Description
Trombonist / composer Robinson Khoury is one of the most prominent and visible rising stars on the French jazz and cross-genre scene. A charismatic live performer, his breakthrough came in 2024 with the album ‘MŸA’, featuring his trio with percussionist Anissa Nehari and keyboardist Léo Yassef. This group, in which Khoury plays not just trombone but also modular synths – he sings as well – became a tightly-knit and vibrant musical unit, with the title of their debut album becoming the band name Robinson Khoury MŸA. The trio now take centre stage on their ACT debut album, ‘Transara’.
“I really like the unusual,” says Khoury. “Strange combinations, unexpected line-ups. Trombone, modular synths, keyboards and percussion… I’d never heard anything like it, and that’s exactly what fascinated me.” And there are other important affinities within the group: “I think that part of the reason we work so well together is because we share a Mediterranean heritage through our families – the Mediterranean connects us.” Equally formative, he explains, has been their life based in Paris, a world city where a wide variety of influences converge.
For Khoury, ‘Transara’ marks an important step forward. He describes the first ‘MŸA’ album as having been a kind of ‘embryo’ in which a musical entity was slowly taking shape, and that the trio has made huge strides since then. The three have become fluent in the musical language which they share. According to Khoury, their organic and intuitive music moves “into another world, another reality.” This progression is what the title ‘Transara’ signifies: a transition between worlds, a connection of spaces and states.
The music is also a deeply-felt commentary on our times, constantly shifting between melancholy and warmth. “Given the state of the world around us, one cannot help but be pensive and melancholic,” says Robinson Khoury. At the same time, he says, his aim is to create a safe space where musicians and the audience feel secure and at ease, a place where feelings and thoughts can be shared.
Six-panel digipack CD, White coloured 180g vinyl LP with digital download and black 180g vinyl LP with digital download.
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