Gilded Serpent presents...
Turbo
Tabla
Arabic Music Re-imagined
Traditional Arabic and Turkish
with House, Hip Hop and Techno
CD Review by Sadira
I didn't know
quite what to expect when I first saw this CD, based on its dynamic
title! Actually, this is an excellent CD for listening and dancing.
The quality of sound and mixing is excellent, with a wide variety
of eclecticism throughout the entire production.
Though
the subtitle mentions House, Hip Hop, and Techno music, I found
very little of that style being incorporated in the music, and
when it was, it created a dramatic effect.
Mostly, the
Techno style appeared in the tabla solos. I loved this CD because
it has a mix of songs that are traditional, old Arabic, and Turkish.
Most dancers who danced during the live music/nightclub era (such
as at North
Beach in San Francisco) would recognize them
immediately. I found it is wonderful to hear a clear and well
designed production of musical pieces from Mohammed
Abd
al-Wahab and Farid
el-Atrache.
This
is a great CD to use for dancing in professional shows as well
as enjoying as a mélange of Arabic and Turkish styles. Each
selection on the CD combines expressively the fluid balance
of traditional instruments.
The unique
versatility in this CD is what makes it a wonderful blend to have
handy. There are a variety of many different musical artists playing,
allowing for each number to stand out. There are four pieces of
traditional Turkish numbers interspersed between tabla solos and
Arabic favorites.
It had
been a long time since I had heard real Turkish/Armenian music
recorded on a CD, and hearing it brought tears to my eyes!
Turkish styling
is very different from Arabic and carries its own musical signature
that is different from Arabic music. This comes across very strongly
and accurately. In Turkish/Armenian music the clarinet is used
as a pivotal instrument and the drum rhythms carry on without
the Egyptian type of heavily accented "pops." Professional musicians,
and dancers alike, will especially enjoy hearing these contrasts.
This
CD is not for novice dancers. It has complex overtones and is
fast paced in the tabla or Egyptian
pieces with heavy breaks and accents.
The Turkish/Armenian
pieces are reminiscent of Richard Hagopian and his Kef Time music.
Selection #1 "Longa Farahfaza" is
more along the lines for use in modern Raks Sharqi with those
great Egyptian breaks in the music and drum rhythm for hip and
body isolations, accents and shimmies.
Selection #4 "Ya Shadi al-Han" uses
a fusion style with the blending of Old World Beledi and a touch
of modern fusion. To my ears, it tends to resonate flat and sluggish,
especially the singing --in comparison to the other pieces on
this CD.
Selection #5 "Turbo Zaar" has interesting drum changes
for solo shimmies that depart from the traditional Egyptian style
drum solo patterns normally heard. A great challenge for highlighting
body transitions.
Selection #6 "Azziza", the dancer's trademarked
dance song. This Azziza has a great pace to dance to and is done
in the Turkish/Armenian style.
Selection#7 "Turbo Tabla Two" gets my vote for being
a very strong and dramatic piece of music. It carries a simple
and steady, heavy Beledi rhythm throughout and would stand out
as a piece for troupe dances.
I don't know
where the so-called Hip Hop was in this group of selections, except
perhaps during the drum solos there was the use of a slight echo
effect..or was that more Techno?
Either
way, you'll find your own fusion in this CD!
[Ed-
Karim Nagi informs us that he has a newer CD
called "Bellydance Overdrive" which has seven of the
songs on "Arabic Music Re-Imagined" plus new selections.
More information on both CDs available here- http://www.turbotabla.com]
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Check the "Letters to the Editor"
for other possible viewpoints!
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