In 2020, we premiered a video for Gathering, Parting (When Bright Shines the Moon), a new composition for lever harp, oud and percussion on which Bristol-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and film-maker Tamsin Elliott was joined by composer, educator and oud player Tarek Elazhary and percussionist Salma Amr, both from Cairo, Egypt.
In just over six minutes, the piece offered a dialogue between the different traditions of the artists as they gathered to explore their shared passion through music that transcends borders. In that article, Tamsin recalled meeting Tarek:
Among those I met was the brilliant oud player Tarek Elazhary, who studied under Naseer Shamma and now teaches at the Arabic Oud House. His band Dokkan are at the forefront of Cairo’s contemporary music scene with their fusion of Oriental (Arabic) and Western influences. We spent hours on my downtown balcony teaching each other tunes we had written or were working on, and I guested with Dokkan at a memorable Cairo Jazz Club gig.
In 2022, Tamsin released Frey, a solo album we reviewed here. In his review, Bob Fish declared: Tamsin Elliott has created a piece of work that will be talked about for years to come.
These talents are reunited once more on a far-reaching debut album, So Far We Have Come, to be released on Penny Fiddle Records on 21st September 2023. They are joined by several special guests, including her brother and producer Rowan Elliott, Sam Sweeney, Archie Churchill-Moss, Daniel Gouly, Ricardo do Noronha and Leila El Balouty. Below, you can watch the beautiful accompanying video (by Kate Griffin) for the album’s lead single, El Hara.
El Hara opens with a striking Oud melody and swells to full expression as Tamsin joins on accordion, followed by her brother and producer Rowan Elliott on viola. “El Hara refers to a tiny alleyway bustling with life in the old part of Cairo”, Tarek shares, “and this is a really Egyptian-feeling piece.” Tamsin’s characteristically sensitive solo is all the more compelling for the shock of hearing microtonality on accordion, and while quarter-tone accordions are used in larger Arabic orchestras, it’s rare to hear one outside of that context.
It’s totally mesmerising to watch them play together; time just hangs in suspension…be sure to catch them live; it’s a rare opportunity you don’t want to miss (see dates below).
Tamsin shared the following:
Tarek and I wrote El Hara collaboratively – it was one of the first pieces from the album that took shape during our residency early this year. It definitely sits towards the Arabic end of our shared soundworld and features my quartertone accordion, specially tuned for me by the wonderful Nick Hart. We actually had to take the box back to Nick for a little tweak when Tarek arrived because I realised we’d tuned the E-half-flats a bit too sharp for the Egyptian way of playing the maqam Bayati.. and the difference was really noticeable!
The whole process of making this album was a whirlwind of intense creativity and hard work, highly time-pressured due to Tarek’s visa constraints*. The arranging and recording process was hugely facilitated by producer Rowan Elliott, who features on this track on viola. Ricardo de Noronha drives the piece along with his dynamic percussion, although sadly, he doesn’t appear in the video.
We’re really excited and happy to begin sharing this work with the world!
* I had no previous experience in dealing with UK immigration and am very glad the visa process went smoothly!
This work has been made possible by the generous support of Help Musicians, EFDSS and Culture Resource المورد الثقافي
On El Hara, you can hear:
Tarek Elazhary – oud
Tamsin Elliott – quartertone accordion
Rowan Elliott – viola
Ricardo de Noronha – percussion
Kicking off at Sidmouth Folk Festival on 11th August, Tamsin and Tarek, along with Rowan, are on tour (see dates below).
The album can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp (Digital/Ltd CD): https://tamsinelliott.bandcamp.com/album/so-far-we-have-come
Tamsin Elliott & Tarek Elazhary with Rowan Elliott Tour Dates
11th August – Sidmouth Folk Festival[tickets]
20th August – FolkEast, Suffolk [tickets]
25th August – Shambala Festival, Northamptonshire [tickets]
29th August – The Locks Inn Community Pub, Geldeston, Norfolk [tickets]
31st August – Crown House, St Leonards-on-Sea [tickets]
2nd September – Smugglers Festival, Kent [tickets]
5th September – The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol [tickets]
6th September – The Cornish Bank, Falmouth [tickets]
7th September – Ashburton Arts Centre, Devon [tickets]
9th September – Somerset Jazz Festival[tickets]
10th September – The Lost ARC, Rhayader [tickets coming soon]
13th September – Upfront Arts Venue, Penrith [tickets]
14th September – Cafe#9, Sheffield [tickets]
15th September – Creative Peaks, Hopedale [info]
16th September – Alfresco Spa, Somerset [info]
17th September – Priston Music Festival[info]
21st September – St. Mary’s Walthamstow, London [tickets]
http://www.tamsinelliott.co.uk/