Mike's Oud Forums

Handmade: Charbel Rouhana & The Beirut Oriental Ensemble

ALAMI - 7-4-2008 at 12:41 PM

A new CD released by Charbel Rouhana.

The press release says:
"On the 19th of March 2008 Charbel Rouhana and the Beirut Oriental Ensemble entered the Forward Music Studio for four consecutive days.
The result was a magnificent Live performance by the five musicians that culminated in the recording of 11 musical compositions. This CD marks the counterpoint to the turbulent lives we are leading and provides an escape from the daily madness. There are no songs here - just deep contemplative music, truthful expression and beautiful musicianship."

I love this CD, I feel that Charbel is maturing, no virtuosity show off in this CD, just a deep and true music. Some traditional pieces like Bent El Chalabiah and Ya Asmar and Diyarna, others more personal : first meeting, second meeting, a joyful Wedding piece and others.

The ensemble is a traditional takht with oud, violin, bouzoq and tabla, one exception: the deep and walking bass of Abboud Saadi.

I hope that Charbel will continue evolving in this direction rather than Oriental Jazz or Western Classical, in the second part of Bint El Chalabiah a long taksim where we can feel the journeys of Charbel in Jazzland.

On the back cover: "Organic Music made of genetically unmodified local seeds"

In this CD he is playing his Fadi Matta oud as it looks from the photos inside.

ALAMI - 7-4-2008 at 12:48 PM

I am attaching a trimmed version Bint El Chalabiah for review.

katakofka - 7-4-2008 at 02:25 PM

Thanks Alami
Always a pleasure hearing Charbel