Playlist "Psyche Van Het Folk", Radio Centraal, Antwerpen, Belgium Subtle and more clear fusing influences with Middle Eastern Music & Indian Music, from Iraq, Persia, Spain, Egypt, India, Turkey. * Papyros Jamil Al Asadi & Muniryat : improvisations to the music of Munir Bashir (IRAQ,2003)***°(VG->perfectionism) Tr.1, 14 min This is played with a relaxedness to perform all skills and ideas I rarely heard before. With quanun (Arabian zither), ud (Arabian lute),tabla & nay (middle eastern flute). The music sounds as fresh "new" traditional music. In a very subtle way it has free and liberated forms of improvisations and rhythmical patterns that derive from all kinds of cultures from various sources over the world. Munir Bashir (1930-1997) adapted Indian & Turkish and other influences in his music. Also here we can hear the same structural openness that is not particularly bound to any culture. It is a creation how the instruments themselves can speak for themselves and inhibit compositions and rhythms. Jamil Al Asadi this way succeeds to expand what he was thought by Munir's teachings. Also the percussion is worth to mention : it's minimal with full, three- dimensional effect. A beautiful release. It took a bit longer to release the CD because of the troubles in Iraq (pre-war tyranny by Saddam, war chaos bringer, and the after-war tyranny by US). This track is supposed to have a touch of a South American rhythm pattern. Info : http://members.chello.nl/a.alobaidi/jamil/muniryat.html & http://members.chello.nl/a.alobaidi/jamil/biografie.html Organisation : www.alsaffa.com Info : info@alsaffa.com Distributed by Music & Words : www.musicwords.nl * Private Medi Mokhtari : Semillas (IR,?)***°(VG towards perfectionism) Tr.4, "Tears of Joy" 4 min Tr.8, "Nostalgia" 5 min Tr.7, "Sufi" 9 min 18 32 Based upon a individual "Persian" version of Flamenco Fusion, joyful, sometimes "(airy) light" (and with South American like openness) in mood. Without any of the torment of the Spanish flamenco. "Nostalgia" is a guitar instrumental. Last track is flamenco with acoustic guitar , handclap, flamenco singing, some sitar and flute, a track with an amount of (some inner) 'fire'. Review, info & sound : http://progressive.homestead.com/Persiareview.html Most known figure for flamenco sitar is Gualberto. The "Sufi" track is comparable to his work : * Pasarella Gualberto & Ricardo Mino : Contrastes (SP, 2002?)***°' Tr.9, "Pueblos Blancos" 8 min 40 The only track from this album with flamenco piano, drums, flamenco guitar, hand percussion, electric bass but no flamenco sitar. A track by Ricardo Mino. The track with most fire in it from the album. There are also the original and well performed idea on this album, of playing Flamenco sitar in a rumba rhythm. * Dial Discos Gualberto & Ricardo Mino : Puento Magico (SP,1998)***°° Tr.1, "Sevillanas del Puento"(sevillanas) 4 min 44 An up tempo track with flamenco sitar, flamenco guitar and hand percussion with flamenco fire. Info about Gualberto : http://progressive.homestead.com/GUALBERTO.html * Luna Negra Amarok : Mujer Luna (SP,2002)***° Tr.3, "Arabesqua en 4 mov." 10 min Tr.5, "Duo Para Tabla y saz n°1" 2 min Tr.8, "Tierra Austral (= Austral landscape)" 10 min 22 66 New CD by this great mostly acoustic fusing styled ethno acid symphonic folk progressive group. First chosen track has some fine middle eastern & Indian influences & combinations (and Tull like flute). Also second chosen track is a fine combination of the middle eastern & Indian style. Last track is progressive/symphonic fusion styled (with mellotron, piano or organ, drums & percussion (with some marimba or glockenspiel,..), flute or clarinet, with some soprano sax, and some violin & accordion arrangements) in 4 parts . These great tracks were my favourite on this new album. Info about older releases : http://progressive.homestead.com/SPAINPROG.html Luna Negra Label : http://www.lunanegra.com/ contact : lunanegr@prodigy.net.mx Musea Records : www.musearecords.com * Luna Negra Amarok : Tierra de Especias (SP,2000)**** Tr.1, "Dioses" 4 min 70 I still find the sound of this album slightly stronger. Distributor : http://www.tecnosaga.com/ E-mail distributor : technosag@technosaga.com Website group : http://manelpm.eresmas.net/amarok.htm With sound page of latest album : http://manelpm.eresmas.net/amarok/5discoang.htm Contact group : manelpm@eresmas.net Label : http://www.lunanegra.com/ * Facing East Prod.John Wubbenhorst & Facing East : Facing Beloved (US/IND,2003)****' with South Indian drum masters Subesh Chandran & Ganesh Kumar, with Steve Zerlin & Jorge Zamorano Tr.2, "Bass Alap"4 min Tr.3, "John Beyond" 11 min Tr.9, "The light above religion's mind" 2 min Tr.6, "Irish Raga" 