“Haunting yet quietly rigorous… Often there seems to be more breath than voice in these wordless poems, though other times Ms. Chaker draws full-bellied sounds, or sketches out silvery arpeggios.”

—Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times

LAYALE CHAKER & SARAFAND

Violinist and composer Layale Chaker has dedicated much of her work to the exploration of the an artistic voice that finds itself at the cross-section of contemporary, jazz and Arabic Maqam music.

This blending of seemingly disparate sounds and traditions is prevalent in her most recent recording with SARAFAND, her primary artistic vehicle and ensemble de force. This album features all original compositions by Chaker inspired by Lebanese modernist poet Onsi El Hajj.

This nine-part suite was composed by Layale Chaker in 2023. “Radio Afloat” is the vision of a radio lost at sea, evoking a reflection on the intertwined destinies of people and the natural world, which manifest even louder in times of collective pain. These contrasts mirrors the ebb and flow of politics of power, conflict and dominance that exacerbate the vulnerability of the land and those who tend to it.

The core of the work is centered around El Hajj's poem “The Trace of Blue Passion”:

And just as birds flock wisely I trekked from ocean to ocean From peak to branch From night to night to night Until I was hit With the prestige of sweet madness. After we witnessed the extent of birds' wisdom I remind you that it is in the nature of creatures To harm themselves. I was a turtle on the rocks Engraved on tree trunks and bolsters Engraved on rings Engraved on the ankles of mountains. And I saw space So I saw space And when I saw its beauty, I fell in love with a dove who carried me. And when she smelled, adoringly, the earth on me She laid me down in the soil And from the dove, I raised myself

The touring personnel for this project includes cellist Jake Charkey, pianist Phillip Golub, bassist Sam Minaie, and percussionist John Hadfield.

Listen to the recording here

DID YOU KNOW?

• Layale Chaker’s double concerto for Violin & Clarinet, Dawning, was premiered in October 2023 with the New York Philharmonic

• Chaker’s first full-length opera, Ruinous Gods, was premiered at the Spoleto Festival in May 2024.

• Layale recently completed a year-long residency as part of WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab and premiered a new work for violin and choir at Morgenland Festival Osnabruck in Germany with the choral ensemble Capella Amsterdam.

• Chaker is the winner of the 2017 Ruth Anderson Competition; recipient of the 2019 Diaphonique Franco-British Commission Prize, the 2018 Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Grant and the 2018 Royal Academy of Music Guinness Award.

• In May 2024, Layale released two recordings: "Radio Afloat" with her quintet and "Vigil" with ETHEL

• SARAFAND: VIOLIN, CELLO, PIANO, DOUBLE BASS, PERCUSSION

• DAWNING: Soloists with Orchestra - See project page for more information.

VIDEOS.