Customer Reviews

Immortal Egypt

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been belly dancing for over 15 years and I would say that this is one of the most beautiful compositions of music that I have heard. It is not music for a set dance routine, nor is it a rendition of popular Egyptian music which can often be difficult for Americans to relate to. Rather it is very beautiful, authentically styled Egyptian music that is full of emotion and vision. I enjoy dancing to it as a form of moving meditation. It brings me joy and deep feeling and I find myself really being able to lose myself in the music. This, in my experience as a dancer, is what marks truly good music. It is also wonderful music to just listen to, especially if one wants to feel a musical connection to Egypt. I have found most of Hossam Ramzy's music to be great, including the renditions of popular songs by famous Egyptian singers. However, this CD is truly my favorite.

Immortal Egypt has some really amazing musical creations. A wonderful marriage of East and West. In my opinion, the electronics get in the way sometimes, overpowering everything else, but not so much as to spoil the CD. This is such an amazing blend of traditional and modern, it has to be heard to be appreciated!

I think it's fun to listen to, and some songs have great potential as dancing music. The music is an amazing marriage of East and West, producing fascinating results that really require more than one listening to appreciate. I am trying to think who would best appreciate this... anyone who can listen to any kind of music open-mindedly will likely love this. It doesn't lend itself to any category well; "new age" isn't quite right, Mid Eastern is certainly not. It's got some jazz-fusion elements to it, but I wouldn't keep it there, either. It really defies description!

The skill of the musicians and the editing is apparent in every song. So even if you can't figure out where in your collection it belongs, it does belong there!

This is a wonderful album by one of my favorite Middle Eastern artists. It surely evokes thought and dreaming and excitement. A mental transport to another land. I'm not keen on belly dance albums but Hossam Ramzy's shows his best work in these more mysterious and evocative CDs: Baladi Plus, Egyptian Rai, Enchanted Egypt, Immortal Egypt, Qanun El Tarab, Secrets of the Eye, and Source of Fire--all smooth, fascinating and thought-provoking.

All I have to say is, this album rocks the casbah baby! I love every single track and listen to it on the way to and from work every day. The classic instruments fused together with the modern instruments make such a great marriage, its hard to just sit and Listen quietly instead of dancing! Listening to this actually gave me a greater appreciation for Hossam's music. I have quite a few of Hossam's albums, but this one tops the chart. It also has the songs used for warm up in my class which was a really nice bonus. I think some of the songs might be used for peformance for an intermede/advanced student. Heck, even if I didnt dance, and just liked middle eastern music, Id definatly buy Immortal Egypt.

I've been a fan of Phil Thornton since picking up a few of his 'didgeridoo' accented albums several years back. This album was recorded, added to in Egypt, and then re-recorded and mixed, it appears the extra time was worth it - instead of what usually happens with this type of studio work, we have an inspiring and incredible selection of 10 fairly long (5, 6, 7 and 8 minute) pieces that are as much a tribute to the recording/studio mixing as they are to the world class musicians that are featured. I had never heard of Hossam Ramzy before, but now I'm going to look for his other recordings. Somehow Phil Thornton even manages to throw a little didgeridoo into this CD, along with the Egyptian instruments such as Nay, Aud, Mizmar, and Rebaba. Also check out Initiation, Tibetan Horn, and Shaman (also by Thornton) - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is a wonderful cd, When I listen to the music it felt like I am in a different world, the beautiful music flow inside me as if I were dancing with the intruments. Egypt has its own fimiliar sound and great musical beat, that you think of the sand, the blowing hills of Egypt. The music is so beyond, and so unique in its own way, and very different from the music in our time. I Love music very much and I think this music is lovely and very Imaginable and it make you feel calm and rested. I hope that you like the cd as I did.

Its really something you should have in your collection. I like all kinds of music, and this one works for me to. My mind flows with every rythm of the songs.... It opens up your imagination to do whatever you want... specially if you are playful and kinky..haha... What I really mean is that you just need to turn off the lights, light on a bunch of candles and let the music make the rest.... just listen to it and it will tells you what to do. dance, breath, stretch, pray, anything. As for me, I would recommend you the tracks:
1. At The Gates Of The Citadel
3. Last Words By The Temple
4. Morocco Dance
6. El Moulid
7. Praying For Rain
8. Emerald Minarets In A Sea Of Stars
9. Sunrise Over Giza
10. Immortal Egypt
Enjoy the trip.

This is the second (not third) collaboration of the UK's Phil Thornton and Egyptian percussionist Hossam Ramzy, and is an inspired collaboration. On this recording the duo enlisted the assistance of many more other Egyptian musicians than they had on their first outing.

In addition to Thornton's keyboards and guitar and Ramzy's percussion, here can also be heard ney, quarter tone accordion, violin, oud, and didgeridoo, played by Egyptian and British musicians. Also present are the Egyptian rebab (two-string violin), the kawala (ceremonial flute), and mizmar (type of oboe). The result is a more fully realized work than their first, Eternal Egypt, with all the flavors and textures of Middle Eastern music captured beautifully. The combination of traditional instruments and modern studio technology is handled better here than on any other recording of Middle Eastern world fusion.

Highly recommended.

I COMPLETELY concur with Brendanna's assessment as well as the others: turn the lights out, light a bunch of candles, and let the music from this cd create the rest of the atmosphere. Its hypnotic and erotic. Each time you listen you hear different instrument elements. I'm definitely going to look for more of this artist combination of Phil Thornton and Hossam Ramzy. Hossam is the percussion king in my book. The horns in the title track "Immortal Eqypt" are awesome, it leads the imagination to picture an ancient Egyptian celebratory procession through ancient city streets with all the pomp and circumstance these events beheld. My girlfriends love to entertain with belly dancing to this track, I love it!! Unfortunately, my cd got stuck in my car's player!! Fortunately I had already dubbed it to the pc. Definitely a good listen if you're a world music lover who appreciates the sophisticated blend of the modern and the ancient traditional. For parties I like to play different music in each congregation space, this definitely gets heavy rotation.

I've been a fan of Phil Thornton since picking up a few of his 'didgeridoo' accented albums several years back. This album was recorded, added to in Egypt, and then re-recorded and mixed, it appears the extra time was worth it - instead of what usually happens with this type of studio work, we have an inspiring and incredible selection of 10 fairly long (5, 6, 7 and 8 minute) pieces that are as much a tribute to the recording/studio mixing as they are to the world class musicians that are featured. I had never heard of Hossam Ramzy before, but now I'm going to look for his other recordings. Somehow Phil Thornton even manages to throw a little didgeridoo into this CD, along with the Egyptian instruments such as Nay, Aud, Mizmar, and Rebaba. Also check out Initiation, Tibetan Horn, and Shaman (also by Thornton) - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!