Rough Guide To Bellydance

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO BELLYDANCE (coll.)
World Music Network, 2002

MIDDLE EAST / Bellydance – As the liner notes point out, what we usually call “bellydance” is actually based on several parallel styles of Middle Eastern/Arabic music, from Egypt, Syria, Turkey, and other places. But it’s all fun. This is belly-shakin’, hookah-smokin’, get-up-and show-us-what-you-got music, great for backgrounds or straight listening. Lots of hand drums, cinematic strings, and exotic lutes set the table. And there’s actually much less of a cheese factor than you may think. Eat it up! There isn’t a bad track in the bunch.

NOTE: #2, 12 AND 15 ARE BY BAY AREA ARTISTS

RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15

01. 4:38 – fast & cool, long flute solo
02. 1:39 – Egyptian street percussion
03. 3:04 – dramatic string orchestra
04. 12:02 – absorbing accordion/trumpet
05. 5:27 – nifty rhythms, fine soloing
06. 5:35 – Arabian Nights atmosphere
07. 4:35 - some first rate finger-pickin’
08. 3:54 – light, airy whirling in 7 beats
09. 6:19 – slow and heavy Turkish gypsy folk
10. 1:50 – fast tabla march, a good interlude
11. 5:04 – very slinky, almost like a tango!
12. 3:29 – simple drum patterns & funny bits
13. 4:04 – fat camel-walk rhythms
14. 6:02 – bellydance jazz (w/harmonica!)
15. 3:11 – fast tabla, bongos, other perc.

[Fo] - 7/22/02