Music of Upper & Lower Egypt [Live]

The World (Rykodisc/Mickey Hart Series), Mickey Hart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B0000009N6
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,047 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #69 in Music > World Music > Africa > Egypt

Track Listings

1. Nugumi - From The Aswan Region

2. Allah - From The Aswan Region

3. The Bride - From The Aswan Region

4. The Groom - From The Aswan Region

5. Ya Rab Toba - From Sa'ed Oena

6. Manami (My Dream) - From Sa'ed Oena

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good CD, January 8, 2002

By 

Zekeriyah (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Music of Upper & Lower Egypt (Audio CD)

Its somewhat unfortunate that this CD has gotten so many bad reviews. It really is an excellent CD. It is all very authentic recordings of tradtional music. I get the feeling that alot of people came to this CD expecting belly dance or Rai type music. Now I am a huge fan of Rai music myself, but I also have a deep interest in traditional music as well. This CD didn't disappoint me. It is all very traditional music, with little modern or western impact on it. The great majority of the music on this CD focuses in on the music of Upper Egypt, with the accompanying Sudanese and Nubian influences. If you enjoy African (well, sub-saharan African) music, the you will certainly get a kick out of this CD. Its a side of Egypt that you rarely hear much of. The rest of the music goes further towards the Nile delta, but interestingly enough focuses in on the classical and folk music of that region, rather than the more "exotic" music that some people look for. However, the music of Upper Egypt was excellent and takes a prominent place in my mind whenever I think of this CD. If you have an interest in historical and cultural music, especially that of Africa buy this CD. It may very well represent the closest music to that of ancient Egypt outside of the Copts. However, if you are looking for belly dance music, you may be somewhat disappointed. I just wish I could find more music from around the Sudan...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rousing and danceable, June 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Music of Upper & Lower Egypt (Audio CD)

I'm a student of Middle Eastern dance, and bought this album on the recommendation of the FatChanceBellyDance troupe of San Francisco. It's great: the Nubian selections are energetic and rousing (although I think that dancing to "Allah" would be in extremely bad taste!). The Sa'idi tracks contain considerable rhythmic and instrumental variation, and are challenging to dance to, but I think they'd make great concert routines.
However, even a non-dancing lover of world music would find this album of interest. It was recorded 20 years ago, before Western music had made much inroads into Egyptian popular culture. Also, the Nubian people (many of whom were displaced by the completion of the Aswan Dam in 1971) had more cultural coherence then than now, so the album has great historical as well as musical value. The audio quality is impressive for a live recording, too, and the performances are unselfconscious.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars real down to earth fellahi music, September 4, 2000

By 

"the_dervish" (Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music of Upper & Lower Egypt (Audio CD)

To be able to hear real fellahi music recorded on the spot is a rare opportunity. You can actually hear the closness to the African (Sudan) border. I love it! If only I could find more of this. But, if you are after modern belly dance music you sure are in the wrong place.