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Artist
Jalex
12+ albums
arabicarabesquelebanese
about
JALEX, a musical duo comprised of Alexy Chemaly and Jad Abouzeid. Their latest release was the hit album BEYT, recorded in Beirut, Belgrade, and London, these original compositions are a sophisticated mix of oriental fusion, dance, and poetry of 1,200 years ago set to music. Critics called the album refreshing and unique, giving an alternative the pop-dominated music scene in the Middle East. The JALEX sound is an eclectic one. Combining classical oriental instruments with modern recording technology, JALEX music is reminiscent of classical oriental artists renowned for lengthy poetic masterpieces. At its core, though, JALEX is Lebanese, drawing most of its inspiration from its homeland. “Our melodies are inspired by Lebanon’s thousands of years of cultural history,” said Chemaly. “This country has witnessed so many civilizations pass through it. Music pours from its soul.” Further inspiration is drawn from the Middle East region itself. Two tracks on their latest album BEYT, set to music the 1,200-year poetry of writers Abou Nouwwas, an oscar Wilde-type figure in Arabic literature, and Abbas Ben Al Ahnaf, whose poetry is characterized by fineness, honesty, and pure love. The rest of Beyt is Jalex’s unique interpretation of oriental fusion, and dance music. The hit album was recorded in Beirut in 2002 and 2003 and Belgrade with contributions from Lebanese and Serbian musicians during 2002. The duo have been playing together off and on for the past eight years and have set up
