From the desk of Luis Carrión on Wednesday, May 27th 2009 at 12:39

NAIM AMOR: MUSICIAN VISITS AZPM STUDIOS

Three musicians, two television cameras, and a small entourage packed our recording studio last Friday for what turned out to be an inspired set by Naim Amor. The group was a pared-down version of what appears on his latest album and consisted of Naim; Guitar and Vocals, Thoger T. Lund; bass, and an impromptu performance by Christian; Oboe and Melodica. Christian (I never did get his last name), as it turns out, did not speak any English and happened to be visiting from Italy when he met Naim a mere hour before the scheduled taping. One would be hard pressed to tell that the trio had not had much of an opportunity to rehearse, and the visiting Italian managed to add a nice melodic element to the ensemble. Such is the serendipitous nature of Naim’s collaborative projects, and his music has a way of highlighting the diverse talent that finds its way into Tucson.

Naim Amor’s most recent US release is Naim Amor: Soundtrack Vol. III. As the name implies, this is the third in a series of instrumental recordings by the Franco-American musician based here in Tucson. The album showcases his expressive arrangements, as well as a strong cast of local talented musicians, in a series of sonic-collages. He said during our interview that the three albums are a collection of instrumentals that “makeup the movie soundtrack to an imaginary film.” He follows up after a brief pause, “ there is no film, it exists only here,” as he points to his head.

If you listen to the album, as I have, while navigating the streets of downtown Tucson on foot or on bicycle, you might come to the conclusion that the film in Naim’s head is likely set in and around the central streets of the Old Pueblo. He might be from Paris, but this collection of tracks seems to have been made specifically for the landscapes in and around downtown Tucson. You might wonder if the screen-door that you hear while listening to track 6, Klezmer Muzak, came from the recording or from the barrio house you just passed. The Ennio Morricone inspired Keeyloco seems to evoke not only images of the West, but of rusty gates swinging in the dusty pre-monsoon wind of the Tucson valley. Somehow, the landscape along Congress Street, on a hot May evening seems to make more sense while listening to track number 9; Tucson Nocturne.

In the interview we talked about the inspiration that Naim finds for his music while living in Tucson. He says even though he does not attempt to copy, or reproduce American styles like country or rock and roll, he knows that the culture and music of the region has shaped his sensibility. The opportunity to be a part of an eclectic music community has allowed him to develop his own unique creative voice. You can hear, and see more of Naim in upcoming episodes of In Tune, Arizona Illustrated, and Arizona Spotlight.

Colette Amor @ Jun 7, 2009

Je sais que Naîm tu fais une belle musique ; mais je ne sais pas entendre sur ce document. comment faut-il faire? Bises Maman

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