Abaji (musician)
Abaji | |
|---|---|
| Born | Beirut, Lebanon |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Known for | Fusion of Oriental and blues music; multi-instrumentalism; composing for film, television, dance, and theatre |
Abaji is an Armenian artist known for his talents as a singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Early years
Abaji was born in Beirut to a Greek father originating from Smyrna and an Armenian-Lebanese mother from Istanbul. He grew up in Lebanon’s capital city, where he began learning folk guitar at the age of 11. Drawing inspiration from his Greek roots and the Oriental melodies of Istanbul’s streets, he crafted a distinctive musical identity.
At 17, in 1976, the outbreak of the Lebanese war compelled him to seek refuge in France. There, he attended a boarding school near Paris and started composing songs. His musical influences include artists such as Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Fairuz, and Ravi Shankar, while he particularly admired Jimmy Page for his innovative use of both electric and acoustic guitars, which shaped Abaji’s own style.
Prior to fully dedicating himself to music, Abaji pursued studies in Chinese medicine and tai chi, disciplines he has practiced for over four decades. He applied these skills professionally as a therapist within psychiatric emergency services in Paris, utilizing tai chi and relaxation methods with patients.
Music career
In his formative years, Abaji crossed paths with film composer Gabriel Yared, who played a significant role in influencing his artistic direction.
Often referred to as the “Bedouin's Troubadour,” Abaji has shared stages with prominent musicians such as Geoffrey Oryema, John McLaughlin, and Suzanne Vega.
The Musician
Throughout his travels spanning the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Morocco, Costa Rica, Oceania, Central America, Africa, and Europe, Abaji amassed a collection exceeding 300 instruments. He consistently explores new sounds by mastering an instrument approximately every four to five months; among these are the saz, zarb, various flutes, bamboo saxophone, and duduk.
His enthusiasm for instrument craftsmanship and ancient musical tools led him to create a unique 5-string sitar-guitar designed to be played with a violin bow.
Discography
Abaji’s musical approach fuses Oriental influences with blues elements, accompanied by lyrics delivered in Arabic, English, and French. His debut album released in 1996, Paris-Beyrouth, featured accordionist Francis Varis. The track "Zahra Hamra" gained recognition through inclusion on Radio France International’s “Planète compilation,” which subsequently earned him an invitation from guitarist Jean-Félix Lalanne to perform at Paris’s Olympia theater. In 2002, he contributed the song "Gibran" to the internationally acclaimed Desert Blues 2 compilation.
The 2003 album Oriental Voyage, distributed by Network Medien, honors his Armenian and Greek lineage. On this record, Abaji performs on instruments such as oud, harp-guitar, bouzouki, sitar-guitar, daff drum, harmonica, and flute to evoke desert atmospheres.
For Nomad Spirit, Abaji collaborated with Indian percussionist Ramesh Shotham, Moroccan oud and guembri player Majid Bekkas, and Armenian duduk virtuoso Djivan Gasparyan. This project reflects the spiritual traditions of Smyrna and Aleppo. Following its release, Abaji toured Germany alongside Shotham.
His 2009 release Origine Orients features vocals in five languages: French, Arabic, Turkish, Greek, and Armenian. The album was recorded swiftly over two days using single takes. Abaji took an active role throughout the recording process including mixing and mastering.
He has performed in Lahore alongside Qawwali musicians descended from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s family.
His most recent work Route & Roots includes collaborations with Armenian duduk player Vardan Grigoryan and Kurdish artist Mahmut Demir. This album supported extensive tours covering more than 60 countries such as South Africa, Vanuatu Island, Panama, and Costa Rica.
In 2010, Abaji appeared on NPR Music's acclaimed Tiny Desk Concert series at Washington’s Kennedy Center. Additionally, he has worked with Pakistani master vocalist Ustad Naseeruddin Saami.
Music for Film, Television, Dance, and Theatre
Abaji has crafted compositions for a variety of mediums including television programs, stage performances, and cinematic productions, with a catalog exceeding 35 albums. Among these is Elements, which has been featured extensively in film soundtracks and documentary scores. His discography delves into concepts such as India, Exile, the Middle East, and the Investigation series, all of which have been incorporated into international TV and film projects.
He maintains ongoing partnerships with Paris-based music agencies Kosinus and Cézame, supplying original pieces for both television and cinema. Beyond this, Abaji has contributed to theatrical and dance productions, notably collaborating on performances with Lebanese dancer Nawal Raad.
In 2016, the label 1 Revolution Music, managed by trailer composer Yoav Goren, issued Abaji's album Middle East Soundscapes.
Discography
- 1996: Paris-Beyrouth
- 2000: Bedouin Blues
- 2003: Oriental Voyage
- 2005: Nomad Spirit
- 2005: Les mille et une nuits (musical accompaniment to stories by Jihad Darwiche)
- 2009: Origine Orients
- 2016: Route&Roots
External links
- Official website
- Music resources: Cézame - Kapagama
- Abaji on MySpace
- Abaji on ReverbNation