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Label: Orientalissimo
Raja Zahr is an American music producer, singer and multi instrumentalist of Arab (Lebanese) origin. Here we go with the bare facts about this: his first album in a row of five releases between 1980 and 1984. The Arab folk influence is quite obvious on each track and gets more or less expanded if the specific song takes a turn into the realms of traditional music or comes as a plain and simple yet captivating pop song with great arrangements and haunting melodies. Mr. Zahr obviously had a fondness for classical music by Ludwig Van Beethoven since his track “Years passing by” is an adaption of Beethoven’s trademark composition “Ode an die Freude” with some Arab folk added. The lyrics are sung in Arab language as well. When I think of Miguel Ryos’ adaption named “Song of joy” ten years prior to this I have to pull my hat before Raja Zahr for this courageous and fascinating version. A melody from an European classic composition and rhythm patterns that belong to Arab music flow into another with ease. Music unites the world for sure. And even funk and synthesizer gimmicks in a disco fashion are familiar to Raja Zahr who is indeed a master of exciting music beyond all borders. Let it be soul, jazz, rock, Arab folk, European classics, pop and funk, whatever he touches and makes part of his sound vision works fairly well with the enchanted listener. Sometimes you may not even realize wether some folkish elements are Arab or Scottish. Sound and execution of the compositions are excellent. These folks know how to play their instruments but they do it with a nearly unearthly passion as if it was for their lives they play instead of just for entertainment reasons. No wonder original copies of this masterpiece of world music go for a few hundred $$$ if they turn up at all. Now’s your chance to grab your copy if you are a true world music aficionado with a free floating mind. Enjoy!
Track Listing
