First Noel Ibrahim Maalouf

• 1 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 03:13
• 2 Mon beau sapin 03:16
• 3 Holly Jolly Christmas 03:03
• 4 Il est né le divin enfant 03:12
• 5 O Holy Night 02:40
• 6 Petit Papa Noël 02:29
• 7 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 02:46
• 8 The First Noel 02:30
• 9 Ave Maria (Charles Gounod) 02:56
• 10 Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 02:20
• 11 Winter Wonderland 01:41
• 12 Silent Night 01:40
• 13 Jingle Bells 02:16
• 14 It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas 02:32
• 15 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 01:18
• 16 I'll Be Home for Christmas 02:52
• 17 White Christmas 02:06
• 18 Ave Maria (Franz Schubert) 02:44
• 19 All I Want for Christmas Is You 02:25
• 20 What a Wonderful World 03:03
• 21 Light a Candle in the Chapel 03:37
• 22 Adeste Fideles 01:47
• 23 God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 03:01
• 24 We Wish You a Merry Christmas 02:00
• 25 Shubho Lhaw Qolo 02:28
• 26 Noel for Nael 02:33
• 27 Christmas 2009 02:26
• 28 The Last Christmas Eve 04:31
• Total Runtime 01:13:25

Info for First Noel

"FIRST NOEL" is a Christmas album including 25 of the greatest classics as well as three exclusive new tracks Ibrahim composed especially for the very first Christmas of his son, and in honor of his grandma Odette's last one, past year. The Christmas memories he has are full of wonderful moments, so he insisted on recording this album staying true to the magic of these instants.

First thing, I surrounded myself with 3 great friends of mine and long-time collaborators: François Delporte (guitar), Frank Woeste (piano) and Sofi Jeannin (choirmaster). Sofi has selected 8 singers with celestial, sublime voices. We recorded in two magical places: the studio of my friend Armand Amar - where I had the chance to work on my first albums (Babel Studios in Montreuil) - and the Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. The latter being the most ancient church in Paris - only a few meters away from the Notre-Dame Cathedral - has always been at the center of significant moments in our family history in France.

My father was a sacristan there in the ’60s. It is in the sacristy that he elaborated and worked on his trumpeter career. My aunt Hind – whom I loved – also a pianist, and my beloved grandmother, Odette, both had their funeral in this church. It is also in this same church that I got engaged and married… So many milestones.

After recording many albums, I felt it was the right time for me to share my versions of those great Christmas classics, by giving them a much less childish dimension and a more musical, also spiritual one, but still preserving their subtle and necessary fragility, specific of children's music or of those great classics renowned and sang all over the world.

"FIRST NOEL" is an album for all ages. I produced it for my son Nael who is only a few days old, as Christmas 2021 will be his first one. It is also for my grandmother Odette, who passed away at the age of 99 a little while after spending her last Christmas with us, back in 2020. A century stands between them. A century of Christmases across time, storms, wars, and cataclysms. Nonetheless, a century of beautiful and unforgettable melodies embellishing our lives ever since our childhood.

I was hoping that FIRST NOEL would not be yet “another” Christmas album, with Frank Sinatra-like crooners and Hollywood-style arrangements. Instead, a simple, humble, instrumental album, in the original meaning, without lyrics, allowing the melody to be at the center of it all. Soothing music to dream, to reunite us, regardless of our mother tongue, our age, our culture and more importantly regardless of our religion.

Ibrahim Maalouf, trumpe
Frank Woeste, piano
François Delporte, guitar
Sofi Jeannin, choir director

Ibrahim Maalouf
born on 5 December 1980, is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and trumpet instructor. He was born in Beirut in a family of intellectuals and artists and he now resides in France. Ibrahim is the son of trumpeter Nasime Maalouf and pianist Nada Maalouf, nephew of the writer Amine Maalouf and grandson of journalist, poet and musicologist Rushdi Maalouf. He is currently the only trumpet player in the world to play Arabic music with the trumpet in quarter tones, which his father invented in the 1960s.

Between 2000 and 2007, Ibrahim performed with many internationally famous singers and musicians, such as Amadou & Mariam, Matthieu Chedid, Lhasa de Sela, Angel Parra, Jeanne Cherhal, Arthur H, Marcel Khalifé and toured in America and Europe performing in the most prestigious venues.

Ibrahim released his 1st album, Diasporas, in October 2007 produced by his own label: Mis'ter Productions. His 2nd album, DIACHRONISM, was launched in October 2009. It’s a double album consisting of: DISORIENTAL & PARADOXIDENTAL produced by his label too. He released his 3rd album "Diagnostic" in September 2011.

Ibrahim was also featured in many artists’ albums such as Sting, Vanessa Paradis, Vincent Delerm and others. He won many prizes in the major classical trumpet competitions in the world. In July 2010, he was awarded the Instrumental Revelation of the Year Victory Prize at the “Victoires du Jazz” competition.

Booklet for First Noel