In conversation with Carol Isaacs, discovering new musical traditions

In our last conversation with Carol Isaacs, Hussein Al-alak spoke with the London based author, illustrator and musician about her graphic memoir The Wolf of Baghdad. 

In this latest conversation with Carol, we explore the role that music plays in her graphic memoir, along with the incredible contributions of other Iraqi-Jewish musicians. 

What is your name and what do you do? 

My name is Carol Isaacs. I am a musician and a cartoonist, also known as The Surreal McCoy

In your book and motion comic The Wolf of Baghdad, music plays a distinctive role, can you please explain why? 

Partly because of my background as a musician and partly because there is very little text in the story. The music soundtrack for the motion comic provides emotional context and support to the visuals. 

The Jewish community around the world share a variety of musical traditions, is there one that is unique to the Iraqi Jewish community? 

During the first half of the twentieth century all the instrumental musicians in Iraq were Jewish. There were also many great Jewish singers and composers. 

The greatest and most prolific composer of modern music in Iraq during that time was Saleh Al-Kuwaity, an Iraqi jew, who composed most of the songs still popular around the Arab world today. 

According to musicologist and historian Heskel Kojaman this music wasn’t considered to be especically Jewish but Iraqi. 

It happened that the main exponents and writers were Jewish, possibly because of the prohibitions against playing musical instruments amongst Muslims at the time. 
Although you were raised in the United Kingdom, can you please tell us how your family's heritage has influenced your music? 

I never heard this music growing up as only western classical music was played in our house. Perhaps my parents didn’t want to be reminded of what they had left behind. 

I have only recently discovered this incredibly rich and beautiful form of music through playing with Iraqi musicians such as Ahmed Mukhtar

Are there any Iraqi Jewish musicians who have also influenced you as a musician? 

Saleh and Daoud Al Kuwaiti, the composers and band leaders, and also their grandson,the Israeli rock musician Dudu Tassa, who is currently reviving their music. 

I believe Dudu’s albums are popular in Iraq as well! 

We don't often hear about Iraqi Jewish music, how can people involved in the arts help change this? 

They can book Dudu Tass and also 3yin, the band that accompanies the Wolf of Baghdad motion comic for world music festivals! 

The Wolf of Baghdad by Carol Isaacs is out now and is published by Myriad Editions. You can also join Carol over on her website, where you can purchase The Wolf of Baghdad soundtrack and DVD.

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