She Stands On The Shore is a special arrangement of the main theme from Yazz’s 2015 suite, Alhaan Al Siduri, which will be the basis of her next full studio album scheduled for release in 2022. The suite is influenced by the rich heritage of folk music from her native Bahrain, including the haunting laments of the pearl divers and the celebratory music of the traditional women drumming groups. The track evokes the character of Siduri, from the Epic of Gilgamesh, a wise woman who lives on an island of absolute beauty, which some scholars have suggested may be Bahrain. With the exception of the layered handclaps, all sounds in this track are generated from Yazz’s trumpet and flugelhorn with electronic processing and looping.
One Girl sees Yazz responding live to Asmara’s exquisite remix of One Girl Among Many from Polyhymnia Remixed (2020). Using thematic elements from the original, Yazz improvises freely on her flugelhorn and Kaoss Pad against this lush minimalist backdrop, offering a new twist on her composition inspired by Malala Yousafzai and her advocacy for education for all.
“During the last 15 months I have had to discover new ways of creating music. I’m very fortunate to have a small studio at home where I’ve spent a lot of time working on various projects, learning as I go. I’ve collaborated with other artists on some remote sessions, recorded and filmed material for streaming events and I’ve also been working on developing my next studio album. It’s now a year since I shared Under Quiet Skies here on Bandcamp and I thought it was high time that I committed some of my solo recordings to vinyl. This year has taught me just how much I love interacting with the musicians in my band and performing live for all of you, I can’t express how much I miss it. However, exploring what I can create by myself, with limited resources, has been one positive experience to come out of these dark times. I hope this music brings you some joy.” – Yazz Ahmed, May 2021
1. She Stands On The Shore 06:02
2. One Girl 04:56
Yazz Ahmed – trumpet/flugelhorn/electronics/handclaps/composition
One Girl includes extracts from One Girl Among Many (Asmara Remix)
Recorded at Tatami Studios 2020/2021
Produced by Yazz Ahmed and Noel Langley
Mastered by Robin Morrison
