Turkish Delight

Another one of those things with really interesting music hidden inside a dubious cover. Side one is really more Macedonian gypsy music (Esma Rejepova & Stevo Teodsievski being present) while side 2 features the Dolgru Yol Turkish Ensemble doing exactly what you'd want them to do. Monitor Records had an interesting run there, lots of very good and authentic folkloric style music repackaged into at best cheesy and often slightly lurid covers- an interesting artistic concept for a label, but not too different to several of the current reissue labels do nowadays. Get the gypsy/Ottoman party here.

Discostan

LA folks come on over, I've got new stuff from Egypt to play in honor of the dancers, and it'll be fun. Music post in the next day or two I promise, life has been hectic.......

Godard Soundtracks (pt1)

From yet another limited edition vinyl bootleg we have some Nouvelle Vague genius. This disc includes the very brilliant ye-ye of Chantal Goya from the 'Masculin-Feminin' soundtrack as well as Antoine Duhamel's moody 'Weekend' classicism, a berserk Claude Channes track from 'La Chinoise' and Gabriel Yared's 'Sauve Qui Peut' contribution. It's wonderful stuff, music to chain smoke Gauloises to while contemplating the pitiable state of consumerist society. Obtenir ici.

Farid al-Atrash

Or El-Atrache, in French, or فريد الأطرش, whichever you choose he was a superstar. King of the Oud, starred in over 30 movies and a great romantic figure ('marriage kills art' says Farid as he squires around beautiful dancers and assorted royalty) all of which is backed up by a fabulously rich and emotive voice. Couple of live songs here, and this is a clip from one of his movies with the lovely Samia Gamal, his companion for much of his life.

Solaris

Eduard Artemyev's soundtrack is as much a work of genius as Tarkovsky's film- stripped down electronics that absolutely captures the feeling of foreboding and alienation that the film drips with. Ideal on a grey afternoon like this one. музыка здесь

Ziad Rahbani- Bellydance!

Apologies for the lack of action, it's been a mad month. I haven't been entirely useless though, there's music getting uploaded and ready to go. This item, despite the dubious cover, is a great place to launch back in. From 1972, it's Ziad Rahbani's debut recording. Solidly good and traditional cabaret stuff, killer band with Setrak Sarkissian on tabla- his name is on a few records I like and the young Ziad laying down some excellent organ lines. It's here, and courtesy of a lovely Lebanese, here's the later slick and chanson-y Ziad. Enjoy.

 

Sadan Sakib

A 45 this time, and I know nothing more about it than what you see on the sleeve. I couldn't find any info on Sadan, but he sung with Esma Redzepova and the Ensemble Toedosievski on a number of recordings, so this must have been an early solo effort. Whatever it is, it's good and it's here.