Alhaj, Rahim / When The Soul Is Settled: Music Of Iraq
| Album: | When The Soul Is Settled: Music Of Iraq | Collection: | World | |
| Artist: | Alhaj, Rahim | Added: | Nov 2006 | |
| Label: | Smithsonian/Folkways | |||
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2007-03-11 | Pull Date: | 2007-05-13 | Charts: | Reggae/World |
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| Week Ending: | May 13 | Mar 25 | Mar 18 |
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| Airplays: | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Jan 23, 2013: | Mediterraneans
Taqsim Maqam Ajam |
4. | Mar 15, 2012: | Arabology
Taqsim Maqam Mukhalif |
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| 2. | Aug 30, 2012: | In Your Ear | Global Radio | Nancy Davenport
Taqsim Maqam Sharqi Rast |
5. | Feb 07, 2012: | Mediterraneans
Taqsim Maqam Ajam |
|
| 3. | Apr 10, 2012: | Mediterraneans
Taqsim Maqam Ajam |
6. | Mar 10, 2011: | Double Daydream Disaster
Taqsim Maqam Ajam |
Album Review
MichaS
Reviewed 2007-03-12
Reviewed 2007-03-12
Improvisational Oud music based on Iraqi traditions, accompanied sometimes by basic percussion. Great stuff –peaceful and meditative. Each piece is based on a traditional maqam, where maqam is a musical system (scale, melodic formulae, mood), which is similar conceptually to the Indian Raga. Each piece begins with an introduction to the maqam, followed by the main improvisational part (taqsim; quite modern in its approach) and ends with the instrumental version of the corresponding traditional song. Classically-trained Alhaj (Arab Classic) left Iraq in 1990 for Jordan and later Syria, and moved to the US in 2000, currently living in New Mexico.
1. Mid-tempo. Percussion (Tambourine) enters at 4:51.
2. Slow, sad and sparse, accompanied by Tambourine. Gets faster at 3:30.
*3. Mid-tempo with some sparser parts. Very atmospheric Arab music. Percussion joins at 5:50 with a rapid belly-dancing (sort of) bounce.
4. Slow to begin and reflective, percussion joins at 5:46 with a mid-tempo rhythm.
5. Mid-tempo.
*6. Slow and plaintive. Solemn percussion joins at 4:58.
7. Rhythmic yet solemn opening, tense developing with up and down scales.
8. Relatively fast, almost belly-dancing-like.
9. Slow and grieving.
1. Mid-tempo. Percussion (Tambourine) enters at 4:51.
2. Slow, sad and sparse, accompanied by Tambourine. Gets faster at 3:30.
*3. Mid-tempo with some sparser parts. Very atmospheric Arab music. Percussion joins at 5:50 with a rapid belly-dancing (sort of) bounce.
4. Slow to begin and reflective, percussion joins at 5:46 with a mid-tempo rhythm.
5. Mid-tempo.
*6. Slow and plaintive. Solemn percussion joins at 4:58.
7. Rhythmic yet solemn opening, tense developing with up and down scales.
8. Relatively fast, almost belly-dancing-like.
9. Slow and grieving.
Track Listing