What have you been listening to lately?

Amulya

Amulya

Moderator
I just discovered Azam Ali, her music is very fusion-like. It's something completely different, it's based on Persian music. I also discovered Niyaz (also a Persian fusion band)
Both I noticed on a radio app where you can make custom radio stations based on artists you like. It's a good way to find new music ideas. I created a few stations with fusion-ME and classic ME music and also a Turkish one, I'm sure I'm going to discover heaps more interesting new music :)

So what have you guys been listening to lately? Any recommendations?
 
Greek Bonfire

Greek Bonfire

Well-known member
I love Niyaz and Azam Ali. I'm not a fusion dancer but for listening pleasure I enjoy it very much. I've been listening more and more to Egyptian classics that have more modern arrangements yet still have the feel of the classical. That I listen to mostly for dancing and for practicing drills and improve. I also like to listen to Shaabi, and I love listening to Turkish, again mostly for my listening pleasure. But I wish I was more up to date on the actual artists and new releases that have been coming out.
 
Amulya

Amulya

Moderator
I'm totally out of date with current artists :( I have been mostly listening to Egyptian classics and some fusion (Natasha Atlas, Omar Faruk Takbilek and Ofra Haza are long time favourites of mine)

Can anyone update us on the current trends in music? :)
 
Farasha Hanem

Farasha Hanem

New member
I've been mainly concentrating on the classics for practice, and on the homework music from Darshiva. At work, I loop THIS song over and over and OVER on my iPhone during break:

[video=youtube_share;fUIlb-QxBa8]http://youtu.be/fUIlb-QxBa8[/video]

This has become my work theme song. >:/
 
Amulya

Amulya

Moderator
I played that song to death when I bought that CD! It was in the BDSS first CD, some good songs on there!
 
Greek Bonfire

Greek Bonfire

Well-known member
That's a great song! I am not that up to date on the newer stuff but even so, I keep going back to the classics. However, I like the classics when they are "re-done." For instance, I love "Habibi Ya Eini" by Nourhanne the best, and to my knowledge, it is the latest version of that song.
 
Amulya

Amulya

Moderator
I must say I have a weak spot for the older versions of classic songs, some new versions are good too, but old ones have the special atmosphere and sound to them :)
Imalso have been listening to modern radio stations on that app but is isn't appealing to me. I could be listening to the wrong music though.
 
Roshanna

Roshanna

New member
I like Azam Ali and Niyaz for listening to, though not really for dancing (I sometimes use them as stretching music though).

I've been going through a massive phase of listening to George Wassouf all the time, and am now geekily familiar with loads of his songs. Some of them are extremely danceable, especially if you like your music a bit angsty ;)

Right now, I'm starting to listen to a lot of Egyptian tarab music from the early 20th century, after reading the book 'Making music in the Arab world' which got me very interested in that kind of thing. I've also started learning oud recently (which I'm ridiculously excited about), and have been given some good music recommendations by my teacher, who is really into the music of that era. I'm particularly obsessed with the song 'zikrayati' at the moment, it's an absolutely gorgeous piece of music, with a lovely sense of melancholy and anticipation. Here is what's apparently the first recording of it, with the composer Mohammed Qasabji playing the oud: <a href="http://youtu.be/1BOHJo8ZQxM" target="_blank">[video=youtube_share;1BOHJo8ZQxM]http://youtu.be/1BOHJo8ZQxM[/video]

And here's a very old recording of Lamma Bada by Sheikh Sayed al-Safti, which I love - it's very different from modern versions, much more playful and nuanced: <a href="http://youtu.be/YnwUra0VqSI" target="_blank">[video=youtube_share;YnwUra0VqSI]http://youtu.be/YnwUra0VqSI[/video]

And coming back to the present day, when I want to listen to something more poppy I'm also rather enjoying Mohammed Assaf at the moment. His most recent song was a bit disappointing, but the previous couple I liked a lot:
<a href="http://youtu.be/xlnbYqhLtwI" target="_blank">[video=youtube_share;xlnbYqhLtwI]http://youtu.be/xlnbYqhLtwI[/video] (song starts at about 0:51)

<a href="http://youtu.be/jCOfMdXNSzs" target="_blank">[video=youtube_share;jCOfMdXNSzs]http://youtu.be/jCOfMdXNSzs[/video]
 
Safran

Safran

New member
Wow, Roshanna, learning to play the oud sounds very difficult... My plan is that one day when I retire from dancing, I will start learning qanoon, because it is my favourite instrument in the whole world!!!

As our resident DJ is Moroccan, I have been listening to a lot of Moroccan music lately. Not exactly performing music, but still awesome stuff... These two songs are my favourite ones...

http://youtu.be/SBLErHFgIu4

http://youtu.be/6xQt9iEBQWg
 
Roshanna

Roshanna

New member
Safran said:
Wow, Roshanna, learning to play the oud sounds very difficult... My plan is that one day when I retire from dancing, I will start learning qanoon, because it is my favourite instrument in the whole world!!!
Click to expand...

It helps that I have quite a few years of classical guitar training, so I have some muscle memory for playing a stringed instrument (though that means I find playing with a plectrum pretty weird) ;) to me the qanun sounds much more difficult, but I hope you do it one day, because that would be really cool.
I have a distant dream of being in an all-ladies takht one day when I'm old - I know a few dancers who are learning percussion, but not any who play any other Arabic instruments, so far...
 
Safran

Safran

New member
Roshanna said:
I have a distant dream of being in an all-ladies takht one day when I'm old - I know a few dancers who are learning percussion, but not any who play any other Arabic instruments, so far...
Click to expand...

Haha, I'll keep that in mind... one day I'll retire and move to your island... so if you need a qanoon player, count me in! :lol:
 
Daimona

Daimona

Moderator
The last week I've only been listening to birds (quite nice), the howling wind, rain hammering on the tent roof (not that pleasant) and someone trying to play flute and drums by the fire (not pleasant).
Tip (in general, has nothing to do with the previous posts) along the camp fire if there are many people you don't really know: If you don't play it well (whatever instrument) or understand what rhythm goes well to certain tunes, just keep it simple or don't play. Listening to the same tune (not well played) with a non-fitting rhythm (I almost believe this was one of the two rhythm he or she could play) almost made me aggressive (I could even hear them play through my ear plugs)...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top