Esbe - Desert Songs: Memories of Rumi (2018)

My introduction to 'Desert Songs'

I first became interested in the literary heritage of the Middle East when I read that the European troubadours shared a tradition with Bedouin poet travellers. I'd always been intrigued by the Troubadours – the freedom and romanticism. Reading more about the era and examples of poetry – in English translations – I was struck by the resonance of their themes and timeless connection with contemporary thought and life experience. With two day passes to the British Museum, I pored through various almost forgotten translations of Ibn Sa'id, Jamil of Udhra, and the most famous of all today, Jalaluddin Rumi – the most widely read poet in America.. The earliest date from around the 9th Century, whilst Rumi, the mystic Sufi poet from Afghanistan who lived most of his life in Turkey was born in the C13th. The Rumi poems are taken from 'Words of Paradise', a book of new interpretations of Rumi by friend, Raficq Abdulla. This album is my homage to the region, its poets and our own literary past.

Unlike most of my other writing, the text very much arrived first, being existing poems. But as always the music itself is a Neo-Classical – Psych-Folk fusion. As many of the poems are written in a prose style, the approach is probably more classical and there are only a few standard verse-chorus structures, although the melodies repeat in a similar and familiar way. I've never overly analysed the harmonic progressions and scales, but have always been drawn to rich close harmonies and lyrical Middle Eastern/ East European music and love Russian and French composers. Vocally, I'm drawn to Early Music, in particular Dowland, and somehow feel a little part of the British song-writing tradition. We're lucky to be living at a time when we can hear so many styles of music, and on this album there are glimpses of those I've heard. A very special recent one was when a group of local musicians were hastily assembled for an impromptu courtyard gig when I was cycling in Macedonia.

I recently realised that whilst writing there's always an accompanying visual image, perhaps of the people, or scene – just like a sketchy memory of somewhere I've actually been. I've included a few illustrations of these as simple line drawings - the CD cover is 'I Just Retrace Your Wake' from the last line of 'Burning Lips'. Beneath two other lyrics, 'Rise Anew Like Green Shoots' portrays little sapling fingers reaching out to the sun and the forlorn girl in 'I Long for Night' sits, bereft, beside a pillar, lost in thought, solitary in her private courtyard. One of my favourite eras is the Art Nouveau and the wonderful illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley. Although I can't attain such detail, I love to explore simple flowing lines – in fact, all my art begins with the natural flow of a pencil.

esbe

Tracklist:
01. Esbe - Where Is He?
02. Esbe - Your Promise
03. Esbe - Die
04. Esbe - Under a Scorching Sky
05. Esbe - Habib
06. Esbe - Take Heed
07. Esbe - Burning Lips
08. Esbe - Where You Dwell
09. Esbe - Magic Screed
10. Esbe - Seek
11. Esbe - Listen
12. Esbe - Buthaina