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Omar Bashir

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Omar Bashir is an Iraqi-Hungarian musician who plays the oud. He was born in 1970 in Budapest, the son of Munir Bashir, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest virtuosos in the history of the oud and as a master of the modal tradition of the Arabic maqam. His uncle Jamil Bashir was also a well-known oud player. At the age of five he began playing together with his father, after the family had moved to Baghdad, and at nine he played a first solo of a quarter of an hour. Later he taught at the Baghdad Music and Ballet School and founded the ensemble Al Bayariq, with twenty-four musicians.

Music and breakthrough

In 1991 he returned to Budapest and studied classical guitar and Western-oriented music at the Franz Liszt Academy. He played with his father until the latter's death in 1997, including in the widely praised duet Duo de Oud. In 1997 he formed the Omar Bashir Trio with the Hungarian guitarists Andreas and Bálint Petz. His albums include Duo de 'ûd from 1998, Zykrayati in 1999, Flamenco Night in 2000, Al Andalous in 2001, Latin Oud in 2007 and Taqâsîm in 2012. He travelled the world and performed in the Middle East and North America.

Influence

His music combines traditional Arabic music and improvisation with influences from jazz, flamenco and Hungarian Roma music. As heir to the Bashir family, he sees himself as one of the last bearers of his family's music. In this way he connects a centuries-old oud tradition with the music of today.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a track from Duo de 'ûd and notice the oud: the sound of the strings and the way it lets a melody float and ornaments it. Ask yourself how improvisation sounds here, compared with jazz.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists