Beautifully spiritual work from Palestinian pianist Faraj Suleiman – an artist we love in a solo mode, but one who really expands his sound here in a variety of different formations! The album features duo, trio, quartet, and quintet performances – with the haunting piano sound of Sulieman at the core, playing those long-running lines that echo music of his roots, while also spinning out these beautiful extended improvisations – augmented here by work from Louis Matute on guitar, Jules Martinet on bass, and Albert Malo on drums – plus guest work from trumpeter Erik Truffaz on two tracks, and oud players on some others! The music is a wonderful recasting of spiritual jazz styles in more of a Mid East mode – and titles include "Single Mother", "Oriental Melody", "Rama Village", "Midnight Delivery", "Unsolved Cube", "Akka Safad", "Dal'Ouna In The Galilean Wedding", "Have You Eaten", and "Single Mother". CD

Stunning solo piano work from Faraj Suleiman – served up in a style that seems to evoke both the longform creations of Keith Jarrett and some of the more mystical currents of the music of VI Gurdjieff – all while staying in a jazz-based mode that fits the Montreux Jazz Festival setting of the whole performance! The sound here is beautiful, and instantly captivating – rich in ideas and feeling that are completely unique, and delivered up with a beautiful sense of tone, timing, and color that mark Suleiman as one of the most unique talents to emerge on piano in recent years! The whole thing is completely hypnotic – and titles include "Naughty Boy", "Oriental Melody", "Boy On A Bicycle 7pm", "As A First Step", "Arabic Improv", and "First Night". CD