Ibrahim Maalouf - TRUMPETS OF MICHEL-ANGE VOL. 2 (2026) [Hi-Res]

The LP “Trumpets Of Michel-Ange Vol. 2,” released on Mister I.B.E., continues Ibrahim Maalouf’s artistic exploration of the unusual quarter-tone trumpet while also serving as a continuation of an educational initiative aimed at making the instrument accessible to a broader community of musicians. The recordings were made during live sessions in a studio near Paris, following the documentary as well as performative approach of the preceding project.

Musically, the album combines elements of jazz, world music, and classical training into an open sonic landscape in which the trumpet’s microtonal possibilities remain a defining feature. On this new band project Maalouf collaborates with a number of international guests: Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, MonoNeon, Pedrito Martínez, Weedie Braimah, Anthony Evans together with a gospel choir, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Nai Barghouti, Hamilton de Holanda, Rasika Shekar, Richard Galliano, and Las Migas all contribute by expanding the palette through different instrumentations and rhythmic colors.

The arrangements and production aim to make the specific intervals of the quarter-tone trumpet clearly audible without sacrificing orchestral richness; in this way, the project emphasizes the balance between solo instrument and ensemble. The release on Mister I.B.E. not only documents a musical dialogue, it also underscores Maalouf’s commitment to transmission and exchange between generations of musicians.