Another Lebanese Music Brilliant-ismo: Toufic Farrouk

Toufic Farroukh

Been listening to this record over and over the last few days.  Thought I'd share it today as it is so enjoyable.

Toufic Farroukh is a saxophone player and composer of jazz with a middle-eastern flavour stemming from his bi-cultural roots in Lebanon and France.

His brother, a saxophone player, guided him in learning to play the instrument and taught him its ABCs. He was an amateur who instilled in Toufic the love of professionalism. They had discovered the saxophone in the Boy Scouts. The instrument was strange to their environment; unconventional, and used only for certain occasions.

Farroukh moved from Beirut to Paris, where he studied music in the conservatory and in the Advanced College of Music, saxophone was his principal instrument. He did not study jazz and its roots at all, nor played jazz on the saxophone.

His first album “Ali on Broadway” (1994), received good press from the specialist magazines, but only touched the French public in small measure. In his second album “Little Secrets” (1998), the flavour and colour of the Orient make their appearance here and there, in amongst the jazz motifs. (Wikipedia)

I'll let the music tell you what you need to know about his sensibility, style and art. But this is best when you can turn up the stereo.

       Track Listing:

              01 Systole, Diastole

              02 Hanina

              03 Radio City

              04 Ya Nassim Alrouh

              05 Destins Et Desirs

              06 The Girl From Gypsy Moon

              07 Elhob!

              08 Cendres

              09 Scarecrow And Peacock

             10 Ya Habibi

             11 Long Distance Call (LDC)

             12 Only Lonely

here

EID UL FITR MUBARAK: Mixtape from Muslim lands

On this happy and auspicious day I wish all Muslim readers of the Washerman’s Dog a hearty Eid Mubarak.  May the next 12 months be filled with Peace, Joy and Excellent Health.

To celebrate I’ve put together a 2.5 hour collection of music from across the world of Islam.  Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Tunisia, Sudan, Turkey and Iraq.

I hope you can enjoy it.

            Track Listing:

            01 Call To Prayer (Al-Adhan) EGYPT

02 Ya Bunaya [Ilham Al Madhfai] IRAQ

03 Barra Barra [Rachid Taha] ALGERIA

04 Arabian Waltz [Rabih Abou Khalil] LEBANON

05 Jise Chaha Dar Pe [Qurban Farid Shahi Qawwal and Group] INDIA

06 Haye O Rabba [Reshma] PAKISTAN

07 Chabrassi [Cheb Khaled] ALGERIA

08 Al Ghazal [Ali Hassan Kuban] SUDAN

09 Balad El Mahboub [Oum Kalthoum] EGYPT

10 Palestinian [Ja'afar Hassan] IRAQ

11 Jugni/Alif Allah [Arif Lohar and Meesha] PAKISTAN

12 Heer Te Ranjhe Di Mulaqaat [Alam Lohar] PAKISTAN

13 Zikr [Abdullah Ibrahim] SOUTH AFRICA

14 Ghoonghat Chak Ve Sajna [Wadali Brothers] INDIA

15 Wagdi ae ravi [Samar Iqbal] PAKISTAN

16 Duma Dum [Dayam Khan] INDIA

17 Khari Neem Khe Neeche [Mai Bhagi] PAKISTAN

18 Ayrilik Gunu [Goksel] TURKEY

19 Taqasim [Fawzi Chekili] TUNISIA

20 Shikwa [Zia Mohiyeddin] PAKISTAN

21 Way Too Qarar Mera [Noor Jehan]  PAKISTAN

22 Ek Dil Ke Tukde Hazar Huye [Mohammad Rafi] INDIA

23 Dil Mein Meethe Meethe [Ustad Amanat Ali Khan] PAKISTAN

24 Mendha Ishq Wi Too [Pathane Khan] PAKISTAN

here

Despite the Sorrow of Syria: Rachid Taha and Tony Hanna

Rachid Taha and Tony Hanna

With all the sad news coming out of the tv about Syria and Libya its time to remember the musical brilliance that resides in the Middle East.

Rachid Taha’s music has an intensity that matches the passions that are currently burning up the streets and villages and cities of Syria. When he sings, you tend to listen. His voice commands authority; like a fist grabbing you by the scruff of the neck. But unlike the paid thugs of politicians, his power makes you dance and be joyful.  I’ve spoken of Taha’s antecedents in other posts on this blog so will allow you to satisfy your curiosity at your own leisure, if you’ve not had the pleasure of this man’s music.

The fine fellows at AMG have this is say about Diwan (1998) the album we focus on today.

