Born: June 30, 1976 Primary Instrument:
Sinouj is an Afromediterranean band that mixes musical traditions from the Magreb and the Middle East with contemporary Jazz, Funk, and African Music. Sinouj integrates its Arabic rhythms and modes into a modern vision of Jazz and Funk with a light electronic flavor. The group's sound is marked by its unique combination of the Saxophone and the Oriental Violin with a powerful African rhythm section as well as with its harmonic and electronic touches provided by the keyboards. The richness and originality of the project is owed to the diversity of its members' musical and geographical backgrounds: Spain, Tunisia, Nigeria, Italy The Spaniard Pablo Hernández on alto sax has played with many different jazz, rock, funk, rai, and Arab music bands: Jorge Pardo, Javier Paxariño, Charbel Rouhana, Nass Marrakech, Wast el Balad etc. Larbi Sassi, on the violin, is regarded as one of the best performers of Arab music in the whole Maghreb, and he played in his country Tunisia and abroad, with the best bands and singers of this music. The rhythm section is leaded by the drums of the Nigerian, Akin Onasanya. He is one of the most demanded drummers in Madrid to play jazz, funk, r&b or African music and lead the afrobeat project Ogun Afrobeat. Sergio Salvi, on the keyboards and computer programming, gives the band the balance between the rhythm and the front section, thanks to his smart use of electronics and acoustics sounds. Finally on the bass Sinouj has counted on great bass players such as Kayode Kuti (Nigeria, bass in the Seun Kuti’s band for three years), Damián Nueva Cortés (Cuba) or Pablo Alfieri (Argentina) Sinouj plays originals compositions written mostly by Pablo Hernández. Sometimes they can play songs from the Arab, Turkish or Spanish traditions, but always looking for a new approach, and searching new ways to communicate these different traditions from a contemporary jazz point of view. This searching and open minded vision of the music make possible to a great range of great musicians playing with Sinouj: Jorge Pardo, Fabrizio Cassol. Sylvain Cathalà, Adedeji Adetayo, Zoumana Dembelé, Nantha Kumar or el Guadiana. This approach also make them easier to reach the audiences everywhere, and Sinouj has so far played in jazz and world music festivals in Cuba, Tunisia, Algeria, France, Portugal, Belgium and Spain. In 2012 Sinouj is releasing his new album “Were”, featuring Jorge Pardo and Javier Paxariño as special guests. Previously the band had released a live CD and DVD called “Live at Play!” with the legendary flamenco singer el Guadiana
http://www.distritojazz.es/2011/03/sinouj-jorge-pardo-2/
“Sinouj actuaban el pasado viernes en El Local. El grupo liderado por el fantástico saxofonista Pablo Hernández aprovechó que no más de quince personas (casi lleno) atend�-amos con atención y curiosidad el jazz nada convencional y poco evidente del esa noche cuarteto para seducir y tocar la fibra de los atentos espectadores. Impregnados de los sonidos de la India y del norte de África, Sinouj es un grupo imprescindible, redondo en directo, que atrapa con cada uno de los temas. La internacional banda cuenta con una base r�-tmica impresionante, formada por los nigerianos Akin Onasanya y Kayode Kuti (en el concierto compareció el bajista cubano Damián Nueva Cortés), cuya influencia estil�-stica en el grupo es más que evidente. Ellos aportan el nervio y el tempo, acelerado o calmado, en los diferentes pasajes de las canciones, formuladas como una original mezcla de ritmos africanos, influencias orientales, jazz y funk. Un funk que se va dejando entrever hasta tomar protagonismo en las teclas del napolitano Sergio Salvi. Un jazz de alta escuela personificado en el saxo.”
http://www.buscamusica.es/contenido.php?id=328
“Sinouj entame le magnifique morceau Impossible, et c’est alors que tout devient possible pour qu’en une communion unique, se réalise enfin le rêve, celui des fondateurs de cette aventure formidable et qui, hélas, ne sont plus là. Kheireddine Dehkal à la guitare, Sassi Larbi au violon, Pablo Hernandez au saxophone et Amar Zahi à la basse ont surpris plus d’un avec leur prestation. Le Sinouj version 2007 n’a plus rien à envier aux autres formations, la qualité du son mais surtout le mariage bien réussi entre la musique traditionnelle, orientale et maghrébine et le jazz en une fusion savamment étoffée et intelligente est bien là. Cette fusion longuement maturée lève comme du bon pain pour lui donner du goût, les grains de Sinouj s’animent pour en faire tout le secret. Cette saveur garde pour richesse le souci de restituer toute la quintessence de la tradition”
http://www.djazairess.com/fr/elwatan/65530
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