Jul 21 : "Holes" - Nour Harkati (Tunis + New York)

IN A SPIRITUAL PLACE

A couple weeks ago I went to Pianos and heard Tunisian artist Nour Harkati open up the evening. He's a remarkable vocalist who started his show plyaing guitar as an accompaniment to his vocals. While his vocals were pronounced, his guitar had a quieter rhythm. The main force of the music was through the vocals.

Later he put the guitar down and finished the rest of the show playing keys.

Nour Harkati is from Tunisia and has come to the U.S. of A. only very recently. His album, "The Shift" was published a couple years ago and he says he wants to re-release it for a wider audience.

The instrumentals are mellow and spiritual, juxtaposed with vocals that are sharper.

I was interested in learning more about Nour and his music, so we've been talking back and forth by emails over the last few days.

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Bob: Was the show at Pianos your first show in New York? You recently came here from Tunis?

Nour: Yes! the show at Pianos was my first show in NYC and I'm so glad cause that was really a great show full of good energy and I know "Pianos" is one of the Classic authentic Venues in NYC. I arrived in New York on the 2nd of may.

Bob: How did you pick New York to come to?

Nour: I'm a Singer Songwriter and my inspiration come from traveling and meeting people so after Paris and Berlin Experience, I thought that New York would be my next step.

I used to live in Paris and Berlin, I've Worked with "LIVE NATION FRANCE" the Biggest Touring and Booking Companies in the world.

They Recommended to "Pianos" and helped me pick up that

Bob: Was getting the show and setting it up as easy as you expected?

Nour: Honestly, I did’ really expect that Energy, I was Stressed because I dont know many people in NYC and I don’t have a FAN Base here.

Bob: Part of your show had a guitar background; part had the keys as an accompaniment. Which do you prefer? Which did you learn first? Did you learn to play instruments first and then became a vocalist or the other way around? Or both at the same time?

Nour: I learned Guitar First and few years Later I started to sing and Write , I made an Album in Paris and a second album in Berlin Called the Shift after I Spent much time learning about Piano and Synths

Actually I’m working on an album with a Tunisian Band Called “Aytma” Really Good young musicians, the Album is called “Helwess” it means Paranoia in Arabic/Tunisian because after few years in Europe and I’ve realized that I love my language and I wanna connect to it with a depth.

The Album is coming out Soon (September / October) and we are going on a Tour together on November 2017.

Morocco, Cairo , Beirut , Dubai , Jordan , France.

Here’s the first Track we released together.

This song is talking about the epic we live in, lack of trust, lack of good values, talking also about the wild lost youth “the new generations”

Bob: Your accompaniments, both the guitar and the keys convey a strong sense of spirituality. But you also commented at the show that you wanted to convey a feeling of melancholy. Can you comment on that?

Nour: I want to express Melancholy, cause first of all I feel it everyday, I’m a positive person in the daily life but I m in a moment of my life that I want to export the Melancholy I have in me and make people feel it also not to make them sad just to invite them to connect to my world.

Bob: Do you hope to continue doing solo work in the future, or do you see yourself having a band or larger ensemble or maybe a little of both?

Nour: I would do both, depends on where I am or how I feel , but I love to collaborate with musicians , no matter the style or the nationality.

Thank you.

Bob: And thank you.

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A song that illustrates some of the stylings I was talking about above can be found in his song, "Holes" which is the third track on the album, "The Shift".

If you like his sound and want to hear him live, you're in luck. Nour will be doing a show next week, on Wednesday, July 26, at The Gallery at Casa Mezcal, on Orchard Street in Manhattan.

In the meantime, here is the link to his Facebook page: Nour Harkati on Facebook (CLICK HERE). And here is the click to his Soundcloud page, where you can listen to the whole album. Nour Harkati on Soundcloud (CLICK HERE).

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After listening to Nour's Soundcloud page, I checked out his video, and got back to him with one last question:

Bob: What's the story told in "Ayem"?

Nour: "Ayem" means "Days" I mean this whole Century not just Days and I'm expressing the struggle of life of the Youth in my Country and the small limited circle they live in.

I express melancholy most of the time in my music because in the daily life I'm a positive, funny person and I love to laugh and to have good moments, so I dont have time to share my Sorrow with others - I just do it through my songs and my texts.