Zohar Music Character : Interview from Spinner.com
Submitted by admin on Wed, 2009-08-05 14:03
Article Date:
Tue, 2007-07-31
Erran Baron Cohen's Zohar: Music of Its Own Character
Erran Baron Cohen is something of a manic ethnomusicologist. He's spent years pursuing sounds from all over the world, starting as a youth combing through albums in local libraries in his London neighborhood and continuing in extensive world travels in adulthood. And it shows in his own recordings with partner Andrew Kremer under the name Zohar, such as the new 'Do You Have Any Faith?,' consisting of original compositions blending Arabic and Jewish Middle Eastern inspirations with other Mediterranean and European styles in a variety of settings rooted in jazz, pop, dance and electronic music.
But for all the meticulous research Baron Cohen has done, he couldn't care less whether people listening to his music even notice. "The thing with music is, either people dig it or they don't," he says. "If they want to explore it and find out what these weird sounds are, they can. There's a lot in this music, some unusual sounds. So if they want to explore Arabic and Middle Eastern music, it's great. But it's not necessary. A lot of hip-hop and stuff is influenced by world music. Does anyone know what that is? They just think it sounds cool."
The credits on the new CD don't even mention anything about sources and inspirations. There are no references to what cultures, countries or styles are highlighted, no pointers to fans who do want to explore. His only hint: Pay attention to the guests.
