Customer Reviews

Kutche

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

 

 

A brilliant collaboration between Khaled and Safy Boutella, this is one of the most thrilling CDs I own. Boutella, known primarily for his film scores, co-wrote 3 of the tracks, and helped adapt 3 others, which are of traditional origin. He plays bass and synthesizer, and co-produced with the great Martin Meissonnier.
I concur with Meissonnier, who once said in an interview: "We're living through a golden age of ethnic music", and Khaled and Boutella are a major ingredient in the birth and continuance of the exciting and and creative music that is now available in the world music market.

Khaled, known as the King of Rai (and after listening to this CD, you'll understand why), was one of the early pioneers of the genre, and comes into full bloom with this CD, which was recorded between 11/87 and 01/88, when Khaled was still in his "Cheb" days.

"Kutche", with it's contrasting rhythms, is an extraordinary track, and "Minuit", a song Khaled penned alone, has become my favorite of the lot. It's a spectacular tango beat blended with an Arabic melody.
"Minuit", "Baroud", and "Kutche" are also available on stupendous 4 disc set, "Absolute Rai", which contains 5 hours of top-notch music and is highly recommended for anyone who appreciates this type of music.
Other than recording info, there are no liner notes included; the sound is great, and total time is 42'41.

The first time I heard this CD or when it first came out, I was still back home in the old coutry Tunisia. This album was a hit all over.

Recommend to any RAI music lover. You won't regret buying the album at all.

Kais Khelif

This album is by far the best Rai that came out of North Africa. Cheb Khaled teams up with Safy Boutella to produce this, A MUST BUY.

This cd was the first for khaled in france and followed by his masterpiece album "Khaled" , his voice and the rhythems was very incredible , i recommend it for all ...

Khaled found his groove in later albums, mixing it up with reggae and Bollywood and whatnot, and attempting backward waltz (Bakhta, Wahrane Wahrane). But here is the root of everything. Some of the cheapo production value of early rai can be sensed, but Boutella's genius shines through the piano background to Chebba, the horns and the Spanish guitar on the half-Bellamou-ripoff (Baroud). It's funkier than anything else on the planet was in 1989. Pay full price. Then have three vodkas and listen to the tango-inferno of Minuit, and feel how trance-like it can be (far echoes of Tinariwen there).

As the other reviewers note, Kutche is a nice introduction to Khaled and Rai. However, I'm more fond of Khaled's more recent productions. Kutche has a distinct '80s feel -- very synthesized and bouncy -- that grates on me after a few tracks.

If you stumble across a used copy somewhere, fine, buy it. But don't pay full price for a new copy of Kutche. Spend the money on one of his newer albums instead.