Shalon Arts Space. Ibrahim Maalouf charms the fans of the Arts Square

On Friday evening, in front of a large crowded space as we have not seen since the beginning of the epidemic, in the duet in which Ibrahim Maalouf and his guitarist partner François Delporte played with the Chalonis audience. And by singing, the trumpeter started the Chalons concert. The singing of Umm Kulthum, a singer from the East is gone forever but the “only topic on which all Arabs agree” will joke the incredibly talkative musician throughout the concert. “My mom thinks I talk too much but I suppose.” And here is Ibrahim Maalouf, who explains his passion for teaching, theatre, the big show. Filling the climax in droves, he wanted to approach the quarantine in a more intimate way like on Friday evening at the Espace des Arts. Comfortable on the piano as on the trumpet, parade of themes, long lyrical journeys, more autobiographical pieces like those composed long before the birth of his daughter and whose childlike sounds he reproduces on the trumpet. There is Beirut, which then reviews its compositions for cinema, its various influences, and the art of swing and groove. And the musician talks, laughs, talks back, sings and plays while managing to enrich the cheering crowd. Nice moment of music and complicity by an unshy musician like this one.

Mary Souissi