English jazz artist and saxophonist Alabaster dePlume has shared "Gifts of Olive," a new song performed on guitar and sax that references Palestinian writer Refaat Alareer, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza earlier this month alongside his brother, sister and four of his sister's children. Alareer was 44 years old.
Alareer's poem "If I Must Die" has been shared across the globe since his murder, and "Gifts of Olive" includes references to the poem and honours Alareer by name.
In a statement about the track, dePlume wrote:
At this specific time, may I reach you with appreciation, for I admire you for living, and I come to tell you I believe in you. I have faith in you. You are humanity and this time is in your hands. You survive moment by moment, while crimes are committed against you. And there is no state that can defeat you, no nation state, authority, project nor organisation on this earth can ultimately deny you, humanity. I am reaching to you with my love, and this little Christmas song, where at this time I feel grief. In case it voices a grief for you too, I love you.
dePlume released his latest album, Come with Fierce Grace, back in September. You can read Refaat Alareer's "If I Must Die" here, and listen to "Gifts of Olive" below.
Alareer's poem "If I Must Die" has been shared across the globe since his murder, and "Gifts of Olive" includes references to the poem and honours Alareer by name.
In a statement about the track, dePlume wrote:
At this specific time, may I reach you with appreciation, for I admire you for living, and I come to tell you I believe in you. I have faith in you. You are humanity and this time is in your hands. You survive moment by moment, while crimes are committed against you. And there is no state that can defeat you, no nation state, authority, project nor organisation on this earth can ultimately deny you, humanity. I am reaching to you with my love, and this little Christmas song, where at this time I feel grief. In case it voices a grief for you too, I love you.
dePlume released his latest album, Come with Fierce Grace, back in September. You can read Refaat Alareer's "If I Must Die" here, and listen to "Gifts of Olive" below.