This is a recording that took me several hearings to fully appreciate, but has now become one of my favorites.
Some of these pieces were originally composed as songs, but have here been transcribed for a six-piece group. Played by some of the finest studio musicians in Egypt, their technique and artistry is astounding; though masters of many styles, on this CD they are featured on traditional instruments: The ud (short necked lute), qanun (a type of zither), nay (oblique flute), tabalah and duff (drums), and riqq (tambourine).
Some of the pieces are slow and melodic, and others virtuoso rhythmic selections for the percussive instruments.
I particularly like the ud solo (track # 3) where one can hear the kinship between this music and Spanish flamenco, the nay solo (# 5), and the final track, which has an exotic melody and a rhythm that might give you the impulse to dance.
The insert that comes with this CD is practically a small book, with a history of the music and the instruments used, Islam and its calligraphy, as well as extensive detail on the 12 pieces played on this CD and its musicians. The sound is good and total time 63'54.
Part of a superb series of 15 CDs that was 10 years in the making, of music in a wide variety of styles with a range from North Africa to Indonesia. This is Volume One, and if you appreciate classical Arabic music, it is sure to please.
Also available is a 16th CD, which is a sampler with one selection from each recording in the set.
