Rabih Abou-Khalil - The Cactus Of Knowledge (2001)

For his twelfth release, The Cactus of Knowledge, Abou-Khalil has decided to revisit big band jazz with, among others, a host of brass players, including Eddie Allen and Dave Ballou on trumpet, Tom Varner on French horn, Dave Bargeron on euphonium, Michel Godard on tuba, Antonio Hart on alto sax and Ellery Eskelin on tenor sax. Also in on the fun are Gabriele Mirabassi on clarinet, Vincent Courtois on cello, Nabil Khaiat on frame drums and Jarrod Cagwin on drums.
Despite the explicit evocation of a past musical idiom, all the compositions here are Abou-Khalil's own. This time, the fusion is not as radically different from his habitual output as on Odd Times and Arabian Waltz, but it is nevertheless an album filled with an infectious love of music. The performances are exuberant and listeners are treated to a swinging time.
A particular highlight is "Ma Muse M'amuse," with Vincent Courtois' cello in prominent display. The piece moves from big band boisterousness to Arabian flavor of the maqam, peppered with Courtois' wistful evocations of Depression-era Americana and chaotic explosions of avant-garde improvisations. Impressively, showcasing Abou-Khalil's virtuoso skills at composition and arrangement, these disparate references unite to form an integrated musical whole.
The Cactus of Knowledge may not be one of Abou-Khalil's crowning efforts, but it's a fine album, another undeniable testament to the breadth of his musical interests. Like all of Abou-Khalil's music, it ignores and transgresses political, ethnic and geographical boundaries to celebrate a global music that embraces differences by letting them play together.