Shay Hazan - Reclusive Rituals '2021

Tracks list

The Multi-Talented Shay Hazan Fuses Rubbery North African Gnawa Grooves, With
Haunting Jazz Horns And Hip Hop Inflected Beats On ‘Reclusive
Rituals’. His First Project For International Groove Artisans, Batov
Records.
Tel-Aviv Based Musician Shay Hazan Is A Composer, Producer, Bassist &
Bandleader. His Versatile Bass Is Frequently Heard On National Radio, Providing
The Hits Of Tomorrow With A Foundation In The Groove. Hazan’s Presence
Has Been Felt On Major International Stages Having Toured With Popular Hip Hop
Ensemble, Lucille Crew, And Batov Fans Will Have Heard His Bass Lines Propelling
The Grooves Of Sandman Project’s Breakthrough EP, ‘Royal
Family’. Moreover, Hazan’s Straight Jazz Project, The Shay Hazan
Quintet Has Been Heavily Playlisted Across Spotify Editorial Playlists And
Recently Released A Fast-Selling 7” On Jazzman Records.
Having Commenced Producing The Album During The First Covid Lockdown, This
Process Of Creating The Album Was A Marked Departure From Previous Projects.
Whereas He Would Normally Call And Gather His Band Together To Record His New
Compositions Live, Hazan Would Come Up With A Groove First Before Sending The
Recording Parts To A Drummer In Berlin Or A Saxophonist In Tel Aviv To Add A
Complementary Rhythm Or Melody, And Then Finally Editing The Results Himself. As
Hazan Puts It, “So Technically I Had The Role Of The Composer And The
Producer As Well As The Guimbri Player.”
“I Made This Album In Order To Satisfy The Inner Urge For Simple Grooves
And The Search For A Different And New Sound That Draws Inspiration From Ancient
Places With Great Tradition But Still Corresponds With The World And The Period
In Which I Live And The Way I Express Myself.”
Having Already Mastered The Double And Electric Bass, Hazan Learned How To Play
The Threestringed Guimbri: A Camel-Skin-Covered Bass Plucked Lute Used By The
Gnawa People Of North Africa, As Heard On Their Hypnotic Music. Hazan Repurposes
The Unique Qualities Of The Instrument With A Jazz Approach, No Doubt Inspired
Somewhat By His Introduction To The Instrument: “The Truth Is That My
First Acquaintance With The Gimbri Was By Bassist William Parker, Who Is Not A
Traditional Gnawan Player, But An American Musician, Identified With Jazz And
Improvised Music. That I Have Been Following For Years. Once I Saw Him Play With
This Thing In A Show And My Mind Exploded, I Started Researching Where It Came
From And Listening To Music From Morocco And North Africa”.
The Title, ‘Reclusive Rituals’, Is Inspired By A Jean-Michel
Basquiat Interview From 1985 Where He Discusses His Reclusiveness And The Public
Demand For Gossip On Well-Known Figures. In Particular, How Advantageous It Can
Be To Stay Out Of The Limelight, As The Crowd’s Very Nature Is To
Eventually Turn On Their Idols. Hazan Interpreted This To Imply That Personal
Behavioral Patterns Are Significantly Affected By The Fear Of Negative
Responses, Often Leading Them To Non-Action: “Basquiat’s Words Have
Been Resonating In My Head For A Long Time. I See Around Me A Lot Of People Who
For Fear Of Receiving Negative Criticism, Do Not Initiate Or Create Anything.
And In A Certain Place, I’m A Little Scared To Be In This Place Myself
And Feel The Need To Keep Searching And Creating All The Time Without Being
Influenced By Criticism, For Better Or Worse.”
The Guimbri’s Natural Inclination To Groove Is Instantly Felt On The
Gnawa-Meets-Afrobeat First Single, “Afrobeatz”, Which Is Destined To
Play A Large Role In DJs Record Bags As Dancefloors Reopen. But The Laidback,
Beat-Driven Foundation Opener “Deloop” And “Pink Collar”
Reveal Hazan’s Affinity For Hip Hop And RnB, In Particular The UK Label
Village Life, Whose Cutting Edge Blend Of Underground Jazz And Hip Hop Was A
Lockdown Favourite.
‘Reclusive Rituals’ Is An Exciting New Chapter In Shay
Hazan’s Career. His Most Personal, Hands-On Album To Date, Fusing His
Love Of Jazz, Hip Hop, And Gnawan Music. As Openminded Purveyors Of The Finest
Grooves, Batov Records Is Its Perfect Home.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Shay Hazan - Deloop (2:54)
1.02 - Shay Hazan - Pink Collar (3:04)
1.03 - Shay Hazan - 123 Birds (3:41)
1.04 - Shay Hazan - Basquiat (3:18)
1.05 - Shay Hazan - Guimbri Retreat (2:36)
1.06 - Shay Hazan - Bob Dealer (2:40)
1.07 - Shay Hazan - Afrobeatz (3:37)
1.08 - Shay Hazan - Remove the Talk (2:35)

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