For decades, Tunisian master Anouar Brahem has been wondering how ancient Arabic musical traditions and Western jazz can enrich one another, and on After The Last Sky he offers his most poignant answer yet. The album title is taken from a line of verse by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish: “Where should the birds fly, after the last sky?” This is a deeply moving question, as is the music. For the first time in his career, Brahem has included a cellist in his group: the remarkable Anja Lechner, who has the first and last word in every composition. Together with British pianist Django Bates and top Norwegian bassist Mats Eilertsen, known for his collaborations with greats such as Tord Gustavsen and Tomasz Stanko, they create a sonic world that takes your breath away.
