Album Notes

Avshalom Farjun is a self-taught musician, a producer & the founder of the world music label Nada. In 1992 he created the acclaimed group Bustan Abraham.
During the 11 years of its existence, Avshalom has performed with Bustan Abraham in hundreds of concerts all over the globe, before deciding to present his own solo performance. He plays the Qanun in a non-traditional manner, exploring a wide range of musical influences from east & west.
"Toy Vivo" (I'm alive - in Spanish) is a live performance, with no any additional studio overdubs. The repertoire is based mainly on improvisations alongside new compositions composed by Avshalom & old compositions performed in the past by Bustan Abraham.

The Qanun is an oriental psaltery & the grandfather of the piano. It is a flat wooden ancient zither composed of 90 strings. According to Arab historians, the Qanun was invented by Al-Farabi (9th century), who was a philosopher & musician of great importance of the Abbasid period. He was born in Persia and spent most of his life in Baghdad.

According to legend, Al-Farabi introduced the music of the Qanun to the Abbasid court by means of a demonstration of its versatility... he moved the entire court first to laughter, then to tears, and then to sleep by his compelling playing... and while they slept, he slipped away.

Toy Vivo is an enchanting limitless journey with the magical ancient 90 strings instrument, leading you gracefully through meditative & lyric atmosphere to an upbeat virtuosic solo performance