ANISTAR is a Middle-Eastern, Balkan Jazz Orchestra.ANISTAR was formed in 2002 by composer, saxophonist and clarinetist Harel Shachal to explore the classical and traditional music of Middle Eastern and Balkan worlds from the perspective of New York downtown jazz. This ensemble seamlessly fuses elements of ancient and modern in its instrumentation and repertoire. The improvisations of Harel and the band seal this fusion by uniting the language of desert music with the aesthetic urgency of urban dwellers.Harel's playing, evocative of Samir Srur and Mustafa Kandirali merged with Coltrane and Dolphy, creates the cornerstone of ANISTAR's sound. The string section of Violin, Accordion, Oud, Cumbu, Acoustic Bass, Three Percussionists and Cello provides the core of the ensemble sound, invoking the great Arabic orchestras in one piece and a Gypsy configuration in the next. Filled out with Accordion and propelled by a traditional percussion section, ANISTAR has the muster to whip a crowd into a dancing, ululating frenzy, or just as easily hush a room with introspective Taksims from any of its gifted soloists.
In September 2005, The Common Gene released ANISTARs Debut Album entitled Esh. It includes ten original compositions and an arrangment of a traditional Greek/Israeli folk song. The ensemble has performed regularly in such venues as Sweet Rhythm, Tonic, The Cutting room, Kush, Zebulon, The rainbow room, and Tischman Hall to name a few.
ANISTAR continues to explore the fusion of East and West with an expansive songbook arching from classic selections in Arabic, Turkish, and Greek repertoire to original compositions injecting a fiery Jazz-edge into these traditional elements. This band will have you dancing from SoHo to the Silk Road and leave you with a smile on your lips and incense in your hair.
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