Mazen Kerbaj (LB/DE) – trumpet
Sharif Sehnaoui (LB) – guitar
Raed Yassin (LB/DE) – double-bass
“A” Trio is the oldest Lebanese improvisation group; at exploratorium berlin it starts its “A” Trio 20th Anniversary European Tour. Formed in 2002 for a concert at the legendary Beirut Irtijal Festival, the three musicians went on to record the first free jazz CD to be produced in the Arab world (“A”, La Cédéthèque, 2003). Their music later moved away from its jazz roots towards a more textural approach, relying strongly on prepared & extended techniques for a heavy diversion of their respective instruments. After a decade of working together in trio and various other contexts, Mazen Kerbaj, Sharif Sehnaoui and Raed Yassin have finally reached a very characteristic sound that has prompted one Swedish journalist to say “this is textural swing!” Creative yet simple, acoustic yet powerful, their live performances are very playful and rely on a strong visual component.
In 2012, and for their 10th anniversary, the “A” Trio will finally release its second album on their own label Al Maslakh records. “A” Trio has widely toured in Europe and the USA, performing in festivals such as Skanu Mesz in Riga, Club Transmediale in Berlin or Météo in Mulhouse.
Individually, Kerbaj, Sehnaoui and Yassin are three of Lebanon’s most active musicians, organizing the Irtijal international festival since 2001 and running two record labels: Al Maslakh devoted to “publish the un-publishable” on the Lebanese musical scene. And Annihaya, that focuses on sampling, recycling and the displacement of various aspects of popular culture.
The “A” Trio has so far collaborated with: folk singer/musician Alan Bishop, improv pioneers AMM, Lebanese punk-rock band Scrambled Eggs, Turkish free jazz band KonstruKt, French poet Patrick Dubost as well as various musicians including Michael Zerang, David Stackenas, Martin Küchen, Georg Wissel and Tony Buck.
https://mazenkerbaj.com/
www.sharifsehnaoui.net
www.irtijal.org
www.almaslakh.org
www.annihaya.com
Admission: 12/10/6 € (normal price/reduced/Berlin-Pass)
19 h: soundwalk with Thomas Gerwin
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Y08xdUd-I
