Fawzy Al-Aiedy - Oud Aljazira (1999)

«The ancient music of the Middle East has been given a modern twist by Iraq-born and Paris-based oud (lute) and oboe player and vocalist Fawzy Al-Aiedy. Affectionately known as the "Sultan of swing," Al-Aiedy continues to bridge the traditional music of the East and the improvised sensibility of the West. Hailing from the Iraqi harbor city of Bassorah, Al-Aiedy studied violin and singing at the age of 14. His dreams of studying music abroad seemed to dissolve after the Ba'ath took control of Iraq and issued an edict prohibiting Iraqi citizens from leaving the country. Pleading to Saddam Hussein for permission to leave, he instead found himself drafted into the Iraqi army. After three months of basic training, he was transferred to the military's music division. Allowed to travel to Europe in 1971, Al-Aiedy settled in Paris and began to study the oboe. He released his debut album, Silence, five years later. His subsequent releases have focused on interpreting the music of the era depicted in the book 1001 Arabian Nights. While most of his albums have been directed at a general audience, Al-Aiedy has recorded several albums for children.» (AMG)

Link in comments

Ilham Al-Madfai - Baghdad (2003)

«Ilham commence à jouer à 12 ans comme guitariste. Il forme sont premier groupe ‘Twisters’ dans les années 60, le premier en Irak à incorporer des instruments modernes (guitar, piano, bass&piano) à la musique arabe. Une expérience plutôt mal accueillie par les médias de l’époque qui l’accusent de dénaturer la musique traditionnelle. Quelques années plus tard, il quitte Bagdad pour l’Angleterre où il étudie l’architecture, où il joue et se produit avec Al Bayt Al Baghdadi et découvre Paul Mc Cartney et le jazz. Il retourne à Bagdad en 1967 et forme le groupe 13 ½ qui devient populaire au cours de la décennie suivante et le place en tête des musiciens les plus réputés du pays. En 1979 il quitte l’Irak à nouveau, voyage et poursuit sa carrière à l’international pour n’y revenir qu’en 1990. Il forme alors Firqat Ilham, formation qui allie influences est/ouest.

Combien de fois la lui a-t-on posée, cette question: Peut-on être un artiste irakien de nos jours, et faire dans la légèreté ? Peut-on intituler son album Baghdad et chanter autre chose que la guerre ?
On peut, quand on est amoureux de son pays et soucieux d’en préserver les trésors. On peut, en musique, immortaliser les plus belles debkas, les plus beaux poèmes, les plus douces berceuses. On peut même se payer le luxe de le faire sur des airs de jazz. Mode fusion? Ilham, joue de la guitare et chante accompagné d’instruments orientaux et occidentaux depuis plus de 30 ans. Dans le monde arabe, c’est un inclassable qui a déjà plusieurs tubes à son effectif dont Shlonak, qu’on retrouve dans l’album. L’Ilham, en arabe, c’est "l’Inspiration".» (Mondomix)

«“Ilham gave us a chance to taste the sweetness of life again,” writes a young Iraqi fan on the aramusic.com website. The comment neatly encapsulates Ilham Al Madfai's extraordinary significance. From the moment he picked up a guitar and formed The Twisters, the Middle East's first rock'n'roll combo, back in 1960s Baghdad, this maverick Arabic musician has been giving his peers reasons to dance, to dream, to keep struggling and to 'taste the sweetness'. Ilham's own struggle has been fierce and intense...» (Ivan Chrysler, BBC Radio 3 Awards, read more)

Official site: http://www.ilhamalmadfai.com/

Link in comments

Choubi Choubi! Folk & Pop Sounds From Iraq (2005)

«The genius of the Sublime Frequencies anthologies — presenting pop music from a worldwide context without the stuffy museum attitude of "world music" snobbery — continues with Choubi Choubi!, a collection of Iraqi songs from 1970 forward. Mark Gergis' liner notes provide a fine anchor for a newcomer, briefly but effectively detailing the nature of Iraqi musical life, differing styles, and some important historical context. Gergis identifies a key instrument, a hand drum called a khishba or zanbour, which defines many Iraqi song styles much like the dhol does for bhangra. The fast-paced beats created, or sometimes replicated electronically, are instantly appealing, sometimes almost chaotic in their rush. Some of the selections have outstandingly rich blends of beats and orchestration — "Yumma, Al Hilou"'s strings create a series of memorable hooks, while the massive echo on "Choubi Choubi," a self-referential love song to a specific genre, adds both ominous and frenetic atmosphere to the percussion. Songs like the brilliantly titled "Oh Mother, the Handsome Man Tortures Me," "Walla," and "Ala Honak" sometimes accelerate suddenly within the space of a second. The amazing instrumental breaks on Bawin's "Ya Binaya Goumi," with what sounds like violin, keyboard, and drums all chasing each other frenetically, have to be heard to be believed. On a different plane, three selections from early-'70s performer Ja'afar Hassan could easily have surfaced on a psych music comp by now, with a sharp Western pop/rock undercurrent mixing easily with the other styles highlighted on the disc. It's a vivid, stirring trio of songs, apparently meant to be anthems for a socialist party and all sounding like they could succeed at their goal. Credit also to the (seemingly backhanded) compliment of the title "Ashhad Biannak Hilou," aka "I Admit You Are Beautiful," which is also easily one of the best songs on a great collection overall.» (AMG)

Link in comments