Mike's Oud Forums

Nashaz

Brian Prunka - 8-19-2013 at 12:34 PM

Hey folks, didn't know the best place to put this but my new oud/jazz album is available for listening/purchase if you are interested:

Nashaz

Jono Oud N.Z - 8-19-2013 at 10:24 PM

Wow:applause:
Awesome stuff!
Just listening to the Jurjina track.
I will buy this soon.

Brian Prunka - 8-20-2013 at 12:41 PM

Thanks, Jon!

Ararat66 - 8-20-2013 at 01:35 PM

Really good stuff Brian - (the sound reminds me a little of Shtreiml and Ismail Fencioglu) - but is obviously completely your own and really well played and put together. Dead impressed - I'll listen more when I get the chance, great stuff.

Leon

Luttgutt - 8-21-2013 at 02:20 AM

It reminds me very much of Rabia Abou Khalil.. very much! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj_n-DAKrMk

jack - 8-22-2013 at 08:45 AM

Just bought and have been listening to this gorgeous cd. My compliments Brian, it's a very polished creation and a wonderful listening experience.

Brian Prunka - 8-22-2013 at 11:44 AM

Thanks, Jack! I'm glad you are enjoying it.

Luttgutt, I hope that's a good thing! I like Abou-Khalil but always find it disappointing that he avoids all the microtonal maqamat . . . I made sure to include some bayati and saba in the improvisations.

Luttgutt - 8-22-2013 at 01:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Brian Prunka  


Luttgutt, I hope that's a good thing! I like Abou-Khalil but always find it disappointing that he avoids all the microtonal maqamat . . . I made sure to include some bayati and saba in the improvisations.


Well of course. I love his two albums: Blue Camel and AL Jadida..
I think he is the Father of all "crossovers" (if this is the right word).
Congratulations!

Brian Prunka - 8-22-2013 at 02:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Luttgutt  
Quote: Originally posted by Brian Prunka  


Luttgutt, I hope that's a good thing! I like Abou-Khalil but always find it disappointing that he avoids all the microtonal maqamat . . . I made sure to include some bayati and saba in the improvisations.


Well of course. I love his two albums: Blue Camel and AL Jadida..
I think he is the Father of all "crossovers" (if this is the right word).
Congratulations!


Shukran! Those two albums are some of the first oud playing I ever heard. I like his compositions on there a lot, and especially on Blue Camel, the playing of Charlie Mariano and Kenny Wheeler.

Jason - 8-22-2013 at 05:30 PM

Very cool Brian

Can you share a little about the gear? Oud, strings, mic? It's a great sound.

I dig your bassist, very solid.

Brian Prunka - 8-22-2013 at 08:29 PM

Yeah, Apostolos is amazing, he's Greek and has played a lot of Turkish and Arabic music, but is also a solid jazz bassist . . . best of both worlds. Unfortunately (for me) he's moving to Turkey for 6 months!

The oud is a hybrid . . . old Syrian bowl with a new face and fingerboard by Najib Shaheen. The strings are Pyramid lute, and I'm using a horn risha by John Vergara (Bulerias on the forum).
The microphone was a vintage Telefunken U47.

Jason - 8-23-2013 at 01:42 PM

Shoulda guessed a U47! Sounds really great man.

I still think you should kickstarter a vinyl pressing of this :D

Brian Prunka - 8-23-2013 at 01:56 PM

You know, you're not the first to suggest a vinyl pressing. Guess I'm going to have to give it a go . . . do you have any manufacturer suggestions?

Jason - 8-23-2013 at 03:05 PM

Most people in Louisville use Palomino but I'm not sure how expensive that would get with shipping. Last time I looked, doing 100-200 LP's would run around $10-12 cost if you go with a color sleeve. No doubt there are plenty of indie pressing places in New York though. I've casually collected oud related vinyl for a long time, it would be great to add some new releases to the collection.

http://www.dosado.com/pressing/pressingpricing.htm

cjmichael - 9-11-2013 at 01:32 PM

Awesome, Brian. You guys ever going to play NOLA?

