Kerbaj, Mazen
Mazen Kerbaj is a Lebanese comics artist, visual artist, and musician. He is the author of more than 15 books, and his paintings, drawings, videos, live performances, and installations have been shown around the globe. Mazen Kerbaj is widely considered to be one of the initiators and key players of the Lebanese free improvisation and experimental music scene. He is the co-founder of MILL, the cultural music association behind Irtijal, an annual improvised music festival held in Beirut since 2001, and co-founder of Al Maslakh, the first label for experimental music in the region, established in 2005. As a trumpet player, whether in solo performances or in long-term collaborations such as “A” Trio, Kerbaj pushes the boundaries of the instrument and continues to develop a personal sound and an innovative language, following in the footsteps of pioneers like Bill Dixon, Axel Dörner, and Franz Hautzinger.
Image: Mazen Kerbaj
