Kamal Musallam

Arabic Fusion - the new musical direction

Kamal talks about his 11 years experience of merging sounds and rhythms from his own Middle-Eastern musical culture with other genres emerging from both the western and the Eastern worlds.

Kamal's experience led him to release three albums under his own independent label K&G, "On A Jordan River's Side" 2003, "Out Of My City" 2008, "Lulu" 2010 - which was selected by The Grammy Awards under Best Contemporary World Music Album. Kamal has also played an essential in developing new hybrid instruments that could play Arabic music well as the Oud or the Qanun, while still being made in Japan or Canada by some of the biggest instruments contructors, as Ibanez guitars. His research in the Arabic music heritage and traditions since over 20 years has always aimed to come out with elements, that could be in his opinion tangible when heard by the western ear, especially his work on the Arabic quarter tone (the Sika) and its use with electric guitars, and within Jazz and Fusion contexts.