SONGS... FROM THE VICTORIOUS CITY ANNE DUDLEY : JAZ COLEMAN by Ian Peel At the end of last year, China Records (motto: Only dead fish swim with the current) released "Songs From The Victorious City" - a "unique" collaboration between Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke, Anne Dudley (now ex) of the Art Of Noise and a 30-strong Egyptian orchestra. Jaz Coleman was classically trained on violin, keyboards, orchestral arrangement and composition before "getting in with a bad crowd!" and forming Killing Joke in 1979. The group went on to gain a reputation for energetic/totally mad live performances, having been formed in the punk era, and achieved a few chart hits including "Empire Song" and "Lose Like Blood" whilst on the EG label. In 1983 Jaz visited Egypt for the first time and had been studying oriental music, in particular that of Middle East and India ever since. Jaz: "I have made many friends in Egypt over the years and have had many profound experiences in various parts of the country. Apart from the fact that Egyptian music is the purest form of Arabic music, my interests in the country, and especially Cairo, are the prophecies concerning it. One of my major interests over the years has been studying and comparing parallels in prose, holy writings and legends from various cultures concerning the destruction of the world by fire (and its subsequent regeneration). Cairo as a city features predominantly in several writings. It is referred to as "Al Khihire" which means 'The Victorious City'. If one considers Egypts precarious geopolitical position in the Middle East combined with the existing current archeological quest (i.e. the as yet undiscovered hall of records which is said to point to an earlier civilisation) then such prophetic suppositions start to fire the imagination." Jaz, whose ancestral background is Hindu and Persian as well as English adds: "I identify musically and spiritually with the modern scales and atmosphere of Eastern music" and has created his own unique style of violin playing from these influences. He describes his interest other than music as "a life-long search for the roots and traces of the Cyclopean or pre- literate civilisations. My studies have included five trips to South America, six trips to Polynesia and umpteen visits to the Middle East." It was at the time of one of these visits that Jaz came up with a score of Arabic style music. In 1990 he took it to the China record label with a view of getting it on record. Adrian Sear, the label's manager, told OUTSIDE WORLD: "We handed it over to Anne who found it was along the same lines as what she was working. Within a week they were writing together and in April 1990 they travelled to Cairo to record with an Egyptian orchestra, soloists and percussionists." What resulted were ten songs of Dudley and Coleman's themes of Egyptian music set to a western 'pop' backing based, as Jaz says, on "our impressions and experiences in this beautiful country. It is actual as opposed to conceptual." From the album's opening tracks, the ability of this blend of music to evoke special 'pictures' and atmospheres apparent. The majestic dawn of "The Awakening" moves into the celebration of "Endless Festival". "Minarets And Memories" follows next, which was remixed by Anne Dudley for an accompanying single release (cat no.: CHINA 26); although failing to make the Top 40 in Britain it reached number 1 in many North African states including Tunisia and Morocco. The 'western pop' aspect works to effect on "Force And Fire" - a track most probably inspired by Jaz's aforementioned studies. Side One of "Songs From The Victorious City" finsihes with "Habebe", a piece which was coupled with "The Conqueror" for a second single release on Dec. 10th 1990 - an odd choice for a single being one of the more atmospheric/ambient tracks on the album. Side Two opens with "Ziggarats Of Cinnamon" and that 'vocal strobe-light' effect, added to "Minarets And Memories" for its single release but sadly absent from its album version, is present. "Hannah" sees an uncredited male singer (Jaz?) singing the title to a traditionally scored backing. It's one of the album's high-points. "The Conqueror" follows and a rare low- point on the LP occurs when the song's sweet flute melodies are shoved aside by a v. heavy AoN-"Beatbox" style drums (their only occurence on the album). Acoustic/traditional Egyptian drumming may have been more in-keeping with the rest of the seet as these feel out of context. The last two tracks return to the album's best qualities and provide an excellent platform for the Egyptian instruments/instrumentalists and the mood they create. From the pipes, flutes and heat-drenched landscapes of "A Survivors Tale" to the percussive skills of Hossam Ramzy underpinned, like most of the album, with looped synth basslines on "In A Timeless Place". With similar themes and majesty to the album's opening track, this last piece brings "Songs >From The Victorious City" to a close. The 30-piece Egyptian orchestra includes many bizarre instruments such as the Nai, Kowala and Qanun. As well violin, Jaz also contributes Cobra Pipe and flute. Anne Dudley provides keyboards. "Songs From The Victorious City" was released, according to its sleeve, as "The first in a new Art Of... series". The slogan was going to be stickered on the front of the sleeves but in the event it was just mentioned as small-print on the back. According to China's Adrian Sear this was so listeners would "compare and connect" it with Anne Dudley's previous Art Of Noise work and so that people would recognise who she was instead of assuming that Anne and Jaz were "some obscure ambient outfit". Legal problems may have occured if "Anne Dudley from the Art Of Noise" had actually been put on the record cover (instead of just the promotional material) as JJ Jeczalik may have objected to "Songs..." being 'passed-off' as a proper AoN LP. As it is the Art Of... series was invented just for this release and won't be continued by anyone - Anne, JJ and Jaz included. On February 5th Channel 4 screened a play as part of their 'Hidden Faces' series which featured four songs from "...The Victorious City". The film, which was shot over a five week period, centred on the daily lives and traditions of contemporary Egyptian women and was filmed in Cairo, El Mina and a remote village named Hor. Anne and Jaz, who say they will definitely work together again, are keen to meet up with the Egyptian orchestra once more as they would like to get "Songs From the Victorious City" performed live in both London and Cairo. TV backing will be sought for the English end but according to China Records, dates for this are still "in the air" due to the crisis in the Gulf. A third single release has not been ruled out although there are no definite plans as yet. Following the release of "Songs.." Jaz has toured with Killing Joke for their first dates in four years to promote their latest LP - "Extremities, Dirt And Various Repressed Emotions" - said to be a classic return to form. He has also been asked back to Egypt to write a concerto for one of the country's top violinists and has set to music the Latin version of Genesis Chapter 18 Verse 6 for the 800th anniversary of an English abbey. The continuation of "...The Victorious City" project stems from the special relationship Anne and Jaz found with the musicians in Cairo. Anne: "I was afraid that once we took it (the score) to Cairo and gave it to these musicians they'd either turn their noses up at it or they wouldn't understand it, or somehow they'd be hostile to it. But none of that happened." Jaz agrees, along with many on hearing the LP: "They were blown away!"