The „people of the book“ was the name that musilims used to name themselves, the christians and jews, the three predominant religions in the heart of the iberic peninsula during the kingdom Al Andalus. The Islam forced the barbaric people to chose between the Islam and the death. But for christians and jews the Islam established another privileged category as all three religions despite of their different interpretations believe in the same god and gods word is written immutable in the Tora, the Gospel or the Koran.
In the medieval kingdom Al Andalus the tolerance of the muslim elite created the space for a society of the three cultures that lead to great progress in technology, science and the creation of musical and poetical works in western Europe. Lots of cultural movements and styles where sustainably shaped by it.
„Salam“ is the title of the third studioalbum of the Al Andaluz Project. The results of their research and interpretation of the music of the three religions of the 8 musicians where already released on the records „Deus et Diabolus“ (2008), „Al-Maraya“ (2010) and the live album „Abuab Al Andalus“ (2012). „Salam“ now present the thre religions in full brightness as well as the relations and connections to other styles that definitely were influneced by the them. From the sephardic tradition the band selected songs that describe the daily life, festivities and intimacy of the homes of the normal people. The melodies, rhythms and feelings of these people were passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation.
Out of the arabic-andalusian tradition the band selected as well popular pieces that were sung as expression of happiness as classical arabic songs whose virtuoso interpretations and lyrics enables an approach to the deep feelings of the arabic people for music and poetry as the highest possible form of expression to come close to god.
From the medieval european tradition the band selected two songs of two troubadours where the heritag of the arabic people and the sensibility for e.g. the andalusian poetry can be found.
When musicians of the band Estampie met with Spanish and Maroccan musicians of Aman Aman and L‘Ham de Foc after a concert in Munich in November 2005, the idea for a common project was born: the Al Andaluz Project. Already one year after their first meeting this multi-national formation presented traditional Jewish- Sephardic, Arabian and Christian music interpreting it in a lively, modern way at the Landshuter Hofmusiktagen. The first album, “Deus et Diabolus” was released in 2007, three years later the second album “Al-Maraya” was published.
The band played several concert tours through Germany, Austria and Spain and was invited to international festivals in Belgium, Holland, UK and Poland. 2012 the band was awarded with the „Global Ruth“ award at Germany‘s biggest world music festival TFF Rudolstadt.