and Elsewhere Project with Bernhard Wöstheinrich. He has released many solo albums combining percussion and electronics. For several years he worked for Doctors Without Borders as a field nurse and project manager. He now works with the mentally ill.

David Rothenberg is a New York based musician, philosopher and New Jersey Institute of Technology professor. He has written many books including: Why Birds Sing, Bug Music, Survival of the Beautiful. He has also released more than thirty recordings, including: One Dark Night I Left My Silent House on the ECM label, Tablatun, and Trio Senza Rete. He has performed or recorded with Pauline Oliveros, Peter Gabriel, Ray Phiri, Suzanne Vega, Scanner, Elliott Sharp, Iva Bittová, and the Karnataka College of Percussion. His most recent project, Nightingales in Berlin, which includes Mukdad and Lankow among the musicians, is available as a book, a CD and a film.

Mukdad Rothenberg Lankow translate years of experience into music that unfolds in a sense of hope.

LISTEN to the album HERE

Album CREDITS and details can be found HERE

CD and vinyl available in North America HERE | in France HERE | in the UK HERE | in Benelux HERE and thru online retailers and fine record stores everywhere