A year-and-a-half ago I wrote a post here about my friendship with Jacco and his last CD, “Vientos del Desierto.” http://juergablog.blogspot.com/2011/01/jacco-muller-guitarist-and-composer.html On “Palace of Dreams,” Jacco again collaborates with Victor Ghannam, an amazingly talented American-born Palestinian oud player.
On “Palace” Victor adds the qanoun to the mix, as well as electric oud, while Jacco plays, of course, his one-of-a-kind, custom built flamenco guitar plus electric guitar.
I had goosebumps already just reading
that bit of instrument info inside the CD cover (beautifully designed by Jacco’s wife,
flamenco dancer/choreographer/instructor extraordinaire, Vida Peral, BTW).
Yes, I have permission from Jacco to post these images from the CD jacket, and, yes, you will have to buy a copy to feast your eyes on the imagery from the back cover. It instantly transported me from downtown LA to, wow, somewhere so Mediterranean.
This CD cover captures perfectly the atmosphere created by the music. Listening to these tracks is like passing through layers of luxurious silk curtains, each one unique and gorgeous and sumptuous, and each one inviting you to take another step to feel the next one against your skin. Even the order of the pieces travels from welcoming and party-like to mesmerizing, then ominous on to contemplative, and finally out to an actual emotional release. It is a real journey.
The collaboration between the two masters has matured, deepened, become richer and tastier. While “Vientos” (in hindsight, really) sounds more like flamenco infused with Middle Eastern undertones, “Palace” allows the two genres to become much more seamless. On top of that, the electric instruments lend themselves to rock moments, while lyrics in Spanish, English, French, and Arabic further blur the lines between cultural influences. At the same time, the individual flavors of each language, each genre, and each artist are not lost; in fact, the individual flavors are distinct, appreciable, and truly enhanced.
I know I've got some mixed metaphors going on here, what with fabrics and foods, but that is what this album has evoked in me -- sensations as varied as touch and taste, sound and smell, memory and dreamstate. And all of that is exactly what should exist in a palace of dreams, isn't it?
To listen to samples of each track, head over to
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaccomullerandvictorghan
where you can also buy the cd directly. I love cdbaby.com because they allow indie musicians to keep most of the money they directly make from these cd sales. Please support these incredible artists and do your soul a favor. Enter into the “Palace of Dreams.”
