CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

When the Soul Is Settled: Music of Iraq

by: Rahim Alhaj, Souhail Kaspar

Release Date October 24, 2006
Playing Time - 73:26 -- Rahim Alhaj is a master of the oud (Arabic lute). All but one of the nine tracks span between 7-11 minutes. Alhaj's original taqsim (instrumental improvisations) provide a contemporary interpretation of maqams (the unique pitches on the Arabic musical scale along with their melodic movement). Alhaj's material is also rooted in and derived from this Iraqi musical tradition. For example, "Taqsim Maqam Hijaz" includes a rendition of the famous Iraqi song "Atop the Palm Tree." In fact, each piece includes improvisation followed by a famous song. While it might have been more interesting for some of the pieces to be arranged with a fuller maqam ensemble sound of spike fiddle (joza) and dulcimer (santur) too, some of the cuts ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Khaliji

Release Date 2002
Playing Time - 73:26 -- Rahim Alhaj is a master of the oud (Arabic lute). All but one of the nine tracks span between 7-11 minutes. Alhaj's original taqsim (instrumental improvisations) provide a contemporary interpretation of maqams (the unique pitches on the Arabic musical scale along with their melodic movement). Alhaj's material is also rooted in and derived from this Iraqi musical tradition. For example, "Taqsim Maqam Hijaz" includes a rendition of the famous Iraqi song "Atop the Palm Tree." In fact, each piece includes improvisation followed by a famous song. While it might have been more interesting for some of the pieces to be arranged with a fuller maqam ensemble sound of spike fiddle (joza) and dulcimer (santur) too, some of the cuts ... Read More: