OTTAWA
CITIZEN: Farah in Key, by Fateema
Sayani
Toronto piano guy John Kameel Farah counts himself lucky to have been
reviewed by the Toronto Star's classical critic one day, played an
avant-garde jazz fest the next, then an underground electronica event a
few days later. Those diverse interests converge on his debut CD,
Creation, which is heavy on experimentation while still having a
palpable pop bent. When attached to Farah, the word "experimentation"
isn't synonymous with atonal drones. A childhood piano master, he moves
from classical piano to Middle Eastern textures to trip hop. The fusing
is relatively seamless on disc. So just how does he translate the aural
goulash on stage? "It's halfway between a formal concert experience and
an underground drum 'n' bass DJ set," he says. Farah -- a one-man
beat-slinging post-orchestra -- will lug a Fender Rhodes electric
piano, synthesizer, laptop and harpsichord to town for his first Ottawa
show, playing two sets. "Each set is like a giant composition," he
says. "The structure is really large with lots of mini-structures
inside it. It appeals to people's imaginations: they don't have to
understand what's going on theoretically, they just enjoy this big
trip."
CREATION review in WHOLENOTE
(monthly classical music publication):
Classically trained pianist and composer, Toronto-based Farah's CD
"Creation" is an extraordinary self-produced musical journey which
literally merges music from the 16th century to today's techno dance
floors. It is all performed with style and assuredness by the composer
on acoustic piano, harpsichord and various synthesizers and samplers.
Above all, it is evident that here we have the sure hand of a composer
with something to say. Farah's command of his instruments and aesthetic
direction allows him to superimpose Renaissance European dance music on
top of current synthesized dance beats (or perhaps the other way
around), while evoking 1950-70s electronic analogue synth sounds, all
mediated by minimalist patterns of the Reich kind. At other moments,
such as on the luteniste, de-tuned synth keyboard melodies cleverly
elicit a Middle Eastern sound world. The sequence of the individual
pieces is satisfyingly modulated and
reminds this listener of the younger John Oswald's sense of adventurous
musical form.
According to those who know the dance music scene better than I (a sad
admission since one of my sons is a Hiphop DJ), the ordering of pieces
on this CD is similar to a dance DJ set and replicates Farah's live
concerts. Short interludes played on honestly-recorded acoustic piano
and harpsichord add to the sense of a sonic grand tour - taking place
over time and world geography - which emerges over the duration of
"Creation".
John Kameel Farah's first CD is an auspicious and confident
genre-busting and ear-opening mix. I for one eagerly await the next leg
of his musical journey.
by Andrew Timar, Wholenote
Magazine, Sept, 2007
Article
in the Brampton Guardian about Mary Anne and John Farah's
brother-sister duo Art Exhibition at Beaux-Arts Brampton Gallery
Click
here to read
Montréal Mirror on John Farah and Eric Shinn's "Montréal
World Tour" Dec. 15,16,17, 2006:
"ALCHEMICAL BROTHER: Eastern and
Western, traditional and avant-garde, electronic and acoustic - to
Toronto composer/performer John Kameel Farah, these are all puzzle
pieces to be arranged, rearranged and deranged to create fascinating
new permutations of music. Hear it all happen when Farah joins Eric
Shinn and Mitchell
Akiyama for an evening called
Alchemy Organum, a mix of keys, computers and archaic tech..."
-Rupert Bottenberg, MIRROR Magazine, Dec. 14, 2006.
On music for GRAVITAS DVD
"...a trance-inducing landscape
inspired by the vast history of music, from 16th-century English
pavanes, to
techno, to traditional Arab
influences. The
interaction of looped beats and repeating sound samples has the power
to pull us out of
ourselves - a measure of great music. ...For Farah, it's a quest
to
understand how and why the world is as it
is. And the insights he gleans are
channelled right into his soundscapes. 'Maybe the only truth I can
express is in music,' he says.
To do this with sounds... that appeal to club kids and new music fans
equally is a major achievement."
-John Terauds, TORONTO STAR, Mar
9, 2006
NUIT
BLANCHE at Grange Park
"This local pianist [John Farah], electronic composer and
skilled
improviser with a strong experimental bent combines ideas and sounds
from his classical background with contemporary electronic dance music.
However, given the nature of the event, it's likely that the
drum'n'bass rhythms will stay at home in favour of a lighter, more
delicate
set."
-Benjamin
Boles, NOW Magazine, Toronto,
Sept 28, 2006
Beats
per Week - DB'S BEST BETS
"Toronto composer John Kameel Farah has an enterprising musical mind,
one equally attuned to contemporary art music and drum & bass,
ambient atonality and rip-roaring beats. Here, in a two-hour showcase
he describes as 'somewhere between a solo piano concert and a techno
event,' Farah improvises on piano, computer and synth."
-Denise
Benson, DB'S
Best Bets, EYE WEEKLY, April
22, 2004
On
music for GRAVITAS DVD
"In the 45-minute work, local composer John Kameel Farah's
ingenious,
Autechre-like score accompanies animations generated by John Dubinski
on a supercomputer... go to the Music Gallery to hear Farah's
interpretation of Kepler's Music of the Spheres, conveniently shortened
from 30 years to 30 minutes in duration. Damn, this science is too
tight."
-Jason
Anderson, EYE Weekly, March 9, 2006
NOW
Magazine's review of Dubinski & Farah's GRAVITAS DVD by
Jason Richards, Mar 9, 2006
Creation - John Kameel Farah
"Skilled
pianist and electronic music composer John Kameel Farah introduces you
to his unusual world with 20 instrumental cuts exploring traditional
Eastern and Western music, improvisation and contemporary ambient, IDM
and d'n'b sounds. A challenging listen, the unique nature of Farah's
style draws from influences as disparate as Aphex Twin and Squarepusher
to Schoenberg or Keith Jarrett... the album's mood quickly fluctuates
from a lullaby to frantic orchestral drill'n'bass. All of this makes
Farah stand out, and one can look forward to the development of his
potential."
-Steve Lalla, HOUR Magazine,
Montreal, November 16th, 2006
EXTENDED
PLAY. "Droppin' science" promo for GRAVITAS
by Denise Benson, EYE Weekly, Oct 13, 2005
Dance
Review on body geometry: the 7th angel
"...the wonderfully rendered
compositions of musician John Kameel Farah run throughout..."
-Emma
McIntyre, EYE Weekly, Dec13-19, 2001
Dance
Review on body geometry: the 7th angel
The all-female aspect -- the only male present is talented
pianist/composer John Kameel Farah -- seems like an unexpected surprise
that the creators clued into too late.
-Glenn
Sumi, NOW Magazine, Dec13-19, 2001