Abadi Al-Jawhar enchants the "Jerash" audience
Saudi artist Abadi Al-Jawhar opened his participation in the 40th edition of the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts with the first chapter of his presence, delivering an exceptional musical evening on the “Southern Stage” last Wednesday night. The performance blended the authenticity of his voice with the sweetness of melodies, amidst a large audience that filled the stands and interacted with his works, which have accompanied him throughout a career spanning decades.
The massive Jerash audience welcomed the “Octopus of the Oud” with great enthusiasm, expressing their longing for this first participation through applause and chants. Al-Jawhar took the stage amid a festive atmosphere, beginning a night during which he revisited the most beautiful milestones of Gulf music, presenting a selection of works deeply embedded in the memory of his audience in Jordan and the Arab world.
Greeting the attendees, Al-Jawhar said, “May God bless you with goodness. Happy New Year to you, and happy every festival to you. I am happy today to be participating in the Jerash Festival for the first time, and very happy to be among my family, brothers, and sisters.”
During the evening, Al-Jawhar moved between a selection of his most famous works, performing “Al-Jarh Arham” (The Wound is More Merciful), “Habibati Kull al-Awadil Tashabah” (My Love, All the Faithless Are Similar), and “Tadrin wa Adri Biniftarq” (You Know and I Know We Part), which the audience sang along with him in a scene reflecting the harmony that prevailed on stage.
The musical presence was not limited to singing; Al-Jawhar delighted the audience with his skilled playing of the oud, presenting musical interludes that affirmed his status as one of the most prominent oud players in the Arab world. He was accompanied by his musical band, led by Maestro Amir Abdul-Majid, which added a distinctive musical dimension to the evening.
He continued his concert with another selection of his works, including “Khalas Arja” (Enough, I’m Returning) and “Al-Muzhariya” (The Vase), which the audience applauded to their rhythms, followed by “Ya Mu’adhabati” (Oh, My Tormentor). He then performed “Min Adhabi” (From My Torment), during which the voices of the attendees rose as they joined him in singing.
The song “Aynayk Akhir Amali” (Your Eyes Are My Last Hope) received exceptional interaction, with the audience requesting an encore. Responding to their wishes, he performed it again amidst an atmosphere dominated by melancholy and musical joy, before continuing the evening with the songs “Al-Kalam al-Halaw” (Sweet Talk), “Sikka Tawila” (A Long Street), and “Tirja’ bi-Khair” (Return in Peace), which maintained the rhythm of interaction until the final minutes.
The finale came with the song “Qalu Tarra” (They Said, Perhaps), which the audience had been requesting to hear since the beginning of the concert. Al-Jawhar responded to their wishes and concluded his evening with it, amid warm applause and chants that filled the entire stage.