This is a stunning album, as Rachid Taha, the Algerian rocker, moves through straightforward rai to blues, rock, and the full spectrum of worldbeat. The album starts out with a song about exile from home, followed by a musical history of rai, covering all of the basic steps in the development of Taha's chosen base-style. An Egyptian film song from the great Farid El Atrache continues the barrage of bouncing Middle Eastern and North African sounds. A more modern version of the ay-ay genre ensues, with fuzzed guitars looped throughout. Some urban Algerian blues and a bit of chaabi follow, on the topics of love and love lost. The album finishes with a stretch of slightly more serious songs, with a number based on the Algerian war for independence and the torture endured by its prisoners, a political song from a Moroccan group, a basic rai number in French pidgin, and a song from the frustrated youth of Algeria. This is something of a North African tour-de-force, as Taha moves from one style to another, always partially based in the rai tradition, but always expanding to other styles in the process. The songs can be backed by a simple flute, or by a group of rock guitars. Either way, the works are held together by the overriding compositions that Taha is dealing from. It's a great album for those that are already knowledgeable in rai for its new directions, and a nice album for newcomers as it displays the full breadth in a single disc. (AMG)

Tony Hanna is a singer from Lebanon who rose to prominence in the 1970s when Beirut was the pearl of the Mediterranean.  I spent several days there in the summer of 1974. The streets around the Phoencian Hotel, where we stayed, were quiet and lined with shops selling carpets and other tourist fare. Shop keepers were never pushy and seemed just as interested in chatting the hours away as making a sale. The blue sea sparkled in the sun. That a full on civil war would crush that same hotel and shopkeepers and fill the shady streets with blood and bullets only 12 months later seemed impossible to imagine.

Around that time Mr. Hanna, left Lebanon and settled in the West. He spent several years in London and many more in America’s great Arab city, Detroit.  His music was loved by the expatriate/exile communities, especially his live concerts, one of which we share tonight.  At the height of his popularity, Tony Hanna gave it all up and disappeared. I’m sure someone knows where he is and what happened, so if you know, let me know!  The music of this grandly moustachioed sultan of song is very different from that of Rachid Taha’s. Different generations, different sensibilities. But both excellent!

           

            Track Listing:

            Diwan

            01 Ya Rayah

02 Ida

03 Habina

04 Bent Sahra

05 Ach Adani

06 El H'Mame

07 Enti Rahti

08 Menfi

09 Bani Al Insane

10 Malheureux Toujours

11 Aiya Aiya

here

            Track Listing:

            Tony Hanna

            01 Cherwal Jeddak Ya Jeddi

02 Yssid Sabahak

03 Al Dalouna

04 Ya Khiyala

05 Al Ataba Al Baalbakieh

06 Hala Bi Emm Al Ouyoun Al Soud

07 Inn Lansoub Telephone

08 Abou'l Zilouf

09 Ya Emm Al Foustan Al Nili

10 Ya Moyharati Al Fok Al Jabal

11 Kberet Wi Oumri Kbir

12 Ya Ghzayel Yamm Elheba

13 Cherwal Jeddak Ya Jeddi (Reprise)

here

Semi Precious Lebanon: Fairuz

Islamic turquoise (Fairuz)

Fairuz means turquoise. She is the reigning Queen of Song in the Arab speaking world.  The more I listen to her the more I adore her voice and style. The Middle Eastern blending of western strings and orchestral swells with traditional rhythms and instruments is really addictive. It makes for lush music. Evocative luxury.

This one is called Modern Favorites. Sounds good to me. They do possess a modern sound and they are becoming favorites. Aloula especially. Hope you enjoy one of the finest musical treats in the world.  

            Track Listing: 

           01 Al Bosta

02 Ishtaktellak

03 Rajeat Fi Al Massa

04 Oghniat Al Wadaa

05 La Yadoum Igtirabi

06 Maarifti Feek

07 Aloula

08 Kifak Inta

09 Asfoura Al Shajan

10 Ams Intahena

11 Wa Lee Fouadon

12 Wahdon

Classical Jazz Arabic Style: Marcel Khalife

Lute and Oud players

Dear readers,

First of all. Happy Holi to all revelers in India and Indian communities across the world. May you, your clothes and your hair quickly recover!

Secondly, to all women who check in with the Dog from time to time, happy International Women’s Day!  May you receive lots of flowers and good wishes from the other half of the human race.  We couldn’t do it without you!

In third position, lets turn to tonight’s piece of musical bliss.

The oud or Arabic lute is one of my favorite instruments. It’s voice is lush and mellow. And in the hands of a good player the oud makes a very melodious companion.

