ABSTRACT
Mazen Kerbaj is a focus point for complaints and gossip. Musicians told me: “He can't play the trumpet!” “He shows off!” “He said that his music is based on the planetary system. What a bullshitter!” “He criticized Miles Davis as being a bad musician.” “He plays his trumpet with his ass!” And much more. Other musicians argue that he is a serious artist and a good friend. the first time I saw him perform was at the Irtijal Festival of 2005.
On stage, he plays solo on his trumpet and produces a wide range of sounds: blubbering, jarring, clapping, etc. the range of sounds is wide and rich, and his playing is distinct and very precise. Furthermore, he does not show of on stage: He plays with great concentration, when he moves from one sound technique to the next—using different mouthpieces and different equipment like plates, balloons, and long tubes. I like his concert a lot. (Fieldnotes, 2005)
