Today, the Spotlight shines On bassist and composer Marwan Allam.

Marwan’s debut album, Bab Bhar, takes Arabic rhythms and Tunisian musical traditions and hands them to a jazz quartet, creating something that feels both ancient and brand new.

Marwan tunes and plays his bass to echo the sound of the gimbri, a traditional three-string instrument from his native Tunisia. He’s here to walk us through this groundbreaking approach and share how growing up at the crossroads of North African music shaped his creative path.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Marwan Allam’s album Bab Bhar)

–

Dig Deeper

• Purchase Marwan Allam’s Bab Bhar on Bandcamp and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow Marwan Allam on Instagram and YouTube
• Music in Tunisia: Exploring 10 Rich Harmonies
• Experiencing Maqam: An Introduction to Arabic Music
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

–

• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook, and Mastodon.

• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.