How do you shed your jazz roots? First, explain to the media in no uncertain terms that you don't play jazz. Second, amicably part ways with your trombone player. And third, play an uproarious gig where your singer howls her vocals through a megaphone.
On that score, it was mission accomplished for Sarab at Manchester’s Aviva Studios on Thursday as part of the Womex festival. The quintet emerged from Paris's tight-knit jazz scene five years ago to become a formidable live act and festival favourite. That explains their appearance at the annual event, which gathers music professionals from more than 90 countries for a trade fair, talks, films and music showcases.
Led by Syrian-French singer Climene Zarkan, Sarab were in fiery form. They doubled down on the visceral approach first explored on last year’s Qawalebese Tape, a frenetic EP of five songs that is less a fusion and more, at times, an abrasive clash of styles, from Arabic folk and poetry to gnarly guitar riffs and lashings of electro beats and synth.
While these vigorous elements were occasionally heard in their 2021 debut album, Arwah Hurrah (Free Souls), the follow-up effort found them truly living up to its title. Speaking to The National before the show, Zarkan described the move as an evolution for Sarab.
“I believe that we are now where we are meant to be,” she said. “When the band began in Paris, we were seen as a jazz group, but every time we played at a jazz festival people would say, 'oh, you are too rock.' What we wanted to do with the EP is show people that we are neither jazz nor rock and to be free of any associated labels.”
Guitarist Baptiste Ferrandis believes that with five musicians from various musical sensibilities and cultures, the group was always heading for a clash with jazz aficionados and critics. “We did need to find a way out of that network because that was the only way we were able to express as ourselves as a band,” he said. “At the same time, we are trying to do something different and lean into being more rock electro without losing that Oriental flavour that is always part of what we do.”
While former trombonist Robinson Khoury played the quarter-tone notes central to Arabic music, it is the evocative Arabic lyrics carried by Zarkan’s emotive vocals that's responsible for Sarab’s regional flavour.
Born in Paris to a French-Lebanese mother and Syrian father, she grew up in Syria until the age of 12 before returning to Paris. Her choice to sing in Arabic, she explains, is an attempt to hold on to that rich heritage: “Singing in Arabic is my way of going back to my language. I talk to French people all the time, and obviously, they don’t speak Arabic, so there are words I don’t recognise any more.”
To preserve some of that cultural identity, Zarkan interpolated some of the poetry of Mariam Al Masry, a Syrian poet residing in Paris, and the late Libyan-Sudanese writer Muhammad Al Fayturi, in the songs of Sarab.
However, fitting that evocative wordplay amid the band’s shape-shifting compositions can be a challenge. “I love using these important words because I am sympathetic to the argument that Arabic literature and appreciation for the language are being slowly eroded in this current generation,” she says.
“But sometimes I do wonder if I am setting myself too difficult a challenge in using these dense words in the songs. Especially when there are so many easier Arabic words out there that I can use, but I feel if I am going to sing, it should be something beautiful.”
While Zarkan is the only Arabic speaker in Sarab, Ferrandis says the group is content to incorporate Arabic music modes into some of the songs.
A highlight of the Manchester gig was Queen Rast, a blistering, propulsive electro-rock slice from Qawalebese Tape that’s carried by scintillating riffs of the saz – a pear-shaped long-necked lute with eight strings – by Egyptian musician Abdallah Abozekry. “It was a song we created because we wanted to play with Abdallah, who is an amazing musician,” Zarkan said. “So we composed it in the Rast maqam because that is the ideal mode for the saz.”
With Womex set to finish their touring commitments for the year, Zarkan and Ferrandis are content that Sarab are being appraised in a more accurate way. It also goes to show the risk of alienating an initial fan base can pay off when done with conviction.
“What I can say in Paris is that our fan base is growing, and the responses to the shows are hugely encouraging,” Zarkan said. “It was a bit of a painful process in creating these songs because they have so many influences, but we are so happy with this sound we created.”
With the band returning to the studio in December to record an album to be released next year, Ferrandis has confirmed that the group are still sketching ideas. “We are recording it in a Paris studio that is famous for releasing important rock albums,” he said. “So maybe the next album will be Sarab, but only louder.”
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
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• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
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SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
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Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Shaw, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur, Vihari
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Series information
Pakistan v Dubai
First Test, Dubai International Stadium
Sun Oct 6 to Thu Oct 11
Second Test, Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tue Oct 16 to Sat Oct 20
Play starts at 10am each day
Teams
Pakistan
1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Bilal Asif, 9 Yasir Shah, 10, Mohammed Abbas, 11 Wahab Riaz or Mir Hamza
Australia
1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschagne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
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• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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Rating: 3.5/5
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Jebel Ali card
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
The National selections
1.45pm: Cosmic Glow
2.15pm: Karaginsky
2.45pm: Welcome Surprise
3.15pm: Taamol
3.45pm: Rayig
4.15pm: Chiefdom
4.45pm: California Jumbo
