{{Infobox musical artist | name = Dhafer Youssef | image = Dhafer Youssef, Tunisia, 2023.jpg | caption = Dhafer Youssef, Tunisia, 2023 | native_name = {{lang|ar|ظافر يوسف}} | birth_name = Dhafer bin Youssef bin Tahar Maarref | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|11|19|df=yes}} | birth_place = Teboulba, Tunisia | origin = {{flagicon|Tunisia}} Tunisia | genre = Ethno jazz, world fusion, Sufi, qawwali, jazz fusion, new-age, jazztronica | occupation = Musician, singer | instrument = Oud, vocals | years_active = 1990–present | label = Enja, Justin Time, Jazzland, EmArcy, Okeh, Back Beat Edition | website = {{URL|www.dhaferyoussef.com}} }}
'''Dhafer Youssef''' ({{langx|ar|ظافر يوسف}}; born 19 November 1967) is a Tunisian composer, singer and oud player.
== Biography == Dhafer Youssef was born in Téboulba (a small village of coastal Tunisia); his grandfather was a muezzin. He calls the radio "the most important school" for him.<ref name=IT>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/dhafer-youssef-if-you-are-a-jazz-musician-it-s-your-destiny-and-that-s-it-1.2287459|title=Dhafer Youssef: 'If you are a jazz musician, it's your destiny and that's it'|work=The Irish Times|access-date=2017-08-30|language=en-US}}</ref>
He developed an interest in jazz at an early age and clandestinely listened to it during his education at a Qur'anic school.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-587/_nr-10/_p-1/i.html?PHPSESSID=5869 | title=From Koran School to the First League in European Jazz | publisher=Qantara.de | author=Ralf Dombrowski (Translation from German: Nancy Joyce) | year=2005 | access-date=2009-08-22}}</ref> He later left Tunisia to start a jazz career and has lived in Europe since 1990, usually in Paris or Vienna. He also works in avant-garde and world music where he has been nominated for awards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jazzviews.net/dhafer-youssef-street-of-minarets/ | title=Awards For World Music 2003: Audience Award | publisher=BBC Radio 3 | access-date=2009-08-22}}</ref>
He has released ten albums of his own<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dhaferyoussef.com/music/|title=Dhafer Youssef – Music; dhaferyoussef.com|access-date=2025-11-16}}</ref> and created notable work with Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu and the Norwegian guitarist Eivind Aarset.
He has an affinity for the music of India and Nordic music.
He was a guest artist on the Norwegian jazz artist Bugge Wesseltoft's album ''FiLM iNG''.
Dhafer Youssef built his reputation with his performances. There he combines vocal and instrumental improvisation that create a profound spiritual connection with the attendees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europejazz.net/news/dhafer-youssef-%E2%80%9Cstreets-minarets%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-november-21-2023-%E2%80%93-zorlu-psm-turkcell-stage|title=Dhafer Youssef “Streets of Minarets” – November 21, 2023 – Zorlu PSM Turkcell Stage; europejazz.net|access-date=2024-11-21}}</ref>
He has performed with Ustad Zakir Hussain, Jon Hassell, Uri Caine, Tigran Hamasyan, Markus Stockhausen,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/ECM/1700/Bgr_1704.php | title=Background information | publisher=ECM | access-date=2009-08-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117055746/https://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/ECM/1700/Bgr_1704.php/ | archive-date=2016-01-17 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Nguyên Lê, Omar Sosa and Hüsnü Şenlendirici. Youssef is one of the ambassadors to Music Traveler, together with Billy Joel, Hans Zimmer, John Malkovich, Sean Lennon, Adrien Brody and more. In 2001, he recorded ''Electric Sufi'' with the ex-Sugar Hill Gang and Tackhead rhythm section of Will Calhoun and Doug Wimbish.
