|
|
Oriental Mood - Oriental Cut - U1CD-2034-2
Project Oriental Cut transcends physical and cultural boarders by introducing
the best in the ethnic musical culture of the Middle East and Europe,
and mixing this with the innovative European world-hiphop culture. It's
a project which aspires to the highest international standards in both
quality and expression, and will be performed in Denmark, Sweden, England,
Germany, Holland, Syria and Lebanon during the autumn and summer of 2003-2004.
The main organiser in Denmark is "Projekt Braendstof", under
the County of Copenhagen. Co-organisers are Music in Skåne in Sweden,
British Council in England. Also, we co-operate with a long list of partners
in several European countries, including the VSB Foundation in Holland,
and the International Theatre of Copenhagen in Denmark. Outside the EU,
we co-operate with the Danish Institute in Damascus, Syria.
Oriental Cut is a music- and dance-project, built up around the well-established
Danish world-music band Oriental Mood. Participants in the project are
musicians and dancers from countries such as Sweden, England, Turkey,
Spain, France, the Middle East, India and Pakistan. The purpose is to
show the abundance of cultural riches hidden in the Middle East, and at
the same time present the melting pot of cultural relations that is Europe
today. The musical meeting between ethnicity and modern European culture
creates a new perspective from which to view the coming together of two
worlds.
Here, you will experience all sorts of dancing: Modern European dancing,
dervish dancing, hiphop, Indian dancing and flamenco - all fusing and
finding new expressions.
The purpose is to present dances and music with origins from all over
Europe and the Middle East in a multimedia-performance - a veritable Eldorado
of exciting lighting, video, music and dancing, combined in a way which
has never been seen before.
The music and dancing is inspired by the ancient cultures that were once
brought together in Andalusia. This was a cultural golden age where Jews,
Christians and Arabs lived together in the Andalusian culture - it was
in essence a cultural expansion which could be a major source of inspiration
in European culture today.
The project will emphasise cultural diversity, as well as the exchanging
and development of new forms of cultural expression. The possibilities
of culture is put on the agenda - not least for the new groups of citizens
in Europe who, with their origins in other parts of the world, seek a
new cultural identity.
By way of its expression, the project will demonstrate the common references
of the European and Asian cultures, and the shared heritage upon which
we build our modern societies. Also, the project will contribute to a
dialogue and a mutual exchange between European cultures and cultures
from other parts of the world.
That this ambition is feasible, was demonstrated when Oriental Mood participated
in a Syrian-European cultural exchange in the summer and autumn of 2002:
After seeing their performances, a curiosity and interest was aroused
- in both the Syrian audiences and the authorities - in European culture,
and also an interest in the exchange of ideas on how both sides might
contribute to furthering the knowledge and understanding between the two
cultures. The project will furthermore contribute a great deal to the
integration processes throughout Europe. It will help generate an open-mindedness
towards different cultural currents among the citizens of Europe in general,
and it will inspire others to realise the advantages of a globalisation
that is not only commercial, but also cultural.
Oriental Cuts program is the final outcome of eighteen months of working
with Oriental Wave Oriental Beta Cut and FlamencOriental.
'Oriental Wave' was part one of 'Oriental Cut', and took place on the
27th-28th of June in Kanonhallen in Copenhagen. It was sponsored by Project
Braendstof/the County of Copenhagen, and the International Theatre of
Copenhagen, as well as the Danish Ministry of Culture.
'Oriental Beta Cut' was part two, and took place at "Forbrændingen"
in Albertslund, and in "Etnorama" in Copenhagen.
Oriental Wave and Oriental Beta Cut were opportunities for the audiences
to experience how musicians and dancers, who are dramatically different
from each other, can meet and sparkle in mutual inspiration. The shows
proved that it is possible to maintain a profound respect for tradition
while at the same time leading modern European culture down new and exciting
paths.
