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A Paradise In The Hold is an album of yearning. It’s about Ivor Novello Award winning Yazz Ahmed’s dual heritage, drawing on traditional music and folklore as well as her own personal experience as a British-Bahraini woman. A sweeping epic where tradition meets innovation, she melds ancient rhythms with contemporary musicianship. The record is a tribute to the sorrowful songs of Bahrain’s pearl divers, the strength of Arab women, and the celebratory rhythms of women's traditional drumming circles, while also telling the story of Yazz’s own decade-long voyage of self-discovery.
The album also marks Yazz’s first foray into writing lyrics, in both English and Arabic, bringing a new dimension to her expansive sound. The project features an impressive roster of collaborators, including vocalists Natacha Atlas, Brigitte Beraha, and percussionist Corrina Silvester. With A Paradise In The Hold, Ahmed delivers a groundbreaking fusion of tradition and innovation, creating a contemporary jazz project that is set to make a lasting impact on the genre.
Tracklist
Side A
A1. She Stands On the Shore
A2. A Paradise In The Hold
A3. Mermaid’s Tears
Side B
B1. Her Light
B2. Al Naddaha
Side C
C1. Dancing Barefoot
C2. Into The Night
C3. Though My Eyes Go To Sleep My Heart Does Not Forget You
Side D
D1. To The Lonely Sea
D2. Waiting For The Dawn