The front cover of the Trio Joubran’s second album, picturing the three brothers walking across a deserted beach dressed in elegantly dishevelled black and white, perfectly sums up the mood of the music contained within: wistful and brooding, yet always ravishingly tasteful. Samir, Wissam and Adnan Joubran grew up in Nazareth, the sons of a master oud maker, Hatim, who must be mightily proud of his boys. There are enough oud (Arab lute) ensembles in the world and none that comes close to the Trio Joubran for imaginative compositions and intuitive interplay. On this second album, the solo and group performances leave us in no doubt that these musicians really know how to harness and tease out every nuance of the oud’s deep sonorities, all perfectly captured by their recording engineer Vincent Bruley. The addition of Yousef Hbeisch’s understated percussion parts on several tracks provides the ideal rhythmic backbone for the brothers’ more impressionist improvisations, allowing them to weave freely around each other.
These are exciting times for the oud, with several very talented young Arab players pushing the instrument beyond its classical repertoire. In many ways, Majâz is less experimental than other recent oud recordings; however, what it lacks in gimmicks and fusions is more than made up for in straightforward, discerning musicianship.
Majâz is the Arabic translation of the word "metaphor." Just like that rhetorical technique, the trio intended once more to carry its audience from one emotion to another. A new international tour, made all the richer for Hbeisch’s artistic contribution, is at the heart of their programme for the 2007-2008 season. Between painful ecstasy and sumptuous silence, the Trio's overwhelming stage performances are both precise and overflowing with emotions that take their audience's breath away.
This new album reveals the maturity of a trio that took flight with Randana, and whose Majâz is an invitation to travel. Released on October 25, 2007, it reached number 10 on the French world music charts. It was also on the front page of the world music section of iTunes UK. Songlines Magazine will be featuring Majâz is a top of the world album in its January/February issue.
The Trio's repertory, made up of original creations and magnificent improvisations, takes root in their knowledge of the imposing culture of traditional maqâms and their subtle interpretations. The group was the big revelation at Langon's Atypical Nights (Nuits Atypiques) Festival, nominated for the 2004 Django d’Or awards, and selected at the Womex 2004 and the Strictly Mundial 2005. The Trio Joubran has been living a musical adventure that is taking it all over the world: they played before thousands at the Festival of Nyon; were welcomed at Carnegie Hall in February 2006, and recently played at the Jerusalem Festival in August 2007.