8 min 25 95 "Bass Alap" starts with an electric bass solo (with tampura) that sounds like an Indian traditional instrument. This track continues with a John McLauglin like fusion instrumental. "The light.." is a spoken excerpt by Avatar Adi Da Samraj, with some spontaneous live (men &) women's sighs. "Irish Raga" is a well received and performed idea of a raga adaptation of Irish (traditional) music. A solid enjoyable release with various subtle and more clear fusions adapted into the classical Indian music style & played by skilful musicians. Review : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/indojazzreview.html * ? Mehrpoya (-title of tape in Arabian-) (IR,197?) Tr.5, (title ? in Arabian) 6 min 101 A Persian Chachacha with a (30's/40's styled) jazz accompany and middle eastern & Indian flavour in a fantastic crossover style. Tr.7, (title ? -in Arabian-) 5 min 106 This warm low voice melancholic singing reminds me of some Indian records. Accompaniment is by middle eastern handbells with a jazzy soprano sax ? (with 30's-40's jazz flavour) and some great ethno jazz rhythms (that reminds me at the Ethiopian releases a bit), and fine electric guitars. Again a perfect World styles crossover. Official compilation will be played one of next weeks. Info & soundfiles : http://www.iranian.com/Music/Mehrpouya/ * Umbrella Omar Korshid : Guitar Rhythms of the Orient (LEB,1974)***** Tr.1,(cdr from tape track 8) "Raqset El Fada" 8 min 114 With an originally styled electric guitar solo rhythm (with at times in its solo some surf reminiscence) in a down key middle eastern style and a doomy organ drone at first, then with middle eastern rhythms, and a bit further on in the instrumental with more organ (in Arabian style) with electric guitar, and some moog. Especially the more quiet passages here are most unusual and nice ! Tr.2, "Guitar El Chark" 6 min 120 Experimental low key electronic sounds & rhythms, with equally oddly coloured distorted bass (?), reverb effects, Arabian organ, middle eastern rhythms and surf like middle eastern electric guitar & some additional moog after the second half of the song. Original not like anything I heard before. Tr.3, "Takassim Sanat Alfeyn" 6 min 126 Nice and very original/individual interesting (bass &) electric guitar solo improvisation on a middle eastern melody with some (varying) reverb, building up in tension and rhythm, with touches of additional moog sounds. The style of the bass guitar changes further into a more powerful tremolo guitar craft. Tr.(cdr 2, 456->end), 5 min 5 Western instrumental melody ? (I recognize it but does not remember what it is) with electronic instrument. Guitar style reminds at Shadows a bit. With Egyptian percussion. Tr.2,(2 tracks) "Apache" 5 min 5 136 Shadows cover with Egyptian percussion ! With a typical electric Shadows guitar, a rhythms guitar & some moog. Another proof The Shadows were the biggest influence for music in the 60's in the whole world. Omar is clearly influenced by Egyptian music & belly dancing but goes beyond descriptions. Highly recommended album. Info on Omar Korshid: http://www.pekorecords.com/Korshid.html & (see reviews, K) http://www.spies.com/~reverb/ About a cooperation with Korshid : http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol61/951116/8a.html General page about Persian Fusions & Progressive Music : http://progressive.homestead.com/PERSIA.html Omar was also an actor and she also appeared on several movies. He was widely known in the Arab world so he was probably in demand as a session musician at first. Outro : * Private Bonus Track : demo (TÜ,2003)***°° Tr.1, "Black Spirit" 5 min Tr.4, "Hyperspace Jazz" 5 min 146 very good middle eastern hardrock with also middle eastern rhythms and other elements. The same group has now a different name : Hazerfan. * Private Divan : (on line) Demo tracks ((D/)TÜ,2003) Tr. "Anlimin Terinle" 5 min (Hard) rock with middle eastern touches. Reviews and links for Bonus Track & Divan : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/Turkprogreview.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next week's show : mostly new guitarists & raga guitarists -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other playlists : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/2003.html General index page : www.radiocentraal.be/psychevanhetfolk with more detailed index page at http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/index.html Receive weekly playlist before the radioshow with new on line reviews and various additional comments / news : Ontvang wekelijks playlist vòòr de radio-uitzending : Subscribe / schrijf u in : psychevanhetfolk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com