Ping Kong - CD

ENGLISH

<span data-scayt_word="DuOud" data-scaytid="1">DuOud</span> consists of two <span data-scayt_word="oud" data-scaytid="4">oud</span> playing Istanbul based musicians; Tunisian born Jean-Pierre <span data-scayt_word="Smadja" data-scaytid="6">Smadja</span> (already noted for two albums he issued as <span data-scayt_word="Smadj" data-scaytid="7">Smadj</span> on MELT 2000), and Algerian born master <span data-scayt_word="oud" data-scaytid="5">oud</span> player <span data-scayt_word="Mehdi" data-scaytid="8">Mehdi</span> <span data-scayt_word="Haddab" data-scaytid="9">Haddab</span> (known for his work with the acclaimed French based trio, <span data-scayt_word="Evoko" data-scaytid="10">Evoko</span>, and more recently Speed Caravan). Blending their North African heritage with the latest Western technology, the pair builds a musical cycle that looks to their African roots while absorbing and morphing contemporary music styles - break beats, jazz grooves and metal guitar. While <span data-scayt_word="DuOud" data-scaytid="2">DuOud</span> are not the first to mix the North African lute with electronic technology, they do it with such an imaginative freedom that sets them apart from their contemporaries; their debut album Wild Serenade saw them nominated for the Best Newcomer award in the 2003 BBC Music Awards. On Ping Kong, <span data-scayt_word="DuOud" data-scaytid="3">DuOud</span> hovers between tradition and futurism, with varying moods ranging from surf kitsch to contemporary groove. The album features cameos from Cyril <span data-scayt_word="Atef" data-scaytid="11">Atef</span> from <span data-scayt_word="Bumcello" data-scaytid="12">Bumcello</span> and <span data-scayt_word="Malouma" data-scaytid="13">Malouma</span>.