The Joubran brothers, Samir, Wissam and Adnan, perform together as Trio Joubran. But it’s actually a quartet, says Samir, the oldest brother. The fourth member is the oud, the instrument played by each sibling.
The oud, an Arab luth that is an ancestor of the guitar, is the voice of Palestinian tradition and Arabic classical music. The brothers, all fine players, take the instrument on a musical journey that is firey and inventive.
« I want this instrument to have a large audience », said Samir, in a phone conversation from his Paris home. « But I don’t want the audience to view the oud as a museum piece. We want to make it contemporary ».
Trio Joubran makes its American debut tonight at the Old Town of school of Folk music. Singer Riffat Sultana, daughter of Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, opens the show.
The brothers (Samir 31,Wissam 21, Adnan 19,) were raised in Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel. The family held close to its heart strong musical tradition : their father is an oud maker known throughout the Arab world and their mother is a singer. They have fond memories of the musicians who visited the house an a daily basis.
« Music was a big part of our social life » said Samir. « We could ot have a dinner without playing the instruments or singing. This was not a profession that I needed to go into my room and practice for six or seven. I twas constantly evolving ».
Samir already had an established career when, in 2002, he teamed up with Wissam, who is an inventive player and the fourth-generation oud maker in the family. Recently, they brought in their youngest brother, Adnan, and an entirely new sound.
« All these years they were practicing on my music », said Samir. « By the time we began playing together, everything was ready. Now there is a dialogue between us and our instruments. »
Improvisation is one of the basic elements of playing oud. As they spend more and more time playing as a Trio, their skills have become more instinctive. The individuality of each brother come out in improvises solos that are part of each performance. « This is where you will see each personality emerge through the music », said Samir.
A french television company recently fimed a documentary about the brothers and their music, which should air in this country sometime next year. Samir laughed when asked if it’s tough to work so closely with his brothers.
« That’s a big, big, big question », he said, laughing. « We go on stage as a threesome and there is no ego. We all take care of each other on stage. »