It’s the smiles. As the Lebanese-French trumpet-player and consummate patter merchant is keen to tell us, it’s the first time Ibrahim Maalouf has played Cardiff, and the vibe is a positive feedback loop of grins and anticipation between the crowd and the black-clad band.
Over a storied and collaboration-heavy career, Maalouf has embraced classical, soundtracks, hip-hop and more, but this is The Trumpets Of Michel-Ange tour, which means a line of horn players in front of the rhythm section, and the brassiest of jazz, more often than not set to party mode. There’s a slightly hokey wedding theme to the set, with the audience embracing the kissing and consummation elements with gusto. The image of tiny jazz hands emerging from wombs, months-hence, is strong.
Anyway, the night triumphs in its contrast between showmanship and technical skill, the crowd exhorted to jump then left gawping at the ultrafine technique. Maalouf famously plays a trumpet designed by his father, one with an extra valve enabling these sinuous quarter tones. My gig companion marvelled at the harmonic glide and fluidity, breath control and lip flexibility, notably in the pindrop duo version of True Sorry.
That all this intermingles with prime bangers like Love Theme, where bold motifs circle and blare back at you endlessly, is one more reason for all the smiling faces. At the end of many stories, Maalouf invites us all to Paris. He’s a dude.
Ibrahim Maalouf, Y Plas, Cardiff University Students Union, Sun 7 June
words WILL STEEN photos FRANCESCA DIMECH
