KOSMOS ENSEMBLE - Pomegranate (2019)

Kosmos Ensemble perform their own vibrant compositions alongside original instruments, bridging western classical music with music from other parts of the world. Sophisticated jazz glides seamlessly into wild gypsy fiddling, emotive Jewish music into hot-blooded tango, Arabic and Turkish improvisation into Greek melodies. As described by Richard Morrison, chief music critic of The Times: the musicians have telepathic rapport, dazzling virtuosity, serious scholarship, intellectual curiosity and impeccable musicianship. I defy you not to be mesmerized. The group writes: So why is this album called Pomegranate? Many reasons its powerful and symbolic- Persephone ate pomegranate seeds in Hades and that meant she had to stay in Hades and created the four seasons. It is argued that it was a pomegranate, not an apple, that tempted Eve, there are many references to pomegranates in the Old Testament and it is important to Jewish cultural history. Pomegranate grows like a miracle out of dry dusty land, grows in most of the countries where we are taking out inspiration from, and it is important and symbolic to nearly all those places. They are a fruit, their juice is sweet but tart and they are used in both savory dishes and desserts and they have a large appeal and they are full of antioxidants that have a great benefit for all of us (like we hope our music has too!)