With the recent release of his new album “Songs for Seung-eun” Kamal kindly agreed to give us an interview.
So read on for a deeper insight into the artist and his latest creation.

Your latest album “Songs for Seug-eun” is released on April 30th. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?

It all happened after a very personal story..basically a love story. A phase of my life that changed me, inspired by the person to whom I dedicate this music…Seung-eun. It’s probably a bit unusual compared to my previous works, as it’s the first time that I make a statement in a project that is clearly linked to my personal life, whereas the themes of my previous record were more culturally, geographically or socially oriented. However, I believe it’s good for an artist to do this at least once in a lifetime.

It was recorded at the renown “Cavo” studios in Italy. Could you describe what differentiates the production process  at Cavo? And how did it affect the sound of the album?

As you know, the production process is never as easy at some people think it is..its not just by having a room, a computer and some mics that you can surely get a really good sound. And after a long experience in my own studio in Sharjah, I realized that fact very well, and recognized all the elements with essential role in acquiring that great sound. Of course it all starts with the knowledge of the engineer on how to deal with specific sound situations, in order to achieve the sound that artists wish to re-create for their music…starting with which type of mics, or deciding which type/brands of mic pre-amps, and then how to exactly place those mics to abtain the best results possible. So I needed to find the right combination of all that especially that the nature of the record is very acoustic and very different from my other heavy Jazz-Rocky sounding works. The more a softer sound is required, the complex it becomes. Paolo Filippi, the man behind the desk at Cavo did a wonderful job for this music. I also have to say that 3 songs out of 12 where recorded at In The Mix studio in Dubai, engineered by Nash Planojevic.
You’ve been described as a ‘fusion artist’, and evidently there are a multitude of ingredients to your work. What influences you as a Musician?

Im very much influenced form Middle-Eastern musical traditions in the first place. Then comes all the music I have heard since my childhood till now, weather it is the Pop of the 70’s and 80’s, or Rock from the 80’s, or the Jazz-Fusion of the late 80’s till mid 90’s. I can name so many artists in each of the catagories, from the ABBA, to Demis Roussos, Julio Iglesias, to Dire Straits, The BeeGees, Deep Purple, to Goerge Benson, Pat Metheny,. Al Di Meola…etc. But my influences are not limited to that as I listened to lots of Flamenco music, Greek music, Indian classical and other Asian traiditonal music. And the Latin American sound is one major influence that you can almost find in every work I do, even if it’s just a small touch…I’m not sure why, but that spirit of “dance” that always comes along any Latin inspiration can just not be avoided J .

The fusion of Arabesque and Latin is a rare blend. Is it something that is particularly difficult to achieve? And is it mutually enriching for both sounds?

It might seem or look difficult to achieve but you would be surprised to know how good those 2 worlds of music melt together..in the rhythms as in the melodies..And they are so enriching for each other. The Latin adds harmony richness, and complex rhythms, while the Arabic adds warmth and deepness in the melodies. It seems something is linked to history in there. All those immigrations of Arabs to Latin America since the beginning of the 20 century..especially those who escaped the Middle East towards the end of the Ottoman Empire, sailing away to Brazil, Chili, Argentina or around..they carried a lot with them and definitely spread our culture around that continent. So the results of Latin American music of today has lots of Oriental influence deep inside it, which makes it ready to re-absorb new Arabesque sounds of today.

There’s a great sense of intricacy and detail in your music, the compositions seem to use a dynamic layering of sounds which flow between arabesque, Latin, Jazz and more contemporary arrangements. Is this a methodology which helps the motion between different sounds and genres?

I like dynamic things…dynamics in nature, dynamics in physics, dynamics in relationships, dynamics of sounds and even the dynamics in speeches…I believe a good life should be a dynamic life, or else if everything is very static then we are closer to death than to life. Therefore, I do work on the dynamic elements more than anything else, but I also develop the layers of sounds to create a 3 dimensional effect in the music..I mean I always want to the listener to imagine a view, a scene or an image when listening to my music..and this is not at all easy to achieve. I have to put myself all the time at the place of the listener. At the end what makes things perfect is, without doubt, the details of the work and all those small or even hidden sounds that we have to add behind the main sounds in order to create the right atmosphere. That’s the whole secret about it!!!
Your music seems to span across a varied emotional landscape. What would you say motivates the compositions?
I think when I get to compose something Im mainly driven by the emotional impact of it..although I sometimes I search for interesting rhythmic patterns, or phrases that are intriguing or that can be more intellectually absorbed than emotionally, but the whole vibe of each full composition should affect me emotionally first of all before getting into any other details.
Working as an instrumental musician do you think that a deeper more complex level of sound helps move the audience through the sound-scape and is there a more subjective perception to instrumental compositions as opposed to songs driven by lyrics?

I believe when we say “music” then we definitely mean “sound”, and when we say lyrics, then we do mean “poetry”..then when we mix both we get songs, which are sang by people using a language and vocal chord system…a throat. But since all that can also be understood from different angles, as even words can be broken down to phonetics, which again is sound, then the whole things is about sound..the only difference is that lyrics depend on defined words, which directs the mind into a specific meaning to comprehend through a sentence or a tune or a song..as we have those words already registered in our memories with meanings that we learned. In the case of lyrics, there no more ambiguity..and the result is acquired faster, while in the case of sounds only (instrumental..or no lyrics), the brain needs to involve more senses to give meanings to those sounds and eventually understand what a sounds can mean….that is where it is all more deep and beautiful and free, and can be interpreted in so many ways..and there also is where the rules of harmony can play a role…the major is happy, the minor is dramatic, and dominant is unstable…etc

You’re currently playing music on the “Glissentar” a hybrid of the Guitar and Oud. Do you find this instrument more conducive to creating a more culturally metamorphic sound?

Yes it is..it has a very unique sounds that is definitely a hybrid and but still can stand alone with its own identity, warmth and brilliance. The glissentar helped to be genuine and different in my creative approach to melodies. But more recently my new creations through IBANEZ guitars, are even opening wider sonic angles for me. You should check out my 2 signature models form IBANEZ, the electric fretted with quarter tones, KMM1, and the acoustic fretless KMA1. (http://www.ibanez.co.jp/oriental/)

So after the release of “Songs for Seug-eun” will you be touring? and can we look forward to seeing you play live in Dubai?

Yes I will be on the road starting from June 21, as I go to play in Bahrain with Ranjit Barot and Shankar Mahadevan, they I fly to Rome to play and record a new project with Israel Varela and Daniele Cappucci. After that I go to Zurich to continue working on the first record of EastMania. Then I take a train to Vienna to play at The Vienna Jazz Festival on July 10 with Dwiki Dharmawan and Friends. The same group then flies back to Italy to play at Umbria Jazz Festival on July 13. I then fly to Lebanon for a possible appearance with George Benson at Bettidine Festival…Then I fly with my project EastMania to play 2 concerts in Indonesia, one in Batam (Asean Jazz Festival) and the second in Bali….Im not so sure if any shows will happen in Dubai in between all that, but I am working on it..

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