Lebanese

Following the Second World War (1945-1949), Beirut established itself as the cultural capital of the Middle East, with the Lebanese music scene leading the way. Lebanese music has a distinct sound due to the country’s unique fusion of Western and Eastern influences. Even Lebanese folk compositions often reference Western contemporary music. After 15 years of civil war and a decade of post war rehabilitation, the situation of alternative art and especially music was very poor in Lebanon. Things began to change around 2000 with the arrival of a new generation of musicians, born at the beginning and during the war, more interested in experimental art forms than in fame or glory. The experimental music scene in Beirut, may exist in relative geographic isolation from other global movements of a similar ilk, but over the past fifteen years it has become a dynamic hub for a dense concentration of fiercely independent musical voices. From humble beginnings and tiny numbers, the close-knit community has grown and thrived.

This release is a beautiful album, based on the rich cultural tradition of Lebanese music. It highlights the traditional oriental orchestra (takht), consisting of oud, buzuk, qanun, ney, oriental violin and double bass with Arabian percussions such as tabla, riqq, katem, mezher and others. Artistic director and primary conductor of the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music, Andre Hajj is a Lebanese musician who grew up in an atmosphere of music and arts encouraged by his mother. Influenced by this musical and artistic atmosphere, Hajj began to study music at the age of sixteen and graduated from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik with a Diploma in Oud and a Bachelor of Arts in Educational Music. He formed the group Amaken in 2003 to perform traditional Lebanese and Arabic music and he gave regular concerts in Lebanon and other countries.

Thievery Corporation played a historic concert in 2017 at The JFK Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The show saw their songs re-imagined with orchestral arrangements from some of today's leading young classical composers. The show is now legendary, and those fortunate to attend heard Thievery Corporation in an entirely new way. To honour this show and inspiration it provided, Hilton and Garza have created Symphonik - recorded with Prague’s FilmHarmonic Orchestra along with Thievery Corporation's live band and engineering and co-production by Gianmaria Conti.