Masaa - Outspoken

Since the Lebanese poet Rabih Lahoud and the trumpet player from Schwerin Marcus Rust accidentally met each other in 2010 they have created a pioneering and intercultural music with pianist Clemens Pötzsch and drummer Demian Kappenstein right in the middle of Germany. The band’s music ranges between contemporary jazz, new classical, world music and pop and combines them with oriental sounds and Arabic poetry. The band’s exceptional singer, Rabih Lahoud, tells tales of distant lands using his emotional singing incorporating contrasting sounds to become one in the music. Masaa has distanced itself from typical oriental clichés creating a truly unique style. The four musicians create a poetic and musical mosaic by inweaving their own personal worlds and thereby create a work which portraits the diversity of life. This groundbreaking concept can be heard on their two records: Freedom Dance (2012), Afkar (2014) . Masaa has been awarded the Bremer Jazzpreis in 2012 as well as the audience award of Creole in 2013 and the Förder-RUTH of the Rudolstadt-Festival in 2015. Right from the start the ensemble has made an effort to carry their work out into the world: Masaa performed in Eastern Africa, in Lebanon and Jordan as well as Spain and England. In 2015 the quartet teamed up with Israeli singer Yael Deckelbaum and sent out a sign to support the peace process between Jewish and Arabic culture. In may 2017 the third album "outspoken" will be released via Traumton, the renowned Berlin-based independent label. Record Label: Traumton Style: Jazz