Eight years after his last ECM release Blue Maqams, Anouar Brahem is certainly following through on his commitment to expand the traditions of the oud in Arab music by delving into other genres:  it's all here in his latest release, After The Last Sky. The title takes its name from a line of Palestinian poetry by Mahmoud Darwish: “Where should the birds fly, after the last sky?”. This metaphysical question brings up feelings of displacement, loss, and even a sense of finality - all themes that were very much present for Brahem during his time of composition in 2023. Brahem's work on this project predates the conflicts in Gaza that started in the same year, though it's hard to imagine that the significance of these events were not keenly felt as the album developed.  

In fact, the very same line of poetry inspired the title of a book: ‘After The Last Sky: Palestinian Lives’ by writer and literary critic Edward Said. The book grants an in-depth portrait into the Palestinian experience of exile and identity, and was a significant enough influence for Brahem to dedicate a tribute track to the writer. The whole mood of the album is steeped in melancholy, grief and memory, and though Brahem’s influences are clear he affirms that the listener need only be guided by the music to inform their own response: “What may evoke sadness for one person may arouse nostalgia for another… I invite listeners to project their own emotions, memories or imaginations, without trying to ‘direct’ them.” 

Anouar Brahem, born in the capital of Tunisia, began the oud when he was ten. He developed his musical talents further under skilled tutors, spent four years in Paris collaborating and composing, and joined ECM in 1989. Recognised as an oud master, Brahem has delivered on his promise to expand its use and has collaborated with a variety of jazz musicians, as well as earning himself a vast discography. Joining him on his latest recording are the familiar sounds of Django Bates on piano and Dave Holland on bass, both who featured on Brahem’s previous album and who deliver nuanced and expressive performances once again. However, the newest addition to the ensemble is Anja Lechner on cello, the first time Brahem has ever included the instrument within his lineup.  

And what an addition. The classical sounding cello is a huge feature across the album; Lechner's morose-sounding swells generate a new depth to the ensemble, very much honing the chamber jazz sound. The oud/cello duet “In The Shade Of Your Eyes” demonstrates this perfectly, the lamenting lines from Lechner generating emotion and intensity before the oud takes its place. The title track sees the oud come to the forefront; the improvisations from Brahem are emotive and poignant before the piece transitions into a lyrical groove. Bates offers a delicate, light-touch piano and Lechner and Holland deliver a grounding cello and bass. “Never Forget” is a haunting elegy, enriched with vocals mirroring the cello melody line and “Endless Wandering” climbs and descends, the collective build from the ensemble accruing tension as it goes. 

Make no mistake, this music is all about space. It’s rich with sweeping and melodic phrases, all subdued and melancholic in tone, but undeniably you’re left with music that gives a sense of vastness and the depth of a bottomless well. Each musician gives the others room to explore and express in music that moves you and stays with you. For sure, After The Last Sky puts patient and reflective listening above overly-complicated structure and theatrical showmanship. The result is undoubtedly another Brahem masterpiece to add to an ever-growing collection.  

Maddy Allison

from www.prestomusic.com