Vince Millett
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Wise words from Brian Eno
Here's a news item about Brian Eno's new album:
Brian Eno
The article concludes::
He also believes Arabic pop music will be the "next reggae". "It will be the next outside-type music that sweeps the culture," he added.
"Everyone will be listening to it, thinking it's cool."
Maybe there will be some demand for a bunch of oud players.....
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DJCrabtree
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Anything the Eno says has to be taken seriously; he has an uncanny feel
for the future. Also interesting are his remarks on how records are made - the paramount place that performance has in the oud world is very much
the exception these days.
David
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DJCrabtree
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Mmmm ... on second thoughts, maybe Eno's talking out of his hat on this one.
It wasn't reggae that became a global phenomenon, it was Bob Marley, and no one making reggae music since has been able to seize the public
imagination in the way that he did.
And what western record label is going to introduce an Arabic star to the west in the way that Chris Blackwell and Island did with Marley ? The
industry simply won't take those kinds of risks these days, particularly in the current political climate.
And surely African music would have crossed over by now, after years of exposure, but no, it remains firmly in the 'World Music' racks.
So I don't think any of us will be called up for session work any time soon. Rant over.
David
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palestine48
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Actually in many clubs in san francisco, the house and techno dj's have been mixing in arabic, persian, and turkish music and beats into their
sessions.
The few arab DJ's out here do the same with hip hop. Arabic and hip/hop fusion and there are a few rappers who have sampled an arab beat or 2.
You are probably right crabtree that it might not be commercially succesful but I can see it having some kind of underground popularity.
Im not a pro DJ but I have a great interest in producing and Im curious if arabic songs can be infused with the recent latin regeaton movement.
I can just imagine lil jon screaming yaaa on all those records. he would sound like my grandfather
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ofadel
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also in San Francisco is MC Rai, a tunisian singing very modern arabic music. this is not for you classicists: http://www.mcrai.com
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Vince Millett
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Check out this website:
Ethnotechno
Check out the reviews page; there's a lot of music coming out.
There's already a thriving scene in the US and here in the UK.
May never be 'mainstream' but it exists and is doing well.
I'm sure a lot of the producers would love to work with oud players if they had the contacts.
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DJCrabtree
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Vince, Palestine & Ofadel
I agree completely - I was taking it that Eno was referring to a mainstream cross-over, which we all seem to think unlikely. Bhangra and other Asian
sounds are certainly having an impact in the UK, as is Rai in France - a reflection of the ethnic mix in each of those countries. And if Nitin Sawhney
can put the flamenco guitar at the heart of his music, then why not the oud ?
I wonder what the mix is on this site - how many of you regard the oud as principally a classical instrument to be approached in a
traditional/classical way, and how many are interested in placing the oud within a range of musical contexts ? I know it's not an us v. them
situation, but it would be interesting to get a feel for where young oud players would like to take their music.
Any thoughts ?
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mourad_X
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ethnotechno
hi folks
i have a track out released on the reflections vol. 2 album by "1k science"
it is called "path of life" it is in the radio-stream of ethnotechno-website
(there is a review also on ethno techno)
in this track i dit some programming, sampling... and a oud solo on my
former abdou dagher oud. you can hear/download it here http://1krecords.com/ on the music page.
i like this kind of tracks and working with newer technologies such as synths
samplers, computer (logic-audio) and organic instruments like my ouds and darboukas, bendirs etc.
but for live performing there is nothing like the traditional way of playing with my friends who are playing qanun, kamanja, perc. and me on the
oud
regards
mourad x
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billkilpatrick
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i'd love to see it introduced into the classical repertoire - classical arab music - but i think those who enjoy classical european guitar and lute
music won't take to the oud because of its mean-tone temperament. "atmospheric and moody" is ok for them, it seems to me, when it's produced on the
cello or violin but when frets are involved - the oud being closer to the guitar, etc.. - they prefer precision.
just my two cents.
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DJCrabtree
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Bill,
Your'e probably right, plus there's the belief among classical audiences that western harmony represents the pinnacle of musical achievement, and a
monodic music will never cut the mustard with those people (poor souls don't know what they're missing !). Mind you, I have to confess that I'm still
having trouble hearing the quarter-tones.
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DJCrabtree
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Thanks, Mourad
Enjoyed that - and beautifully produced. Five minutes longer and it would really get under the skin.
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Jonathan
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I think that one of the things that really helped is Sting's collaboration with Cheb Mami on Desert Rose. Sting's music is not really my thing, but I
do think it openned some doors. And palestine48 is right, there is a lot of Arabic and Turkish music in the clubs. Tarkan has had some pretty fair
success in the US. But, still, where is the oud in all this? Nowhere. Maybe it is still to come.
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Vince Millett
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I think the first place I ever heard oud was on Natasha Atlas tunes - which got me into the whole Global Beats thing in the first place. Also got me
into the classical Arabic music traditon; each can stimulate or feed an interest in the other.
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Greg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Vince Millett
He also believes Arabic pop music will be the "next reggae". "It will be the next outside-type music that sweeps the culture," he added. "Everyone
will be listening to it, thinking it's cool."
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I doubt it! Lebanese pop singer Elissa Khoury, who features heavily on Chris de Burgh's 2002 song "Lebanese Night," is still unknown outside of the
Arab countries where she is regarded as a big star.
Regards,
Greg
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palestine48
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Bill- Im sure you have heard Marcel Khalife's album Concerto de andalus. Its an awsome album with a good orchastral arrangement. Also in his dvd it
shows him playing with an eastern european symphony. I forget which one but I thought it was great. In regards to classical music though I think a
lot of times opera singers and alike, like to hit very high notes where as the oud rarely does. Maybe the oud is too mellow for most orchestras.
In regards where the oud is at at the music scene. I highly doubt its going to be glorified anymore, especially in arab pop. I think the reason is
cost. For a singer to have a full piece band on albums or shows costs a bundle. And whoever is behind the finances probably assumes they can get
away with a synth, percusion and a bass or electric guitar.
Ive noticed that drums are replacing other forms of percusion and the electric guitar and electric bass are replacing the oud. That is happening in
some mid east countries to, like lebanon. When the singers come visit america for shows, their bands are very simplistic. even wadih el safi didnt
have ouds in his band when he came here a couple years ago. Now thats sad.
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billkilpatrick
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no, i haven't heard marciel khalife's andalusian album - i'll look out for it.
before what-ever-it-was that was bought by sky television here in italy, i used to be able to pick up tv broadcasts from morocco, tunisia, libya, iraq
... etc.. hadn't a clue what was being said or what to expect but i'd hang on hoping to see someone playing the oud.
if what you say is true then it will certainly be a case of "we few ... we noble few" playing this wonderful instrument.
pt barnum, of circus fame was reported as saying that no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the american public. while this is true
there is also a sizable chunk of "us" that's looking for the real thing. maybe we shouldn't despair.
ciao - bill
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Jonathan
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I am not really a huge fan of electric oud, but I am surprised that it has not had a bigger impact in at least preserving the oud in some form in the
pop format. They are reliable, easy to transport, and as easy to use onstage as an electric guitar. And yet, sure enough, where there should be an
oud, there is a synth or an electric guitar.
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