A master of the oud and hand percussion, Hani Naser is bringing his own brand of musical vibrations to Dubai. On May 21, the California-based Jordanian will perform at Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, as part of the Emirates NBD Classics.
Naser, who is known for believing in the restorative and healing nature of music, told Gulf News tabloid! about the oud that started it all, and why quitting was never an option.
Q: What do you have planned for your show on Saturday?
A: It’s my first time in the Gulf and in Dubai, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve heard so many amazing things about the culture and the people and this programme. I’m looking forward to giving my best performance — my rhythmical journey.
Q: How different is it performing in America versus the Middle East?
A: I grew up with a full spectrum of music around. Middle Eastern, rock and roll, flamenco, blues, jazz, blue grass. I just absorbed them all and incorporated them into what I’m doing now.
Q: You’ve collaborated with Carlos Santana before. Do you have a similar understanding of music?
A: Yes, we do. He’s an enlightened man, and I respect him for where he’s at and how he approaches his music. We’re on the same plane.
Q: What is it about music that has a spiritual quality to you?
A: When we go back in time, if you take the beginning of the universe, there was that big bang that actually created the universe — that sound, which was a vibration. And the vibration is the movement, the rhythm. Every vibration has a rhythm. We are all vibrations. The whole universe is in a balance. And when that rhythm goes out, there’s dissonance… there’s chaos in our civilisation. We need to bring the vibrations into balance with the rhythmical tone of the universe.
Q: How did you first get into oud?
A: My mother, when I was about 5, 5 and a half, went to visit her family in Jordan. She found an old man in the village who had an oud… and he didn’t have any children and he was sick. My mother wanted to buy the oud from him, and she did, but he said, “I really want to give this to you to give to your son.” So she brought this oud back, and I still have it. I fell in love with it. I never took a lesson in my life — I just started playing.
Q: Did you ever think you might stop playing music and do something else with your life?
A: Never. I’m up in San Francisco right now at [The Fillmore], we did two shows last night here [and] tonight was the last night. It was amazing. I said to myself, ‘Wow, this is what it’s all about — the music.’ Everything else that’s going around is just kind of like the logistics of life, but it’s not really what life is all about.
Q: What are you working on right now? Are you focusing mostly on playing live music?
A: On the planet, there are what they call power spots. Almost like in acupuncture, you have different spots on the body that are controlling other parts of the body. And the earth, the planet, has these power spots, these grids, on the planet. One is in the Middle East, it’s Petra. Mount Sinai. Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Fuji. Sao Paulo, Brazil. One of the projects I’d love to get off the ground is doing and performing these experiential concerts every three months at each one of these power spots… We’re trying to get the planet back in balance.
*Tickets are Dh150-300 from ductac.com. Doors open at 8pm.
