Your favorite CD's right now?

[Yshka]

Dear all,

as I have been expanding my music collection over the past year I've come across many albums in a short period of time that I love, and some that I love a little less .

Which albums have you bought recently that you really love, or which ones do you still love after years and years because the music is timeless or special? Write about your experiences with recent music buys! What drew you to buying certain CD's and were they worth it?

 

[gisela]

I bought Star Dance vol. 3 not so long ago. It has been re-released on cd and download. I am not sure it has ever been sold on anything other than casette. It is really nice and has a few gorgeous orientals on it. I bought it on itunes but here's another link for it.
Ibrahim El Samahy, Dr. Reda Ragab Ensemble & Said El Artist | Star Dance, Vol. 3 | CD Baby

 

[Safran]

Oh, I love the Star Dance CD! Every single song on it is great!

I've been on a khaleegy wave lately, and found this album
Khaleejee Superstar by Various Artists - Download Khaleejee Superstar on iTunes
(I got mine from emusic though)

The cover can be a bit off-putting, but there are great khaleegy tracks on the album!

 

[Sherezade]

I've been collecting the "Bellydance Superstars" CDs. Very nice.

 

[Alexandrian]

How 'bout make one's own CD. Call this one "Taheya Carioca's Umm Kulthum favs":

1- Riad Al-Sunbati's "Gaddedt Hobbak Leih". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1954. 1st Movement.
2- Riad Al-Sunbati's "Hagartak". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1958. 2nd Movement.
3- Riad Al-Sunbati's "Lessah Faker". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1963. 3rd Movement.
4- Mohammad Abdel Wahab's "Enta Omri". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1964. 1st Movement.
5- Mohammad Abdel Wahab's "Leylet Hobb". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1973. 1st Movement.
6- Mohammad Abdel Wahab's "Aghadan Alqak". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1971. 3rd Movement.
7- Baligh Hamdi's "Enta Fein Wel Hobb Fein". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1960. 1st Movement.
8- Baligh Hamdi's "Be'id Annak". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1965. 2nd Movement.
9- Mohammad Al-Mogi's "Le' Sabr Hdoud". Umm Kulthum Studio Recording LP 1964. 2nd Movement.

Total Time: 79:24

 

[Ariadne]

Right now my favorite CD's are still the "Beginners Guide to Bellydance" 3CD set, I can't recommend it enough. My teacher checked it out and the next thing I knew she had bought her own set.

However, I am really happy with my two most recent purchases:

Bellydance with Jim Boz
Sharki Roma - Wandering​

I don't think you can even buy the Jim Boz CD anymore, I bought it used off my dance teacher. She's been selling off some of her inventory lately and when I saw it on the list I jumped on it. Wandering was a present from my husband and he paid a small fortune to have it shipped from Japan. He could have download it from iTunes for much less but I refuse to use iTunes, but that's just me.

 

[Darshiva]

Ariadne, I have been after that first one for a while now. I saw it for sale one time & I didn't have enough money & when I did get the money together for it it had sold. I haven't seen it anywhere since.

 

[Aniseteph]

How 'bout make one's own CD. Call this one "Taheya Carioca's Umm Kulthum favs":...

Ooh, might have to track down some of those, sounds rather awesome.

The first belly dancing CD I ever got was this: Exotic Oriental Belly Dancing: L'Orchestre de Danse Orientale: Amazon.co.uk: Music
I was clueless, it was cheap. It sounded weird and to my noob ears pretty undanceable. It had a snotty review somewhere or other about how crap it was (but hey, what doesn't?).



I am sooo fond of this CD and keep going back to it, it's kinda grown with me. I think at least some tracks are rips from old Egyptian film soundtracks but all the tracks are listed with stupid names - "Plumed Serpent", "Harem Dance" etc. ).

The songs sound more and more danceable over the years, which always makes me wonder what this type of music sounds like to less "acclimatised" ears - I love so&so song but what will an audience hear - what I heard when I first got this CD? It reminds me how much I've learnt.

I love the trickle feed of identifying the tracks over the years, not only the versions on this CD (e.g. a young Soheir Zaki dancing to one on YouTube) but occasionally a song. Here or Bhuz got me on to an old song I really liked, so I scoured YouTube for it, downloaded a version by Nancy Ajram, played it lots, was sitting on the train listening to this old CD again after a gap... and there was this old song, there all the time. Made my day. You gotta love a CD that gives you squeeee! moments like that.

 

[Ariadne]

Ariadne, I have been after that first one for a while now. I saw it for sale one time & I didn't have enough money & when I did get the money together for it it had sold. I haven't seen it anywhere since.

I don't know if it helps at all but it's available on Amazon.co.uk also. According to the amazon help page Amazon.com does ship CD's to Australia for $4.99 and Amazon.co.uk has free Super Saver Delivery to Australia until Sept 30th. Best of luck!

Unless you meant the Jim Boz CD in which case I have no idea where you might find it. I was very lucky.

 

[Darshiva]

Jim Boz is doing workshops in Australia soon. If he comes to Melbourne I can ask him!

But yes, it was the beginner's guide to bellydance I spoke of.