Brian Prunka - 9-11-2013 at 03:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by cjmichael  
Awesome, Brian. You guys ever going to play NOLA?


Thanks!
I'm sure I'll come down and do something with some local musicians. It would be great to be able to bring the whole band down, but unless we get asked to play at Jazz Fest (which isn't in the foreseeable future since we don't have an agent or manager), I don't know who could fund bringing the whole band down . . . maybe one of the universities? I confess that I am not the most astute businessperson in this regard.

cjmichael - 9-11-2013 at 04:27 PM

How about Festival International in Lafayette? It happens on one of the Jazz Fest weekends, and the music you guys play would fit in perfectly. If you're interested, U2U me. A family member of mine leads the committee that chooses the music.

Brian Prunka - 9-11-2013 at 05:50 PM

Done, thanks.

froud - 9-26-2013 at 01:08 PM

Hi Brian,

nice music !

Brian Prunka - 9-26-2013 at 01:38 PM

Merci!

Here is a highlight video from our recent show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8km3Gx3gu8

Jono Oud N.Z - 10-3-2013 at 06:02 PM

Nice:applause:
Good playing and footage

Brian Prunka - 10-14-2013 at 10:10 AM

Thanks, Jon!

Here's a free download of a live recording from when we were rehearsing for the album:

http://nashaz.bandcamp.com/track/al-ghayb-2

and another live video:

Jurjinah - Youtube

Brian Prunka - 11-17-2013 at 02:46 PM

Hello fellow oudis . . . here's another video.
This tune is called "Qassabji's Nightmare"—it was inspired by Qassabji, and I imagined him having a dream in which he traveled through time, heard this music, and was horrified . . . then he woke up and was relieved it was just a bad dream.

Qassabji's Nightmare

charlie oud - 11-20-2013 at 11:20 AM

Hi Brian, proud to have supported Nashaz via kickstarter and thanks for the CD. It is superb, I really enjoy it. You guys have got something special, lovely compositions, excellent sense of ensemble with some great playing.

Brian Prunka - 11-21-2013 at 11:31 AM

Thanks, Charlie!

MatthewW - 11-23-2013 at 02:37 PM

well done Brian, great fusion of instruments and melodies. Your 'hybrid' oud sounds totally cool ( testament to Najib's skills) and manages to stand out in front of the music when you solo just right as well as blend along with the other fine players. I could almost hear Miles Davis on some of them tracks. If I recall, weren't you playing more 'traditional Arabic' music with another ensemble not long ago, or do you play oud in both 'trad' and 'fusion' ensembles? :cool:

Brian Prunka - 11-23-2013 at 08:06 PM

Thanks, Matthew. I am very happy with this oud . . . and have had to fend off more than one offer to buy it! The AKG C411 mic really does a great job.

I had an ensemble several years ago that had more traditional instrumentation (nay, violin, percussion) but it was still my compositions.

I also played with some traditional groups here in NY: The NY Arabic Orchestra and Zikrayat. Occasionally, other traditional things come up, I played buzuq on a concert of Fairuz's music a few days ago, for example.

I sometimes wind up playing oud in jazz/fusion type projects, like Ravish Momin's "Trio Tarana".

Brian Prunka - 1-7-2014 at 07:47 AM

If anyone likes our music and feels like doing a good deed, you can vote for Nashaz for NPRs best of 2013 here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/newsoundspoll2013_tout

(We're on the second page)

you can vote for up to 10 albums (but you don't have to) . . . lots of good stuff on the list if you are looking for inspiration (Kayhan Kalhor, Salaam Band, among others).

Thanks!

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2014 at 02:30 PM

A belated thanks to everyone who voted for us in the "new sounds" poll . . . we managed to make #10 for 2013!

Here's a new video from a recent gig we did in Brooklyn. This is at ShapeShifter Lab, a performance space run by Matt Garrison, whose father Jimmy Garrison was the bass player for John Coltrane's famous quartet with McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones.

Khaliji