Khcheich, Rima / Falak (Orbit)

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2011-09-11 Pull Date: 2011-11-13 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Nov 13 Nov 6 Oct 30 Oct 9 Oct 2
Airplays: 1 2 1 1 1

Recent Airplay
1. Oct 24, 2013: Arabology
Haflet Taraf (Luxurious Party)
4. Jun 05, 2012: Mediterraneans
Ashiqtou Maha (I Loved Maha)
2. Jan 30, 2013: Mediterraneans
Falak (Orbit)
5. May 17, 2012: Arabology
Falak (Orbit)
3. Oct 02, 2012: Mediterraneans
Harrama Al-Nawma (Sleep Is Forbidden)
6. Mar 27, 2012: Mediterraneans
Falak (Orbit)

Album Review
Abu Ramses
Reviewed 2011-08-25
Rima Khcheich, Falak (Orbit), (Jazz in Motion Records, dist. by Challenge Records Int. 2008)
ALL TRACKS FCC CLEAN Reviewed by Abu Ramses

Born in Khiam in south Lebanon, in 1974, Rima Khcheich began singing classical Arabic music (like Andalusian muwashshahat) at age 7. Later studied at Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music. Since 1999 she has taught classical Arabic singing at The Lebanese National Superior Conservatory of Music and been a faculty member of the Annual Arabic Music Retreat at Mount Holyoke College. Yallali was her 1st album. This is her second. Rima’s fluid voice, the center of these jazz fusion ballads, is accompanied by the Dutch Yuri Honing Jazz Ensemble: Yuri (sax); Tony Overwater (double bass); Maarten van der Grinten (guitar) Joost Lijbaart, drums. Many consider Khcheich the finest representative of Lebanese quality music, since Fairuz. Sounds like Palestinians Amal Murqus & Rim al-Banna.

Try 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Tracks
1. Harrama al-nawma (Sleep is forbidden) – mid-tempo. Soaring voice over tight jazz backup - 4:42
2. Falak (Orbit) – Mid-tempo love song, guitar and great vocal - 3:35
3. Haflet Taraf (Ultimate Party) - Guitar and wailing sax intro and solos; Latin beat - 3:56
4. Al-shayyalin (The Porters) - mid- to down-tempo; acoustic guitar & bass intro; sax on breaks; picks up ca 2:00 - 4:50
5. Foutina al-lathi – To 1:30, an extract from a recording made when she was 12 (voice & oud); shifts to mature voice. More traditional sound than most tracks; prominent percussion - 5:57
6. Kalam al-layl (Night Talk) – Big sax, relaxed bossa nova beat - 4:23
7. Muwashshah Munyati ‘aza Istibari Darwish (The muwashshah of ...) – Very slow; 14 beat rhythm by Joost Lijbaart's drums - 5:26
8. Ashiqtou Maha (I loved Maha) – Mixed beat with guitar, sax, keyboard; begins as jazz vocal; more Arabic influence @ 3:00; then back - 4:52
9. Mawwal Walaw (Even if) – Bass solo intro imitating Arabic oud. Composed by legendary Wadi‘ al-Safi; recorded live in in Beirut - 9:10

Track Listing
1. Harrama Al-Nawma (Sleep Is Forbidden)   5. Foutina Al-Lathi
2. Falak (Orbit)   6. Kalam Al-Layl (Night Talk)
3. Haflet Taraf (Luxurious Party)   7. Muwashshah Munyati Azza Istibari Darwish (Muwashshah Of...)
4. Al-Shayyalin (The Porters)   8. Ashiqtou Maha (I Loved Maha)
  9. Mawwal Walaw (Even If)