Marcel Khalife is a Lebanese composer and oud ist (or is it oud er?) whose musical expression explores jazz, traditional maqam and classical music.  Many of his compositions have given musical life to the lyrics of Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish. Their association and collaboration has endured for many years and goes to the political as well as the artistic.  Khalife has never shied away from speaking his mind which has gotten him into hot water at home and abroad.

In one famous case, he inserted a line or two from the Quran into one of his compositions which brought the condemnation of most of the Sunni clergy in Lebanon.  He was taken to court and faced a severe sentence but in the end the judge ruled that artistic expression cannot by definition ignore religious subjects and found in Khalife’s favor.

In 2005 the government of Tunisia banned Khalife’s music from being played on national radio and TV. The composer had, in a concert in Carthage, publicly criticised certain Arab governments for imprisoning their own citizens. The  Tunisian rulers felt that cut a bit too close to the bone and declared his music haram (forbidden).

Over the years Khalife has performed with orchestras all around the world, including Australia, the US, UK and throughout the Middle East. His list of awards, including recognition by UNESCO in 2005 as an Artist for Peace, is long.  On this record he plays oud in his own Concerto Al Andalus.   The arrangements and pacing of the concert are beautifully conceived and his playing is ultra discrete and tasteful.

In addition to the Concerto the final 5 cuts explore a more jazzy and traditional performance style.    All in all a wonderful album.  I’ll have to go out and  find more of Mr Khalife’s music as soon as possible.

            Track Listing:

            01 Al Zagareed

02 Flamenco

03 Bint El Shalabeyya

04 Ya Banat Eskendereyah

05 Kadouka Al Mayas

06 Sirto Nakriz

07 Granada

08 Waltz Zangeran

09 Waltz Tazanween

10 Taqsim Hejaz Kar

11 Logna Nahawand

12 Finale

13 I pass by Your name

14 Passing Train

15 Breeze

16 Night traveler

17 They Say

Listen here.

The Star and the Tuquoise: Oum Kulthum and Fairuz

The aural universe of the Arabic chanteuse is so distinct from that of South Asia. For someone raised on ghazals and sufi kalam both of which are performed with small ensembles of no more than two or three accompanists, the sweeping orchestral strings of the Middle East are at first blush over doing it. Even the-everything-including-the-kitchen-sink approach of Mumbai filmi senti-pop seems more simple and straightforward than even a small Cairo orchestra. 

I fully acknowledge that by making such statements I betray my bias. And un-trained ear. For years I’ve had friends wax on about the sublime Oum Kulthum but my South Asian ear has found it hard to find the golden thread.

Well as so often happens, things can suddenly change.  And so the big change has come to me. I’ve been listening to Oum Kulthum, Egypt’s (nay! the Arab world’s) Billy Holliday meets Begum Akhtar quite a bit recently and I am starting to get it.  Don’t ask me how. And don’t ask me to explain what it is I get, because my knowledge of Arabic is restricted to about 3 juicy and not for polite company phrases.  I just do.

Suddenly the waves of violins and dancing dumbek rhythms not only make sense but sound very pleasing. Their elegant sound is noble and befits the ancient lands from which they emerged. Oum’s voice is strong and the melodies different from those of the subcontinent. And perhaps that’s what makes is suddenly so nice. It’s different.

Oum Kulthum

So for your pleasure tonight I share two more albums. The first from the aforementioned Star of the East, Oum Kulthum: a live concert of unknown date but of timeless sound.  In it she sings one of her most beloved and famous songs Al Attal and is accompanied by a lively orchestra. 

Any number of sites on the internet or in music literature will give you lowdown on this icon’s life so I simply commend this magnificent music to you.

            Track Listing:

            01 Hayyarti Albi

02 Al Attal

03 Ana Fi Intizarak

04 Al Hobbi Koulloo

05 Anta Fen Wa Hobbi Fen

Listen here.

Fairuz

If Oum Kulthum is regarded the greatest female Arab voice of recent times, the Lebanese singer Fairuz (Turquoise, in Arabic) is considered the greatest living Arabic voice. The mother of Ziad Rahbani, previously spotlighted on Washerman’s Dog, Fairuz has a fantastic if slightly less heavy voice that her Egyptian inspiration.

Many of the tracks on this album are also from live performances and each once is worth many good listens, but my favourite is the amazing Ya Mina El Habayeb. Interestingly all the songs on this album refer to Arab capitals or countries.  And if you’ve spent  any time at all among Arabs you’ll understand just deeply they love their part of the world. 

            Track Listing:

            01 Beirut Hal Zarafat (Live)

02 Ya Mina El Habayeb (Live)

03 Amman

04 Al Kuwait (Live)

05 Hamaltu Beirut (Live)

06 Misr Adat (Live)

07 Baghdad Wal Chouarra (Live)

Listen here.