CD Review: "From Cairo with Love"
The Zamalek Musicians’ 2010 release “From Cairo with Love” is a diverse mix of Egyptian performance tracks. There are 12 in all, including 3 drum solos, classic Oriental and folkloric pieces.
CD Review: "From Cairo with Love"
Making the Leap to Live Music!
Making the Leap to Live Music!
Performing at Tagine in New York City with Rachid Halihal and Majdi Kurd. A dancer’s first solo is an exciting and scary experience, but the first live music performance can induce a whole new level of stage fright – even in dancers with plenty of performance experience under their belt. Dancing to live music can – and should – be a thrilling experience for both the audience and the dancer, but as with most worthwhile things, there’s a hurdle […]
CD Review: "Belly Dance Mirage" by Ya Salam Orchestra
CD Review: "Belly Dance Mirage" by Ya Salam Orchestra
“Belly Dance Mirage” by Ya Salam Orchestra has 13 tracks with a nice variety for any cabaret dancer looking for performance music. Among them, there are four drum solos ranging from straight-forward to complex. I would consider 5 of the songs to be “classics”. Ya Salam’s renditions bring something fresh making them worth adding to your library even if you already have a few versions of these standards. For the dancer who is just building […]
CD Review: "Nasrah" – Turkish Bellydance
CD Review: "Nasrah" – Turkish Bellydance
Although I readily confess that my heart belongs to classic Arabic music, even I get a craving for the lively energy of Turkish belly dance music now and then. And 9/8… that is a delicacy all its own in my book! When “Nasrah” by the Huseyin Turkmenler Ensemble found its way into my hands, I was very pleased with it’s mix of performance tracks, teaching tracks and soul-stirring 9/8s. Let’s have a virtual listen together…. […]
CD Review: "The Essence of Bellydance"
CD Review: "The Essence of Bellydance"
Al-Ahram Orchestra’s “The Essence of Bellydance” was released in 2008. In the years that I’ve had it, I have returned to its tracks over and over for both performing and teaching, so I thought I’d let you get to know it if you aren’t familiar with this versatile CD already. Overall, the album has a modern Egyptian sound with lots of keyboard, complex melodies and well-placed accents. Several of these songs really are staples on […]