pieces from Al Sur 1

periodically i will be posting selections from the wonderful catalog of the now defunct Al Sur ("the wall" in Arabic) label, made available by the ever so generous and honorable Ambrose Bierce.

a fun and catchy album of soulful dance and pop tunes which welds together many styles: "Anefas Trankil, a.k.a. Akli D. was born to a musical family in Kabylia. Since leaving Algeria, he has lived in France and California, and Anefas Trankil, recorded in Paris, is his first complete album. The album has fascinating variety, from the pretty, banjo-driven "Taqb-Aylit (Kabylia)" to the rich polyrhythms of "A Tayri (Love)." One strong pop song, "Azul (Greetings to you)" has an interesting Afro-Celtic folk aspect to it, perhaps reflecting Akli's work with Celtic musicians in the United States. The words say, "Hey, mountains of Africa. Send us back the echo of a free people, the ones known as Tuareg." "Akka I D-Us (Look there)" is a beautiful, lightly funky song emphasizing the fast 12/8 rhythm common in much traditional Berber music. The notes (in French and English) and artwork are good. In the tradition of Matoub Lounes, Akli D. focuses poignantly on the plight of his people struggling for rights and recognition in Algeria."

Akli D. - Anefal Trankil

Akli Dehlis - vocals, 12-string guitar
Abdenour Mohamed - mandolin, banjo
Malek Hadjiat - e-guitar
Rachid Mammar - derbouka, bendir, karkabou, tambourin
Abdenour Djemai - guitar, banjo
Zahir Djemai - vocals, mandolin
Pierre Beaucamps Ebongue - bass
Hervé Le Bouche - drums
Jef Sicard - Clari-Ney
Sylvie Aioune - vocals
Aline Hurault - vocals
Enriqué José - guitar

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stately Persian classical music from Iran. google translated from French: "Eminence recognized the music Iranian Dariush TALA'I, which runs through the stages of the world for over 25 years, was the first to discover the Western public that these Persian lutes are târ (six-stringed lute) and setâr (three-stringed lute). ... After several discs, especially among Ocora, TALA'I began an Integral of the Persian music, including 5 volumes have been published in Al Sur. Meanwhile, Al Sur invites us to listen to the Lord in a context that particularly likes the scene, accompanied by a young prodigy percussion Iranian KHALADJ Madjid, who has already done for Al On a percussion solo album and another with the ney flute player Hossein OUMOUNI.

To my knowledge, no disk had recorded the meeting TALA'I and KHALADJ. This is now done with this recording of a 1996 concert in Utrecht. Through 14 themes chained, Dariush TALA'I explore, exclusively târ, different aspects of Persian music, a discipline with a precision that does not prevent the inventiveness and experimentation discreet. The rhythmic support of the tombak (or zarb, a term probably more widespread) Madjid KHALADJ revival, with a high degree of refinement, the connection of melodic târ, which gives us a great moment of poetry modal for the greatest satisfaction ears demanding and knowledgeable." -- Stéphane Fougère

Dariush Tala'i & Madjid Khaladj - En concert à Utrecht le 30 Août 1996

Dariush Tala'i - tar
Madjid Khaladj - tombak

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for all you bad, bad people out there (you know who you are), another gorgeous recording of Liturgical Chant from the first ever Christian state of Armenia. again google translates from French: "Akn aims to revive and develop the traditional interpretation of Armenian liturgical chant. The performances reflect the work developed under the direction of Aram Kerovpyan since 1990, which led to the creation of the Centre for the Study of Armenian liturgical chant, founded in January 1998 in Paris. ... traditional songs of the Armenian liturgy, including sharagan (hymns, tropes), form the body's largest directory. The psalmodie récitative and mélismatique, song of the Book of hours and optional melismatic singing, singing group or solo, are also part of the programmes submitted. Akn interprets this directory monophonic and modal in its original form. The drone is an integral part. Akn is a mixed choir, composed of 14 to 16 participants." -- http://akn-chant.org/fr

Akn - Chants liturgiques arméniens



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