Asfourieh

Mazen Kerbaj: trumpet, objects

Ute Wassermann: voice, objects

Asfourieh is the duo of Ute Wassermann (voice, bird whistles and objects) and Mazen Kerbaj (trumpet and objects). Asfourieh is an Arabic word that could be translated as a forest full of birds, or as a birdhouse, depending on the context. In the Lebanese dialect, it is commonly used to designate a psychiatric hospital (albeit in a pejorative way, closer to “lunatic asylum” or “nuthouse”).
Asfourieh’s music is as close to the sonic expressions of an insane flock of birds as it is to the turbulent poliphonies of an imaginary madhouse. The sheer energy, the playfulness, the connections (and disconnections) created in real time by the two musicians come together in a very natural way, both it in their conceptual pieces and in their wildly improvised sets.

Asfourieh is not only an improvising band; the duo creates also conceptual projects and compositions, such as Telepathic Music or Revisitations, and outdoor and indoor site-specific performances.