André Msane, oud
Born in 1974
BA in Musicology from Saint-Esprit University, Kaslik (Lebanon)
Diploma on the oud from the Higher National Conservatory of Music, Beirut
Runner-up in the oud category of the Studio al-Fann competition in 1992
Teacher at the Conservatory since 1998
André Msane’s break came in 1992, when he was just 18, through the famed Studio El- Fann talent show, in which he underlined his talents as faithful interpreter of the ancient musical tradition of the oriental maqams (learned through the teaching of the master, Georges Farah). Msane aims to bring innovation to his practice of the oud while remaining faithful to the spirit of improvisation and variation that is the essence of oriental music. Deeply steeped in the popular repertory of Lebanon’s different regions – from dabke dances to musical styles ranging from ataba to mijana, an expertise hat has enabled him to accompany the legendary singer Wadi el-Safi – his training in musicology at Kaslik University (whose reputation in the domain of Oriental music needs no introduction) further developed a deep understanding of the Syriac modes of the Maronite liturgical tradition. His training was crowned by two concerts with the Kaslik Choir at the Vatican, under the celebrated director Louis Hajje. Msane is the only graduate in musicology to have chosen to specialize on the oud at Beirut’s Higher National Conservatory of Music, where he now teaches. His talents have been on displ y for several years now in numerous recordings, whether accompanied or in his own compositions.

André Msane, oud
Joseph Karam, nay
David Abou Atmeh, qanoun
Patrick Msane, percussions
Jihad Harfouche, basse
David Estefan, daff

http://www.andremsane.com/

Track List:
1 – Tahiyya (تحية (03:28
2 – ‘Abir (عبير (04:37
3 – 86/100 (04:17)
4 – Ghunj (غنج (04:19
5 – Hurub (هروب (06:12
6 – Longa Bayati (لونغا بياتي (03:53
7 – ‘Achiq (عاشق (02:55
8 – La Tabki (لا تبك (06:13
9 – Nassim Al-Chark (نسيم الشرق (12:41

Duration: 48:35 | Bitrate: 192 kBit/s | Year: 2004 | Size: 71 mb

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Tags: André Msane, Instrumental, Lebanon, oud, Souffle d'orient, أندره مسن, أندريه مسن, سراج, سراج على سراج, عزف, عود, نسيم الشرق

Album: Abu Nawas Rhapsody
Artist: Dhafer Youssef
Country: Tunisia

Dhafer Youssef (born 1967 in Teboulba, Tunisia) is a composer, vocalist, and oud player. He has been living and working in various European countries since 1990. During this time he had the opportunity to perform his music on stages in Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and other countries as well as his native Tunisia (where he started singing in the Islamic tradition  at age 5 ).

Dhafer Youssef’s music is rooted in the Sufi tradition and other mystical music but has always been wide open to ideas from any other musical culture as well as the jazz scene. With his poetic approach on the oud (the Arabic lute), his complex Arab-colored compositions and especially his deeply affecting singing when humming along with his melodies, Dhafer Youssef is one of the most impressive voices to emerge in this musical field in many years. Testifying a wide range of sound colors, stylistic facets and musical ingredients, Dhafer Youssef opens the way to a new definition of East-Western crossover.

http://www.dhaferyoussef.com/

Track List:

01 -  Sacré (04:55)
02 -  Les Ondes Orientales (09:10)
03 -  Khamsa (07:39)
04 -  Interl’Oud (01:44)
05 -  Odd Elegy (04:54)
06 -  In The Name Of Love (04:08)
07 -  Shaouk (02:08)
08 -  Shatha (05:23)
09 -  Mudamatan (04:52)
10 -  Sabaa (Hayastan Dance) (05:01)
11 -  Sura (06:07)
12 -  Profane (04:40)

Duration: 60:39 | Bitrate: 320 kBit/s | Year: 2010 | Size: 140 mb

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Dhafer Albums on Suraj :
Dhafer youssef – 2008 – Live at Cully Jazz Festival 2008 ظافر يوسف – مهرجان الجاز في مدينة كولي في سويسرا
Dhafer Youssef – 2003 – Digital Prophecy
Dhafer Youssef – 2001 – Electric Sufi

Tags: Abu Nawas, Dhafer, Hayastan Dance, Instrumental, Khamsa, Les Ondes Orientales, Mudamatan, Odd Elegy, oud, Profane, Rhapsody, Sacré, Sufi, Suraj, Tunisia, أبو نواس, أبو نواس رابسودي, أبونوّاس, تحميل, رابسودية, سراج, سراج على سراج, ظافر, يوسف

Bassem Rizk was born on April 10, 1979 in Achrafieh, Beirut (Lebanon). The capital was then ravaged by war, and resulted in the forced relocation of his family to Amchit near Byblos, cradle of the Phoenician civilization and the alphabet. Surrounded by a family of artists and largely inspired by the musical passion of his father, who also played this string musical instrument, Bassem was initiated to the rudiments of the oud (Arabic lute), at a very young age. At five-year old, Bassem drew media attention thanks to his exceptional talent and virtuosity playing on the oud, keyboard, and the tabla (percussion instrument).

