Sahra

Khaled | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 13, 1997)
• Original Release Date: May 13, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fontana Island
• ASIN: B000001EZ1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,096 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > World Music > Africa > Algeria
  • #54 in Music > World Music > Middle East > Arabic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars eclectic and electric, November 6, 2003

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sahra (Audio CD)

There is a subtle jazzy sound to this CD when compared to some of Khaled's other releases, as well as a mix of styles, but this master of the rai genre excels at them all. Some superb musicians are included, and I especially like "Detni Essekra", which reminds me of a tango, with its emphasis on piano (Boyan Zulfikapasic), stringbass (Bernard Paganotti) and accordion (Philippe Eidel).
"Ki Kounti" is another gem; recorded in Los Angeles, it is a duet with Saul Hernandez, composer and lead singer for Mexico's well known rock band Jaguares, and is sung partially in Spanish.
Three tracks were recorded in Jamaica, and have a marvelous bouncy reggae feel to them: "Lillah" has a terrific brass accompaniment, "Ouelli El Darek" nifty background vocals by the "I Threes", and "Mektoubi" is an all-out big band number.

My two favorites would be "Wahrane Wahrane", which like a traditional Arabic pop song has a string arrangement similar to what one would have heard backing the classic Egyptian singers of a generation ago, and the final track, "Hey Ouedi", with its mystical quality, is quite thrilling, with instruments seeming to imitate the sound of ululation.
"Oran Marseille" with rap group IAM, only works half-way for me (I like the Khaled parts and the instrumentation), but perhaps that is because I do not care for rap music. "Aisha" is a signature song for Khaled, and always great to hear.

Khaled is a pioneer of rai music, and his title of "King of Rai" is well deserved; with his gritty expressive voice, he has brought this music to every corner of the earth. Also recommended is his CD "Kutche", and the live performance album with Faudel and Rachid Taha, "1, 2, 3 Soleils".
Khaled co-wrote all the songs except "Hey Ouedi", which he wrote alone, the sound is excellent, the insert foldout has recording info but no liner notes or lyrics, and total time is 51'51.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible east-meets-west album!, October 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sahra (Audio CD)

Khaled delivers within this disc the most incredible taste of raï music ever. The music is exotic, but is sprinkled with influences of western hip-hop and pop and melts down into a sizzling, energetic, unique rythm! I recommend "Sahra," "Lillah," and "Walou Walou." The undeniable "Aicha," a unique, mesmerizing hit, has all the charm and romance of a pop ballad, without all the bubblegum and image fodder of western pop. This album is wonderful!!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!, July 3, 2003

By 

Sandra (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sahra (Audio CD)

I absolutely love this CD. I know Arabic myself, and I really have enjoyed the lyrics. This CD in particular is full of color and life. It surely would bring life to a party. In addition, Khaled's voice and his approach really send a message to the listener even if the listener themself does not understand the language. I extremely recommend this CD to anyone who is interested in embracing such a culture.