TALK MUSIC TALK PODCAST: Amir ElSaffar Podcast Interview 136
TALK MUSIC TALK PODCAST: Amir ElSaffar Podcast Interview 136
BY BOICE
New York-based composer Amir ElSaffar has triumphantly found that sweet spot of innovation not reduction when uniting two musical genres. Not Two, his latest release as a bandleader, features his Rivers of Sound orchestra fusing elements of Middle Eastern music with jazz and vocals. The santur and trumpet player's 17-piece ensemble not only reflects the heritage of his Iraqi father but also finds its inspiration in Amir's spirituality. As with most double-albums, Not Two's ninety minutes are overflowing with possibilities that reward with each passing listen. [This episode features "Shards of Memory/B Half Flat Fantasy" from Not Two in its entirety.]