In their reviews, the Danish press wrote of the first projects: "Oriental
Wave is already at this stage a captivating and warm show, where folk
dancing breaks frontiers through its virtuosity and the love of life which
it brings on to the stage. Peoples who are light-years apart can come
together in happiness, if only they start dancing." (Berlingske Tidende,
June 28th, 2002).
`FlamencOriental` was the third part, presented 9-10/5 in Copenhagen -
an exposure of the link between Arabian Turkish and Spanish flamenco music
and dance - presented by the Danish Egyptian rapper Zaki Youssef.
Oriental Cut is part four. This will be the ultimate performance, and
it will be launched in Denmark in the autumn of 2003.
Afterwards, the show goes on the road, touring various theatres and festivals
in Europe and the Middle East.
While the first projects have been in the making, more and more artists
have joined and have contributed, through their skills and impressive
talents, to an innovative European cultural project.
Performances in the Middle East are planned with the help of the Danish
Institute in Damascus.
The project addresses itself to the general public in the various countries.
The effect, the project is expected to have, is to open the audiences'
eyes to the possibilities inherent in the bringing together of different
cultures and in finding new means of expression. The ambition and expectation
is that this project will contribute to cultural inspiration across Europe.
Oriental Mood - Oriental Garden - U1CD-2016-2
After four self-produced CD`s ("Travels"1994," Oriental Mood" 1996, "Ax
Kurdistan" 1996, and "Kurdistan - The Forgotten World" 1998, both with
Nâze Botan)"Oriental Garden" was the first CD published outside
of Denmark. We filled this gap and we released a summary of their early
works for a wide-spread audience, including two live-recorded songs from
1999 and two more songs were included from their productions with the
Kurdish singer Nâze Botan.
Global
Rhythm CD Review
Oriental Mood - Greatest Hits plus 2 - U1CD-2021-2
Oriental Mood is one of Denmark's most renowned Worldmusic-bands playing
Oriental inspired music. Formed in 1991, the band has developed a unique
sound playing ethnic instruments such as the Arabian canoon and darbouka,
the Indian tablas and the Turkish saz, along with Western instruments
including bass, guitar, clarinet, sax, mandolin and drums.
Oriental Mood - Visits - U1CD-2016-2
"There is respect, but no purism." (FolkRoots)
Formed in 1990 in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Lars Bo Kujahn, ORIENTAL MOOD
is one of the leading world-music bands in Scandinavia. Since their formation,
the group's main musical interests have been a fusion of western elements,
mainly Jazz, with Oriental culture. In particular, the musicians relate
to music from Turkey, Kurdistan, Marocco, Egypt and India. Lars Bo Kujahn,
for example, divides his time between Copenhagen and Cairo; Claus Mathiesen
from Copenhagen performs live regularly with Turkish singer/songwriter
Fuat Saka from Istanbul and Frank Juul studied the tabla for five years
in Benares, India. Finally, Yasar Tas, a Kurd living in Copenhagen, completes
the permanent members of ORIENTAL MOOD.
Over the last ten years ORIENTAL MOOD has worked together with a variety
of musicians. In particular, their longstanding colaboration with the
Kurdish singer Nazê Newroz from Tbilissi, Georgia, gave them international
recognition. Two CD's, released on her label, confirm this joint effort.
On their current CD "Visits" ORIENTAL MOOD present two more musicians:
the Turkish Ney player, Hadji Tekbilek and the Maroccan singer Asmaá Mnawr.
Hadji Tekbilek can be heard on ORIENTAL MOOD's first CD "Travels" which
is also released on the band's label. The flutist, currently living in
Stockholm, Sweden, posts an impressive career. His colaboration with the
outstanding singers Mine Kosan and Zülvi Livanelli, mainly brought him
recognition outside of Turkey.
With Asmaá Mnawr, ORIENTAL MOOD present us with a young and promising
singer from Casablanca, Marocco. She met Lars Bo Kujahn and his friends
during a workshop in Copenhagen in April, 2000. By October 2000 they were
altogether on tour in Scandinavia. The CD "Visits" is her first international
release.
ORIENTAL
MOOD HOMEPAGE
|
