from the In'Collection(s):

Hazem Shaheen

Things that I miss

Oriental Jazz + Classical Oriental | Egypt | 2009

It is truly rare to find an artist who has so much to say, and who is able to say it as honestly, and as beautifully as Hazem Shaheen. An artist whose inner world is so rich it just flows out of his fingertips, which seem directly connected to his heart and mind…

Hazem’s first solo opus kicks off with ‘The Horse of Sayyed’: a sensitive tribute to his mentor, Sayyed Darwish, a close friend of his family and an important figure of his youth. And as each track unfolds, we keep on discovering all the ‘Things that he misses’: his childhood in Alexandria, his deceased father, the roaring waves, the open air and the effervescence of adolescence…

Overall, the album achieves a delicate balance between tracks that showcase Hazem’s exceptional compositional talents and technical abilities. Some of these tracks feature Egyptian percussionist Hany Bdeir and pianist Nawar Abbass, as well as American double-bass player Miles Jay, and are somewhat reminiscent of the moods and memorable melodies of the famed Tunisian oud player Anouar Brahem. While his solo tracks of free improvisations on classical Arabic modes assert his truly personal sound and virtuosity, which rival that of the greatest masters of the oud in the Arab world.