Viewed as a true musical phenomenon, he was broadcasted on all the regional radio stations. At the age of fifteen, driven by his curiosity to learn more about the oud, he was introduced to the method of the “School of Iraq” tutored by the famous musician Munir Bashir. This great master of music awakened Bassem’s passion to take on in-depth studies in order to fully understand the complexity of the oud, whose origins date back more than 4000 years. During his studies, he returned to the roots of the fundamentals of the oud and studied different works and essays of school famous luminaries, Al-Sharif Mohiedine Haydar, Shouker Selman, and Jamil Munir Bachir.
After his own personal experimentation on the oud, he again attracted the attention of music critics with his performances of “maqam”, a style that demonstrates a great mastery of counterpoint and musical discourse. At the age of twenty, he enrolled at the National Conservatory in Beirut.
Throughout his journey, Bassem deepened his musical culture appreciation through his studies of theories of eastern music. He participated and won the 3rd prize at the prestigious international competition of the Arab League in cooperation with the University of the Holy Spirit at Kaslik – USEK, Lebanon.
Bassem is tenacious in contributing assiduously to the development of different approaches related to the musical oud. Driven by his love for music and this noble instrument, Bassem aims to provide a new tone -, a young, updated and modern musical approach accessible to all.
Through his musical research he has envisioned and developed ways that enable him to break the “wall” between East and West. He has drawn the attention of various directors in the theaters and movies industries for whom he has composed original music to underpin their respective works.

In 2004, he released his first CD entitled “Echoes From A Past” upon containing all exclusively original compositions bear his signature. In 2005, Bassem completed the development of a new oud method, which began to be taught at the EDMGY, (The Ghassan Yammine school of music) in Lebanon.
Bassem currently performs on prestigious musical stages in Lebanon and various European countries. Considered by many critics to the new hope of classical Arabic music, Bassem Rizk is currently one of the pillars of his generation regarding for his knowledge and mastery of the oud.

http://www.bassemrizk.com/

Track List:

1 -  To My Father (إلى أبي (05:21
2 -  Hanine (حنين (04:36
3 -  Catoons (صور متحركة (01:50
4 -  Hijaz Kar (حجاز كار (08:06
5 -  Echoes From A Past (صدى من ماض (02:06
6 -  Organza (أورغانزا (04:31
7 -  Hamasat (Whispers) (همسات (04:40
8 -  Story Of Roses (حكاية ورد (02:49
9 -  Virtuose (فيرتويوز (03:59

Duration : 33:58 | Bitarte : 192 kBit/s | Year : 2004 | Size : 59 mb

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Tags: Bassem Rizk, Instrumental, Lebanon, oud, باسم رزق, سراج, سراج على سراج, عود, لبنان

Omara Portuondo Peláez (b. Havana, 29 October 1930) is a Cuban singer and dancer whose career has spanned over half a century. She was one of the original members of the Cuarteto d’Aida, and returned to perform with The Buena Vista Social Club ensemble.

BBC Review:

Omara Portuondo made her solo debut for World Circuit in 2000, three years after her show-stealing cameo with Compay Segundo singing ‘Veinte Años’ on the block-busting Buena Vista Social Club album.
Her solo career actually dates back to 1959 and she’s done numerous records, but only World Circuit have given The ‘Buena Vista sista’ the red carpet treatment and lush settings she really deserves.

Buena Vista Social Club presents Omara Portuondo found her in the very capable hands of musical director Demetrio Muñiz and was a tough act to follow. This time around, World Circuit founder and producer Nick Gold has chosen to work with Muñiz again as well as Brazilian producer Alê Siquiera, known for his work with Carlinhos Brown and Caetano Veloso. Once more, the songs are mostly vintage pieces from the Great Cuban Songbook.

The closing ‘Casa Calor’ is a strangely stirring retro-futurist offering by Brown, which sounds almost like it might have fallen off the track-listing from last year’s wonderful joint album by Ry Cooder and Manuel Galbán. The former Los Zafiros guitarist maintains an uncharacteristically discreet presence on rhythm guitar throughout much of ‘Flor de Amor’, even though both ‘Hermosa Habana’ and ‘He venido a decirte’ (one of Omara’s finest vocals) were originally performed by Los Zafiros.

It’s the guitars and their relations that really shine, most notably in the solo by Brazilian player Swami Jr. on the upbeat ‘Mueve la cintura mulato’. There’s a touch of laoud from Barbaríto Torres, and plenty of subtle licks from Irakere’s electric guitarists Carlos Emilio and Jorge Chicoy.

Lastly, tres player Papi Oviedo, (who’s been an entertaining live sidekick for the singer in recent years) backs her alone, and very tastefully, on ‘Amorosa Guajira’. It’s a sharp contrast with the sweeping strings and cooing backing vocals that feature in most of the other lush arrangements, along with plenty of demurely noodling clarinet by Javier Zalba.

Though she’s capable of Shirley Bassey-style belters, the focus is on the more intimate aspect of Omara’s work, with danzones, boleros, and guajiras dominating the fourteen tracks.

Maybe it’s the lack of duets, the absence of the late great Rubén González, the material or its sequencing, but somehow, gorgeous as it is, ‘Flor de Amor’ isn’t quite as memorable as its predecessor. That said, this is still one of the finest Cuban albums you’ll hear this year.

Jack Smith (2004-03-25)

Track List:
1  -  Tabu (04:20)
2  -  Amor De Mis Amores (03:24)
3  -  Alma De Roca (03:35)
4  -  Mueve La Cintura Mulato (03:35)
5  -  Junto A Un Canaveral (03:30)
6  -  Hermosa Habana (03:48)
7  -  El Madrugador (03:33)
8  -  Amorosa Guajira (02:24)
9  -  Habanera Ven (03:28)
10 -  Si Llego A Besarte (03:19)
11 -  Flor De Amor (03:06)
12 -  Juramento (03:23)
13 -  He Venido A Decirte (03:49)
14 -  Casa Calor (04:08)

Duration : 49:22 | Bitarte : 320 kBit/s | Year : 2004 | Size : 115 mb

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Tags: Buena Vista Social Club, Cuarteto d'Aida, Flor De Amor, Jazz, Latin, Omara Portuondo, سراج, سراج على سراج