Video of the Day: bassist Or Bareket’s shares title track ‘Sahar’ from new album on Enja Records

Bassist and composer Or Bareket’s enthralling new record Sahar is out now on Enja Records and packed with deep harmonic intrigue, Bareket’s compositions are both melodically varied and meaningful, much like the word ‘Sahar’ itself, which holds a multitude of translations. In Hebrew, it means ‘crescent,’ while in some Arabic dialects, it can be construed as ‘insomnia’ or ‘early morning.’ On the title track, Bareket hones in on the multitudes of the word while also exploring it poetically — the song has an ethereal soundscape and a shifting harmonic palette. Deliberately devoid of any distinct underlying rhythmic pulse, ‘Sahar’ is held together by the thread of a melody, anchored by Morgan Guerin on tenor saxophone.

Reflection is a strong motif throughout Sahar, and most of Bareket's compositions were inspired in part by his own ruminations on those that he has lost, namely, both his maternal and paternal grandfathers. The title track is one example, as Bareket explains: “This composition was inspired, among other things, by the idea that some harmonies are related to the moon and to maternal energy, while others are related to the sun and to paternal energy.”

Bareket, who is known widely as a first-call bassist for such artists as Leon Parker, Joel Ross, Ari Hoenig, Etienne Charles and Camila Meza, is captured on a decidedly new and fresh artistic trajectory on Sahar. He performs with a new generation of virtuosic talent including Morgan Guerin on tenor saxophone, EWI and organ, Jeremy Corren on piano and Fender Rhodes and Savannah Harris on drums and percussion. Prominent vibraphonist Joel Ross produced the recording, co-arranged the music and added some auxiliary percussion.

Watch the introspective video for ‘Sahar’ below, which was fittingly recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in Woodstock, New York and for more info visit www.orbareket.com/