A multicultural musical experience that brings together Eastern and Western cultures.
Free, as a peace activist, collaborates with refugees from war zones, fostering the possibility of a highly refined society, embracing all its differences and beauty.
In this musical experience, Free Desmyter -Belgium- takes the lead on piano, compositions and arrangements, click here for all info about Free.
Joining him is Bassem Hawar, an Iraqi virtuoso on the djoze, a composer and arranger.
Click here for info about Bassem.
They encountered each other in the early 2000s. Free, a successful classical and jazz pianist and music professor, and Bassem, an Iraqi professor at the music conservatory in Baghdad, who fled the Iraqi regime.
Their societal vision for peace and tolerance immediately aligned. Through their music, they aim to strengthen their call for world peace and tolerance.
Bassem and Free have been collaborating musically since 2007, touring Western & Eastern Europe with their former group AHOAR. In 2018, their partnership was further strengthened by the 11-piece formation with the program "The Takenouchi Documents," enjoying successful performances at prestigious Belgian venues such as De Singel, BOZAR, and Brugge.
Due to COVID-19, this project was unfortunately halted. Today, in 2024, Free and Bassem are making a comeback with their new collaborations and programs. They are revisiting the best of Ahoar and The Takenouchi Documents, incorporating new material and programming. They present a unique blend of musical backgrounds.
Their music is a testament to the power of cultural exchange and collaboration, weaving together elements from different traditions into a singular, captivating experience. They present a multicultural journey that bridges Eastern and Western cultures, showcasing new classical compositions infused with influences from jazz and world music. Their performances of this new program "Ancient Civilizations of the New World" is available in three distinct formats:
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Free Desmyter - piano, keyboards, flute, compositions, arrangements, musical director
Chris Joris - drums and percussion
Nathan Wouters - double bass
Bassem Hawar - djoze, compositions
Saad Mahmood Jawad - ud
Khaled Alhafed - vocals, daf
The trio, featuring Free on piano, alongside the renowned jazz and world percussionist Chris Joris and the classic bassist Nathan, exudes Western elegance. This ensemble seamlessly blends with Bassem on the djoze, with notable contributions from ud player Saad Mahmood Jawad and vocalist Khaled Alhafez. The interaction between Eastern and Western influences is the focal point of this sextet. This configuration harks back to their early group AHOAR, where Bassem and Free embarked on successful tours through Germany and Western Europe from 2008 onwards."
Free Desmyter - piano, keyboards, flute, compositions, arrangements, musical director
Chris Joris - drums and percussion
Nathan Wouters - double bass
Bassem Hawar - djoze, compositions
Saad Mahmood Jawad - ud
Khaled Alhafed - vocals, daf
Bram Van Camp: arrangements & composition
+ 5 musicians "strings and woodwinds": flute, clarinet, violin, alto violin, cello
This eleven-member orchestra presents the elegance of a Western piano trio and a classic Iraqi trio (djoze, ud, vocal/daf), blended and merged with a classic Western ensemble of woodwinds and violins. The interplay between East and West is accentuated in this orchestra with their unique compositions and arrangements, powered by the famous Belgian classical composer and arranger, Bram Van Camp.
This renewed program "Ancient Civilizations of the New World", partly revisits the highlights of the Takenouchi Documents and expands upon them with new material. Video and audio recordings of the Takenouchi Documents provide a perfect representation of the upcoming performances in 2025 and 2026.
Free Desmyter, Bassem Hawar, and Bram Van Camp introduce a distinctive compositional fusion through their sextet, which seamlessly integrates with either a chamber orchestra or symphony orchestra. They begin with existing compositions, but tailor and rewrite pieces specifically for the established ensemble. This collaborative orchestra harmoniously combines its own strengths with the diverse musical influences of Free and Bassem. In addition to their extensive performance backgrounds, Free and Bassem also bring their expertise as classical educators from the conservatories of Antwerp, Iraq, and Cologne.
Bram Van Camp, the famous Belgian composer and arranger, further enhances this creative and professional endeavor, resulting in an unparalleled musical experience.
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