Customer Reviews

Music of Upper & Lower Egypt

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

 

 

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...

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.

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.

I guess I'll be the one to wander off the beaten path in terms of of the music on this CD. I LOVE IT! It's primitiveness is what makes it so wonderful. I listen to it and feel as though I am part of the celebration! This is music made with what is naturally given to us, our voice and hands. Music in it's purest and most beautiful form. The basic-ness of the music is a valued part of my collection of music of the Middle East. Don't get me wrong, I dig George Abdo and Hossam Ramzy as much as the next person, and Natacha Atlas makes me shimmy with delight. But for me to truly understand and enjoy the music of the Middle East, and be a well-rounded student of Danse Orientale, I feel I must embrace the earthy, as well as the ethereal.

The cd is about the closest that Westeners minus the plane tripe will get to rural Egyptian music. Most of the songs comes from parts of extreme southern Egypt[that is Luxor and Aswan] but some tracks are a little further north in places like Qena which border Middle Egypt. The previous reviewers have unfairly branded this as unauthenic. Such criticism does not suprise be due to lack of understanding or knowledge that some have of rural Egypt. I would argue that this cd is more Egyptian than most sha'abi due to the lack of western influence.

Anybody that is into anthropology or field recordings is for a musical treat. All the music is supervised by the late Nubian ethnomusicology/oud player,Hamaza el Din. The only thing missing from a otherwise wonderful cd is funeral laments from Luxor and fallahin music from the Delta. Buy this Cd if you are into rural Egyptian music or a anthropology buff.

This sounds great. Recorded in Egypt by Mickey Hart, these folk songs span the expanse of Egyptian culture, including group wedding songs, religious paeans, and call-and-response gatherings. Strong vocals and decidedly non-Western beats make for a powerfully hypnotic listening experience.

I will agree with some other reviewers who said this is not good belly-dance music, because it isn't. However, that's because most modern belly-dance music has some Western influence. The tracks on "Music of Upper and Lower Egypt" aim to capture the authentic local flavor of folk musicians in various parts of Egypt, and the end product is fascinating to listen to if you're willing to set aside our normal Western aesthetic for a few minutes. 'La Rab Toba' is probably my favorite, just because the long droning notes of the ney(?)flute are so foreign but so intriguing. This is the sort of stuff I could have seen one of the grad students in my figure-drawing classes in college whip out and put on our classroom stereo, because we were always experimenting with ethnic, folk and 'alternative' music that lacked discernable lyrics. This is a good hint to anyone in art school themselves, if you're looking for something unique to add to your art experience, this CD is a good choice.

This has a nice easy beat to follow would be good for beginning students of oriental dance.

Side 2 is the best side to listen to on the tape. Each song on side 1 seems almost identical. I am still looking for some great music on ancient egypt. Please email me with some anyone! thanks

I purchased this CD once and took it right back for an exchange. I love most Middle EAstern music but this one was difficult for me to listen to.