mel m'rabet

M'rabet M

The oud, a Middle-Eastern lute, is a monodic instrument found throughout the Arab-Turkish-
Persian region and throughout southern Spain. In it's traditional songs it assumes the role of the
voice.
Raised by musician parents in Granada, Andalusia, Mel M'rabet was introduced to the oud at an
early age, exploring the styles of Fusion, Flamenco, and Middle-Eastern music. At eighteen Mel
began performing professionally across Spain. By 1989 as an established musician, he toured the
Andalusian province, southern France and Germany.
Upon migration to Canada, M'rabet appeared and recorded with notable musicians such as Dario
Domingues, Jean Martin, Victor Nesrallah, Rob Frayne, John Geggie, Oscar Lopez, Cesaria
Evora and Francois Tesberge.
In the fall of 1995, and after two successful summer tours of Spain, M'rabet was awarded a New
Talent Demo Award by FACTOR. Canada Council for the Arts awarded him three grants from
1996 to 1998. One grant helped him record fusion music. Another grant enriched his repertoire
by sending him to a studio in Paris where he researched Andalusian music.
While in Paris, M'rabet performed solo and with artists including Salif Keita, Anouar Brahem,
Rabih Abu Khalil, Steve Lacey, Steve Potts, and Cheb Mami. He has also participated in various
festivals: Montreal Jazz Festival, BC Folk Festival, SunFest (London), Ottawa Folk Festival,
Beirut Jazz Festival, Harbourfront Centre World Music Festival and the Washington DC Jazz
Festival.
M'rabet's music draws not only on the rich heritage of Andalusian Music, but also on that of the
Turks, the Kurds, the Armenians, and the Gypsies. All these sources have influenced his playing
style and compositions. He is currently focused on developing new repertoire based on the
musical roots and sources with which he grew up. In addition, he is working on a new playing
technique aiding newcomers to the oud. While it is common for Western musicians to take an
ornamental approach to their application of world music, M'rabet stresses that his heritage acts as
the foundation for every one of his compositions.
M'rabet's compositions for the soundtrack to the film, "Khaled" were nominated for a Genie
Award in 2002. He continues to collaborate with upcoming film and documentary projects
around the world. He is also working on a new recording featuring a fusion of electro-acoustic
instruments.
M’rabet has just returned from a successful Canadian west coast tour in July & August 2005,
Winnipeg folk festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Harrison Spring folk festival, Calgary &
Afrikadey festivals. He also toured part of Spain in August 2005, cities included were Granada,
Valencia, Barcelona, & Cádiz.