Issam Hajali: Lebanese Socialist Jazz
Words by Reenal Igboanugo
Issam Hajali (عصام حاج علي) is one of the founding voices of the socialist jazz rock movement in Lebanon in the 70s. His life like many Arabs was peppered with constant displacement. His socialist ideologies were not only reflected in his political practices however but reflected in his musical influences and collaborations. His musical influences first sprung out of Bossa Nova, which came to Lebanon through the Brazilian and Lebanese exchange preceding the civil war. He joined the progressive rock band “Rainbow Bridge” with musical revolutionaries Khaled el Habre, Tawfiq Faroukh, Reymon Sabah, and Ali al-Ne'ma when he was 19, showing heavy influences by Jimi Hendrix. In 1976, Hajali moved to Paris because of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon and his activism forcing him to flee the country. With the combined work of, sadly, unknown Iranian, Lebanese, and Algerian artists, Mousalat ila Jacad El Ard came forth, Hajali’s solo debut. After returning to Lebanon in 1977, he faced significant economic strife trying to make it as a musician.
Together, with Elia Saba, and Toufik Farroukh, Hajali created the band Ferkat al Ard. Together they only recorded 3 albums, Oghneya, Ta’amalat al Koz fee Tamooz, and Hoja’. Although the last two are not as popular, Oghneya is the most in demand in the Lebanese collector scene. Ziad Rahbani found some of Ferkat al Ard releases, and after loving their music, he collaborated with the band and Hajali on his own. However, this did not spell success for Hajali. Lebanese tensions grew during the civil war, and whilst living with fellow musical revolutionary Roger Fakhr, they found it difficult at times to even by essentials like eggs and milk. Fakhr and Hajali grew fed up and left to America to go on tour with Fairouz. Hajali returned to Lebanon after the civil war and now has a jewelry shop called Fabrizio in Beirut, no longer making music, but still holding on to his left-wing ideals. "For me, music was resistance. I had taken it, used it and produced it for resistance, as resistance. Throughout the civil war, throughout the Israeli invasion and up and through my exile from Lebanon.”
Sources
de Preseau, Armand. “Orient – African Grooves.” Africangrooves.fr, 2024, africangrooves.fr/tag/orient/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Ibrahim, Hajar . Beirut’s Underground Music Scene. Beirut, Heinich Boell Foundation, 2023, lb.boell.org/sites/default/files/2023-07/beirut_underground_music_final-resized.pdf.
Mcmahan, Luke. “Issam Hajali’s Unique ’70s Lebanese Fusion.” Arab America, 3 July 2024, www.arabamerica.com/issam-hajalis-unique-70s-lebanese-fusion/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Pan African Music. “70s Lebanese Trio Ferkat al Ard Resurfaces with Oghneya.” PAM - Pan African Music, 6 June 2022, pan-african-music.com/en/ferkat-al-ard-oghneya/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
