The famed story of Schehereazade has taken many musical forms, most popularized by Rimsky-Korsakov. This time, the environment takes on a Middle Eastern flavor, as “Chappe” Jensen brings a new selection of material that gives dashes of vintage jazz and leads the Danish Sinfonietta and Bood Seat Drum + Bass along with Syrian stringed instruments by Maher Mahmoud, Moslem Rahal and Jehad Jazbeh for extra Crescent Moon effects.
Turid Guldin’s voice teams with the Sahara sands and inclusion of Ellington’s “Caravan” on the lilting “The Sultan Delights” before an eerie rubato creates a starry night on”The Courtyard of Al Azem.” More Ellingtonia drifts up like a mist with Julie Kjaer’s alto floating on “Isfahan My Dream” while the rhythm team creates a celebratory festive dance by the campfire on “Open Sesame” before leading into a free flowing and dramatic “Prayer For Syria.” Sinbad goes swinging!