Dhafer Youssef
The Oud Master Who Brings the Spirit of the East to Jazz
Tunisian oud virtuoso, vocalist and composer Dhafer Youssef, who liberates the oud from its traditional boundaries and brings it into the universe of jazz with his unconventional, groundbreaking style, brings together the ancient with modern tones, the East and the West in his music.
Youssef, who does not confine himself to a particular genre and whose music appeals to the soul as well as the ear, is considered one of the most important representatives of contemporary music.
Working in a wide range of genres, from jazz to electronic music, from rock to Turkish and Asian music, the artist skillfully transitions between these genres, contributing to the oud becoming a universal sound.
Origins and Early Years
Born on November 19, 1967, in the small fishing town of Teboulba, Tunisia, Dhafer Youssef came into a modest family, the descendant of a lineage of muezzins spanning generations. His vocal talent was a family tradition and a legacy.
At a very young age, his grandfather introduced him to Quran recitation. In the process, he discovered the potential of his voice and formed his first connection to music by singing songs played on his mother's radio.
His mother's kitchen became his first "experimental laboratory." At the age of six, he fell under the spell of music when he discovered the echo of his voice in the village bathhouse. It was a discovery he would carry with him throughout his life.
Impressed by his beautiful voice, the local muezzin offered to recite the call to prayer at the mosque. This first "live performance," rising from the minaret with a cheap plastic microphone, remains a vivid memory in his mind today.
After some time, he joined a local religious music group. Then, at the Teboulba youth center, he discovered a new "toy": the oud.
It was also here that he encountered electric bass and internalized the concept of "groove" in general. Thanks to these talents, he was selected for the Tunisian National Ensemble by Mesbah Souli.
His desire to explore new horizons led him to the capital, Tunis. He enrolled at the music conservatory in Nahj Zarkoun, but, dissatisfied with the quality of the education, he decided to move to Vienna, Austria.
The Vienna Years
New Horizons//
The creative richness offered by Vienna's multicultural environment opened new doors for him. Although he studied musicology, he quickly realized that academic approaches were not for him. His interest in diverse genres like jazz and Indian music led him to countless jazz jams in bars and clubs. During this time, he formed his first band, Zeryab, with Austrian percussionist Gerhard Reiter.
In 1996, his first demo, Musafir (Arabic for "passenger"), was born. This extraordinary recording, made with Anton Burger, Achim Tang, Jatinder Thakur, and Otto Leichner, was performed at the renowned Vienna jazz club Porgy & Bess. Following the success of the first night, the club offered him a regular Carte Blanche of gigs. There, he met French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê, with whom he would collaborate for many years. His friendship with Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu led him on European tours.
Albums
Malak (1999)
His debut album, Malak, was released in 1999 on Enja Records. This album, which blended European jazz structures with the distinctive rhythms of the Mediterranean, demonstrated his artistic identity and received critical acclaim, launching Youssef onto the international stage.
Electric Sufi (2001)
In 2001, he released the album Electric Sufi, which blended jazz and electronic music. Working with musicians such as Wolfgang Muthspiel, Markus Stockhausen, and Deepak Ram, Youssef began using his voice as an instrument on this project. With this album, his unique musical signature became even clearer.
Digital Prophecy (2003)
Digital Prophecy, released in 2003, marked another turning point, forging an organic connection between electronic sounds and the oud. His collaborations with prominent figures in the Scandinavian jazz scene, including Nils Petter Molvaer, Bugge Wesseltoft, and Eivind Aarset, were remarkable. This album earned him two BBC World Music Award nominations.
Divine Shadows (2006)
Following the unusual encounters between the oud and electronic music, Dhafer Youssef aimed to incorporate more stringed instruments into his creative universe. This unusual equation came to life with his fourth album, Divine Shadows, released in 2006. The album offered an impressive and profound sonic world, while also strongly revealing a spiritual dimension—all without falling into clichés.
This album featured the invaluable contributions of Arve Henriksen and Marilyn Mazur, along with the return of Youssef's loyal musical companions Eivind Aarset, Audun Erlien, and Rune Arnesen. Divine Shadows earned Youssef his third BBC World Music Award nomination in 2006.
