Rimitti, Fripp, Flea & the Fowler boys

Searching through some underplayed albums for something different for the first show of the new season, and I came across  Rimitti this lunchtime. What tempted me to take down the two albums by this artist, was being reminded that Robert Fripp and Flea guest on (I think) all the tracks on Sidi Mansour and Cheikha Rimitti, plus former Beefheart and Zappa members the Fowler brothers are providing some of the brass.  A little websearching revealed the grande dame /diva of Algerian Rai Cheikha Rimitti died in Paris this May aged 83 - 48 hours after doing a sold out gig. But it was her Sidi Mansour recorded in LA which influenced a lot of  Arabic musicians into  broadening their references to include rock music. Having spent the last decade slowly getting into Arabic and related music, means that Rimitti stays down and not gaining dust on the shelves. This hybrid of modern World music with  funk rock and soundscapes, works amazingly well and recommended to those who have not heard this artist. I note the obituary in the London Times makes particular reference to Sidi Mansour as a ground breaking record - while this album has 9 tracks, Cheikha Rimitti from the same sessions consists of 4 long tracks of essentially remixes.

East bay ray from the Dead kennedys is on that too its cool i would recommend it.