Dahab Days (Edition Records)
Rob Luft
Released October 20, 2023
Jazzwise Top 20 Albums of the Year 2023
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About:
Dahab Days, is the third album from acclaimed British guitarist, composer, and band-leader Rob Luft. Following the success of his powerful debut Riser (2017) and the reflective Life is the Dancer (2020), Luft has solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s leading jazz guitarists. With Dahab Days, he explores new textures, expands his sound, and continues to captivate audiences with his virtuosic yet deeply expressive compositions.
Luft’s recent artistic evolution has been fuelled by his selection as a BBC New Generation Artist and collaborations with Elina Duni, experiences that have enhanced his reputation across Europe. Dahab Days reaffirms his place as a dynamic force in jazz, presenting a sound that is continually evolving and enthralling listeners.
This album introduces a fresh dimension to Luft’s music, featuring a string quartet that enriches its sonic landscape with a cinematic quality. Inspired by his time in Egypt’s Dahab region during the pandemic, the compositions subtly reflect the unique ambiance of this setting, creating an atmosphere of warmth and introspection without directly imitating local musical traditions.
The exceptional synergy among Luft’s band members is central to Dahab Days. Accompanying him on electric and acoustic guitars and kalimba are Joe Wright on tenor saxophone, Joe Webb on piano and Hammond organ, Tom McCredie on bass guitar, and Corrie Dick on drums and percussion. The album also features special guest performances by Alice Zawadzki on vocals and violin, Byron Wallen on trumpet, and Steve Buckley on alto saxophone and penny whistle.
Rob Luft has earned accolades throughout his career, including the Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize and 2nd Prize in the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition. His warm, joyful sound continues to win praise from critics and audiences alike, and he has been nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Jazz FM Awards.
Dahab Days marks a significant milestone in Luft’s musical journey, demonstrating his artistic growth, versatility, and ability to create contemporary compositions that push the boundaries of his craft. The album invites listeners on a mesmerising sonic journey, from vibrant energy to delicate introspection, with each track offering an absorbing musical experience.
Track Listing:
1. Be Water, My Friend 4.57
2. Dahab Days 5.49
3. Daylight Saving Time 7.28
4. Dreamworld 1.53
5. Bliss Out 3.29
6. Flim 5.10
7. African Flower 5.18
8. Sunshine Music 3.17
9. Endless Summer 7.02
10. Lamma Bada Yatathanna 7.49
Personnel:
Rob Luft: guitar
Joe Wright: tenor saxophone
Joe Webb: piano & Hammond organ
Tom McCredie: bass guitar
Corrie Dick: drum kit & percussion
Guest Personnel
Alice Zawadzki: vocals & violin (1, 5 & 9)
Byron Wallen: trumpet (5 & 10)
Steve Buckley: alto saxophone, penny whistle (5 & 8)
Amika string quartet (2, 4, 6 & 9): Simmy Singh, Laura Senior (violins), Lucy Nolan (viola) and Peggy Nolan (cello)
Recorded 31st May & 1st June 2022, at Livingston Studios, London
Produced by Rob Luft & Alex Killpartrick
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Alex Killpartrick in London, December 2022
Album artwork by Oli Bentley, Split
Photography by Scott Salt
Review:
Rob Luft is always travelling, and as he travels, he absorbs every kind of music in his path, creating hallucinogenic new worlds of sound as he goes. His core companions on this journey remain the same: Joe Wright, Joe Webb, Tom McCredie and Corrie Dick all share Luft’s panoptic vision.
He has also long understood the importance of developing and establishing his own instantly recognisable guitar sound, so while there are distant echoes of Metheny and Frisell, increasingly it’s Luft himself we hear. A case in point is the title track of this new album, his third, which starts out like a guitar trip beyond the Missouri sky, but ends up as a full-on band piece, in which everyone is a co-creator; or ‘Daylight Saving Time’, the track that follows, which begins with African-sounding riffs and evolves into something far more integrated but a lot stranger.
On ‘Endless Summer’, a tune that feels like a sublime journey across the desert, the melody is carried by Joe Wright’s saxophone and the wordless voice of Alice Zawadski, all kept afloat by the Amika string quartet. The North African vibe that permeates the album is nowhere more apparent than on ‘Lamma Bada Yatatharna’, complete with trippy guitar drones, Zawadzki’s Arabic violin, Byron Wallen’s fluttery trumpet and Joe Webb’s groovy Hammond organ. ‘Be Water, My Friend’ is a mini-suite, beginning with a snagging guitar figure in 7/4, briefly interrupted by a violin interlude and then resuming with Luft and Wright proclaiming the melody together in their signature style, before ending with a reworked reprise of the interlude.
Luft has already reached the point where his lush, melodic music sounds like no one else’s. It’s neither cautious nor introspective. Instead, it encourages us to look outwards, freed from time and place, to be continually inspired by curiosity and optimism. The whole album is a thrilling voyage of discovery.
Peter Jones (Jazzwise)