Abu Nawas Rhapsody (2010)
Sufi philosophers and poets have been a source of inspiration for Dhafer Youssef since the beginning of his career. Inspired by Abu Nawas, the 13th-century Persian poet known for his praises of wine in a traditionalist society, he released his fifth album, Abu Nawas Rhapsody, in 2010.
This album aimed to blur the boundaries between the sacred and the profane. Working with Tigran Hamasyan on piano, Mark Guiliana on drums, and Chris Jennings on double bass, the oud master returned to his jazz roots. Youssef's voice gracefully interweaved within the powerful fusion of instruments. He succeeded in transcending genres without compromising his artistic identity.
Side Projects and Collaborations
Since the beginning of his career, Dhafer Youssef has never ceased his pursuit of innovation and has continued to collaborate with musicians from diverse cultures. His collaborations with musicians from India, Norway, Armenia, Turkey, Austria, the US, and Mali have enriched his musical world.
In this context, he recorded with Laurent Garnier, toured India with Zakir Hussain and L. Subramaniam, performed duets with Dave Holland and Paolo Fresu, and performed with artists such as Bugge Wesseltoft and Bill Laswell.
These projects not only allowed for the formation of new voices, but also for friendships beyond music.
Youssef's talent also extends to film scores. In 2011, he received critical acclaim for his performance on the soundtrack to the film Black Gold, composed by legendary composer James Horner. He also composed music for The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012, Dave McKean's Luna in 2014, and Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods and Kings.
Albums
Birds Requiem (2013)
Released in 2013, his seventh album, Birds Requiem, was structured like a film soundtrack. This period coincided with a turning point in Youssef's life, and the album became a personal expression.
In this project, where her vocals met with Hüsnü Şenlendirici's clarinet and Aytaç Doğan's qanun, Eivind Aarset (guitar), Nils Petter Molvaer (trumpet), Kristjan Randalu (piano), Phil Donkin (bass) and Chander Sardjoe (drums) were also with her.
Having sold over 100,000 copies, Birds Requiem was named "One of the 10 Best Jazz Albums of the Year" by DownBeat Magazine. Youssef was also named one of the "Top 20 Male Vocalists." The critically acclaimed album was crowned with a major world tour with various orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra.
Invited to the All-Star Global Concert held as part of International Jazz Day in 2015, Dhafer Youssef once again showcased his talent to the world by performing at this important event. This invitation was seen as a testament to his contributions to music.
He was now known as “the most innovative player of the oud.”
Diwan of Beauty and Odd (2016)
Dhafer Youssef's musical journey took him back to New York, a city he loved and where he lived for several years early in his career, in 2016. In this vibrant city, the foundations for one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of that year were laid.
Diwan of Beauty and Odd was recorded at the legendary Sear Sound Studio with some of the most distinguished musicians from the New York jazz scene:
• Aaron Parks on piano,
• Ben Williams on bass guitar,
• Mark Guiliana on drums,
• Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet.
The album's 11 tracks explore alluring dualities of beauty and strangeness. With his uncanny ability to transcend genres and metrics, Dhafer Youssef transforms unconventional (singular) rhythmic structures into musically comprehensible and elegant forms.
Diwan of Beauty and Odd stands out as a technically complex yet listener-friendly album that blends traditional Eastern music with the texture of New York’s “urban groove.”
Sounds of Mirrors (2018)
Dhafer Youssef's eighth studio album, Sounds of Mirrors, was released in 2018. The modes and rhythms of Middle Eastern and Southwest Asian music resonate and intertwine in this album.
The album was initially conceived as a tribute to the master tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain. The rich tones and timbres of Hussain's percussion lend the album both an urgency and a powerful dynamism.
Turkish clarinetist Hüsnü Şenlendirici enriches the melodic flow with his microtunal touches and achieves a natural harmony with Youssef's vocal lines.
Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset completes the album's balanced structure by connecting rhythm and melody with synthetic textures and layers of sound.
Sounds of Mirrors was a huge success worldwide and following its release Youssef once again embarked on an extensive world tour.
