About Traveling East.. the new album

Since the 90’s Jan Wouter has created remarkable crossover music inspired by Middle-Eastern and North-African culture, that he easily merges with his Western roots. Gathered under the tags Sharqi, Blues, Maghreb, Jazz, his innovative guitar playing takes you on a magical journey.

Traveling East is his 6th solo album, and this time released on Mountain records. The sparkling sounding western acoustic guitar is put in the spotlight here, armed with oriental microtonal flavours triggered by a modified quarter tone fretboard.

In the solo pieces Jan Wouter plays Taqsim, based on classical Arabic maqam performance. As captured in a compelling story the melody travels through a dizzying labyrinth, accelerating from silent starry nights towards wild chases in the desert. Touched by great players such as Munir Bachir and Simon Shaheen Ud playing is creatively twisted back to the guitar. A reunion with its original ancestor.

The duo tracks sound full and rich, well produced electronically recorded multiple layers and soundscapes. In his own compositions and traditionals we hear connection with jazz and blues in the improvised phrases and chord structures. Last but not least Jan Wouter is accompanied by master percussionist Nasser Salameh from Jordan, who brought a great contribution to the album with very tastfull swinging poly-rhythmic grooves and colours.