New music from Franco-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf and his troupe.
Arab Music
[Music] Watar Ensemble – Safar Qareeb
It’s great to post something positive out of Palestine. This is the Watar Ensemble, who hail from Jerusalem.
[Music] The Gurdjieff Folk Instruments Ensemble – Chant for a Holy Book
No need to comment on this group. Just let the music envelop you.
[Music] Chorus Archdiocese of Tripoli and Koura and Surroundings Orthodox – Give Thanks Unto The Lord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_ytDkr02sQ
An appropriate piece for the Thanksgiving holiday. May you all have a wonderful one with family and friends by your side.
[Music] Faran Ensemble – Dune
The Faran Ensemble are a rather spectacular World Music group out of Israel, taking elements of the music of their neighbors. They are a band to watch out for in the coming years.
[Music] Anouar Brahem – The Lover Of Beirut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-D3K3eiDyU
A gorgeous fusion of North African folk, jazz and traditional music by Tunisian oudist Anouar Brahem, recoding here for ECM Records.
[Music] Fairouz – Biktud Ismak Ya Habibi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX2QrJ_204U
Fairouz is the nightingale of the Arab pop world. Here’s an album’s worth of hits for you to hear.
[Music] Mohamed Hassan – Lesh Beta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2davukEn3Tw
He may have been a shill for Muammar Gaddafi, but Mohamed Hassan was and is one of the best representatives of Libyan music.
[Video] Olcay Bayır & Nizar Rohana – Serê Çiya & Lay Lay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw02lNQf1UU
Leave it to Miguel Santos of LIFEM to introduce the world to one of the most amazing acts I’ve heard in some time.
Olcay Bayır is a Kurdish singer who hails from Turkey. Nizar Rohana plays the oud, and comes from Palestine. They make a formidable duo.
[Video] Anouar Brahem – January
While working as a buyer at Aron’s Records in Hollywood during my youth, I came across ECM Records. Up until then, the only thing I had ever heard off of the label was Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert. As I was able to listen to promo versions of new releases, I came across Anouar Brahem, but forgot about him for over a decade. My friend, Max Franosch, whose photographs grace a few classic ECM releases, reminded by of his work via a post several years ago, and I’ve been following his music intently ever since.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 