Youssef began singing when he was only five-years-old. Since then he has performed for audiences in Tunisia, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries. He has appeared with his own ensembles and recorded two albums with them, one in 1993 and the other three years later. Youssef's music combines Sufi tradition, world, mystical, and jazz influences with Arabic lyricism. In 1999, Enja Records released Youssef's third album, Malak, which includes the songs "A Kind of Love," "Tarannoum," and "Eklil." Youssef provided vocals and oud for the album and was accompanied by such well-known artists as violinist Zoltan Lantos, bassist Achim Tang, tabla and dolak player Jatinder Thakur, tambourine player Carlo Rizzo, bassist Renaud Garcia-Fons, and drummer Patrice Héral. In 2002, Youssef released Electric Sufi on Enja and added electronic elements and funky grooves to his genre-bending sound with the ex-Sugar Hill Gang and Tackhead rhythm section of Will Calhoun and Doug Wimbush and followed it up with 'Digital Prophecy', another multi-layered, multi-faceted marvel. His most recent album, Abu Nwas Rhapsody (2010) paints, perhaps, the broadest picture of Youssef of any single album to date, with its focus on a consistent lineup and the resultant chemistry. Without dismissing the inestimable strengths of Youssef's playing, singing and composing, Abu Nawas Rhapsody's greatest energy and strength comes from an ideal trio of collaborators, who turn it into his hottest session to date.
He developed some perennial musical partnerships, notably with the Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu and the Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset. Youssef feels a special bond with Scandinavian musicians, which is fortunate, since Norway and Sweden are now widely regarded to have the most fascinating and dynamic avant-garde jazz scenes in the world. Youssef has also performed with Uri Caine, Jon Hassell, Markus Stockhausen, Nguyên Lê and the cuban pianist Omar Sosa, to name but a few. In 2001 recorded the 'Electric Sufi' CD With walls, boundaries, barriers, labels and frontiers becoming ever more rigid and impregnable, Dhafer Youssef reminds us that any composer or musician of worth must be free to roam, with his body, his mind and his spirit, or music itself might end up being the biggest casualty.
Blending Souls & Shades
Dhafer Youssef Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
كَما تُمزَجُ الخَمرَةُ بالمْاءِ الزُلالِ
فإذَا مَسَّكَ شَئٌ مَسَّني
فإذَا أنْا، أنْا أَنْتَ، فِي كُلِ حاَلِ
The lyrics of Dhafer Youssef's song Blending Souls & Shades convey a sense of unity and interconnectedness between the singer and the person they are addressing. The opening line "your soul is blended with mine" suggests a deep level of intimacy and emotional merging, as if the two individuals have become one. This powerful connection is then likened to the blending of wine and water, which creates something new and unique, but still retains elements of the original components.
The singer goes on to describe how touching one thing that belongs to the other person is enough to evoke a strong emotional response. This further emphasizes how intertwined the two souls have become. The final line "I am you, you are me, in all circumstances" drives home the idea that the singer and the addressee are inextricably linked, regardless of any external circumstances that may arise.
Overall, the lyrics of Blending Souls & Shades celebrate the unity and closeness that can be achieved between two people, and the emotional power that comes with truly blending together.
Line by Line Meaning
مُزِجَتْ رُوحُكَ بِرُوحِي
Your soul has blended with mine
كَما تُمزَجُ الخَمرَةُ بالمْاءِ الزُلالِ
Just like how wine blends with pure water
فإذَا مَسَّكَ شَئٌ مَسَّني
If something touches you, it touches me too
فإذَا أنْا، أنْا أَنْتَ، فِي كُلِ حاَلِ
So in every circumstance, I am you, and you are me
Writer(s): Youssef Dhafer
Contributed by Aiden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DhaferYoussef
Happy to share the New Album link here: https://dhaferyoussef.lnk.to/StreetOfMinarets 🥰
@cipher_dl
When someone talks about life changing music you never quite understand what does it mean but Mr.Yousuf songs is beyond life changing been listening to his songs for almost 5 years now and each time i repeat a song a new feeling is born a new perspective thanks for the never ending journey.
@ivanalexeev5786
I discovered him two years ago and still impressed.
Hi is amazing actor not only singer
@wm.kipmiller4021
I feel exactly the same way. I'm an amature musician and Dhafer Youssef's music fills my soul, gives me joy and gives me strength to move forward with my own music. What an inspirational musical force!
@mesharialshreef8024
Nice
@afrobian1
@@ivanalexeev5786 I think Actor is the wrong adjective here.
actors tend to play/fake a role. whereas Youssef's music is all but acting. its pure soulful music, no pretending no faking.
@iswimthedeeps
I feel the same way. I just learned about him yesterday and his music is blowing me away.
@alia6532
He is singing spiritual poetry by the old sufi poet "al hallaj" He is saying :
Your spirit is mingled with mine
as wine is mixed with water;
whatever touches you touches me.
In all the stations of the soul you are I
Note: the wine is usually mixed with water in the middle east because it's too strong
@10Ammar
♥️
@lindarobertson1341
Thank you for the interpretation.