First Noel Ibrahim Maalouf

• 1Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas03:13
• 2Mon beau sapin03:16
• 3Holly Jolly Christmas03:03
• 4Il est né le divin enfant03:12
• 5O Holy Night02:40
• 6Petit Papa Noël02:29
• 7Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!02:46
• 8The First Noel02:30
• 9Ave Maria (Charles Gounod)02:56
• 10Santa Claus Is Coming to Town02:20
• 11Winter Wonderland01:41
• 12Silent Night01:40
• 13Jingle Bells02:16
• 14It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas02:32
• 15Hark! The Herald Angels Sing01:18
• 16I'll Be Home for Christmas02:52
• 17White Christmas02:06
• 18Ave Maria (Franz Schubert)02:44
• 19All I Want for Christmas Is You02:25
• 20What a Wonderful World03:03
• 21Light a Candle in the Chapel03:37
• 22Adeste Fideles01:47
• 23God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen03:01
• 24We Wish You a Merry Christmas02:00
• 25Shubho Lhaw Qolo02:28
• 26Noel for Nael02:33
• 27Christmas 200902:26
• 28The Last Christmas Eve04:31
• Total Runtime01:13:25

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