In 2015, Youssef opened the Sligo Jazz project with a quartet act at the Hawk's Well Theatre at Connacht, Ireland.<ref name=IT/>
Youssef released ''Diwan of Beauty and Odd'' in 2016, which was praised by critics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/55f818be-ef1a-11e8-8180-9cf212677a57|title=Become an FT subscriber to read | Financial Times}}</ref>
Dhafer Youssef released "Sounds of Mirrors" in 2018 with the participation of Zakir Hussain on tabla, Hüsnü Şenlendirici on the clarinet and Eivind Aarset on the guitar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/12967172-Dhafer-Youssef-Sounds-Of-Mirrors?srsltid=AfmBOorUsLfGiS9EhuthkQdcQxwPDmPE9YuUvH8-HAcMvyXh6B304WWp|title=Youssef - Sounds Of Mirrors - 2 x Vinyl; Discogs.com}}</ref>
The earliest recordings for ''Street of Minarets'' were made at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, with the participation of Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Dave Holland, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Ambrose Akinmusire,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/evenements/sortie-cd-street-of-minarets-dhafer-youssef-8422023|title=[SORTIE CD] Street of Minarets - Dhafer Youssef|work=Radio France|access-date=2024-11-18|language=fr}}</ref> but the album was reworked a decade later with the participation of Rakesh Chaurasia, Nguyên Lê and others before being released in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|website=UK Jazz News |last=Spry |first=Graham |title=Dhafer Youssef - 'Streets of Minarets' |date=16 January 2023 |url=https://ukjazznews.com/dhafer-youssef-streets-of-minarets/}}</ref>
== Discography == === Solo albums === * 1999: ''Malak'' (Enja) * 2001: ''Electric Sufi'' (Enja) * 2003: ''Digital Prophecy'' (Justin Time) * 2006: ''Divine Shadows'' (Jazzland) * 2010: ''Abu Nawas Rhapsody'' (EmArcy) * 2013: ''Birds Requiem'' (Okeh) (FR: #191)<ref>[http://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Dhafer+Youssef Lescharts.com: Dhafer Youssef discography]</ref> * 2016: ''Diwan of Beauty and Odd'' (Okeh) (FR: #82)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/weekchart.asp?year=2016&date=20160924&cat=a|title=lescharts.com - Dhafer Youssef - Diwan Of Beauty And Odd; lescharts.com}}</ref> * 2018: ''Sounds of Mirrors'' (Anteprima) (FR:#128)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Dhafer+Youssef&titel=Sounds+Of+Mirrors&cat=a|title=lescharts.com - Dhafer Youssef - Sounds Of Mirrors; lescharts.com}}</ref> * 2023: ''Street of Minarets'' (Back Beat Edition)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/dhafer-youssef-announces-new-album-street-minarets-out-january-27|title=DHAFER YOUSSEF ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM STREET OF MINARETS OUT JANUARY 27; gratefulweb.com}}</ref> * 2025: ''Shiraz'' (ACT)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jazzweekly.com/2025/10/dhafer-youssef-shiraz/|title=Dhafer Youssef: Shiraz; jazzweekly.com}}</ref>
=== Collaborations === * 1997: ''Blue Planet – Peace for Kabul'' (Blue Flame World Music), with Lenny MacDowell and Hakim Ludin * 1998: ''hot ROOM'' (Extraplatte), also featuring Otto Lechner, Wolfgang Puschnig, Achim Tang * 2003: ''Exile'' (Enja), with Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble feat. Reem Kelani & Dhafer Youssef * 2005: ''Odem (with Wolfgang Puschnig and Jatinder Thakur)'' (EmArcy), with Wolfgang Puschnig and Jatinder Thakur * 2006: ''Homescape'' (ACT), with Nguyên Lê Duos Paolo Fresu * 2007: ''Glow'' (Material), with Wolfgang Muthspiel<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/nov/09/worldmusic.shopping|title=Youssef/ Wolfgang Muthspiel, Glow|work=The Guardian|access-date=2024-11-18|language=en-UK}}</ref> * 2008: ''Jo & Co'' (Universal Music Polska), with Anna Maria Jopek feat. Richard Bona and Mino Cinelu * 2008: ''Latitudini – Omaggio Alla World Music'' (Casa Del Jazz), with Paolo Fresu and Eivind Aarset * 2017: ''Luna'' (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with Iain Ballamy And Dave McKean Featuring Dhafer Youssef, Emilia Mårtensson With Stian Carstensen, Stuart Hall, Matthew Sharp (Feral Records)
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons-inline}} * {{Official website|www.dhaferyoussef.com}} * {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p433560}}. Biography and discography. * {{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2006/a4wm_dhaffer.shtml |title=BBC – Awards for World Music 2006 – Middle East and North Africa. Dhafer Youssef (Tunisia) |first=Ivan |last=Chrysler |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2006 |access-date=15 November 2023}} * {{Cite web |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/two-sides-of-the-oud-dhafer-youssef-and-amos-hoffman-by-eyal-hareuveni |title=Multiple reviews. Two Sides Of The Oud: Dhafer Youssef & Amos Hoffman |access-date=15 November 2023 |first=Eyal |last=Hareuveni |date=May 26, 2006 |website=allaboutjazz.com |publisher=All About Jazz & Jazz Near You}} === Music videos=== * {{Youtube |id=OY_bi_2yikU |title=Dhafer Youssef – 39th Gülay (To Istanbul)}}. Music video duration 7m 59s. Uploader Dhafer Youssef 2013. * {{Youtube |id=MN0IlHz6aIU |title=Dhafer Youssef - Full Live Concert at ASSM (Izmir-Turkey)}}. Music video duration 1h 18m 14 s. Uploader Dhafer Youssef 2014.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Youssef, Dhafer}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Jazzland Recordings (1997) artists Category:Tunisian jazz composers Category:Enja Records artists Category:EmArcy Records artists Category:Justin Time Records artists Category:Okeh Records artists Category:ACT Music artists Category:Tunisian oud players Category:Modal jazz oud players