Reviews
Iran: Music of the Qajar Era
Infamous for their ineptitude, extravagance, despotism and venality, among other things, the Qajar dynasty is seldom praised when reflecting...
Reviewed in issue Jan/Feb/2015
L’âme du Luth
It does seem incredible, but some students at the Damascus Conservatory – where Waed Bouhassoun first studied – once told...
Reviewed in issue Jan/Feb/2015
The Rough Guide to Arabic Jazz
Some shocking musical crimes have been committed in the name of Arabic jazz: the number of unremarkable CDs of unbridled...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
Smile of Sun: Folk Music from Lorestan
Lorestan is an area of western Iran with its own language and culture; it's a region celebrated for its kamancheh...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
Blue Fields
Sister vocalists Marjan and Mahsa Vahdat have made a name for themselves in recent years with a number of joint...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
Iran: Classical Singing
While the voice of singer Mohammad Motamedi makes up an integral element of this release, the album also highlights the...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
Jalilah's Raks Sharki: Stage Cuts
Raqs sharki - literally ‘Eastern dance’ but more commonly known as bellydance - is a thriving international scene. There's probably...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
The Rough Guide to the Music of Palestine
Less than 20 years ago, a representative of the Palestinian National Authority in London warned me that “there wasn't much...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
Faran
Faran is an Israeli instrumental group playing their own compositions on traditional Middle Eastern instruments, including oud (lute), kamancheh (spike...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
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Hevra (Together)
After the controversy stirred by her debut, Ke‡e Kurdan, in 2004, the title of this album might refer to a...
Reviewed in issue October/2014
