more from
Lung Records
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Mabsoota

by Morhaf Al Achkar

/
  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Limited Edition Compact Disc. Comes in a 4 pane digipak. Mastered by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Mastering in Portland, OR. A sweet album button included!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Mabsoota via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days

      $10 USD or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $5 USD  or more

     

1.
Mabsoota 04:20
2.
Anna Baddi 03:27
3.
4.
Atab 03:56
5.
Ana Bahubek 03:24
6.
Malo Methal 02:50
7.
8.
Yummah 03:11
9.
Rah Elmadi 05:32
10.
Ya Tura 03:43
11.

about

Morhaf is an oud player, composer, and songwriter. He was born and raised in Syria, where he started playing the oud at age 19. With 20 years of experience, Morhaf collaborates extensively, writing songs and performing for and with artists, bellydancers, and musicians in the PNW.

Morhaf also is a family doctor and a professor at the University of Washington. He holds a Ph.D. in education. He’s published four books, “Roads to Meaning and Resiliency with Cancer,” “Being Authentic: A Memoir,” “A Love Attempt,” and “I Live To Laugh, Thus I Let Go!” Morhaf was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2016; he was 33. His cancer brought a sense of urgency to do and say what he wanted without waiting. Music and singing became an outlet for self-expression, just as much as writing.

David Beach, also a stage IV lung cancer survivor, and the founder of Lung Record, invited Morhaf to a recording session. Being overwhelmed with a recent heartbreak, Morhaf was about to cancel the Sunday scheduled session. Upon Beach’s insistence, Morhaf kept the time. On Friday night, Morhaf decided to use his imagination and write the songs that, if he sang to his beloved lady, she could have him back. He wrote five songs and contemplated two music pieces. Later, Morhaf added three more songs and improvisational taqseems to complete the album, which was recorded in January.

While his attempt to restore the lost love did not succeed, Morhaf wanted the album to come out to celebrate the memory of an intensely human experience. Yes, you can be a stage IV lung cancer patient and still fall in love and experience a major heartbreak. Music does not necessarily heal, but it keeps the memory cherished and celebrated.

In his music, Morhaf sends an invitation to the world to push forward with living, loving and finding meaning. Morhaf dreams that more people sing and hum to their beat. His choices of simple words, simple music, and simple beats say that songs are possible for everyone.

Recording the album with Raymond Richards, Ji Tanzer, Leon Kotter, Michelle Alany, and Joshual Mellinger added flavors and funk that resonated well with Morhaf’s story: an Arabic musician who lived two-thirds of his adult life in the United States. The western beats and sounds are just as much him as the Arabic ones.

credits

released November 4, 2022

Produced by Raymond Richards & David Beach

Morhaf Al Ackhar - Oud, Vocals
Raymond Richards - Bass, Guitar, Synths
Ji Tanzer - Drums
Leon Kotter - Hammond Organ, Clarinet, Flute
Michelle Alany - Violin
Joshua Mellinger - Doumbek, Tambourine

All songs written by Morhaf Al Achkar, BMI

Engineered by Dominic Armstrong
Mixed by Raymond Richards
Recorded at Red Rockets Glare, Portland, OR
Mastered by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Mastering, Portland, OR Photography & Art by Beach

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Morhaf Al Achkar Seattle, Washington

Morhaf Al Achkar is an oud player composer, and songwriter living with Stage IV Lung Cancer.

Born in Syria, Morhaf now resides in Seattle, WA and teaches at the University of Washington Medical Shcool

contact / help

Contact Morhaf Al Achkar

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Morhaf Al Achkar, you may also like: