Middle Eastern Sounding Music

Novalis wrote: Any recommendations on Middle Eastern sounding music? It doesn't have to be world/folk music or authentic Middle Eastern music, but it must have that Middle Eastern feel.

Check Orphaned Land from Turkey (if I remember correctly)

PS: I am sure you know what your sig means...

Dick Heath wrote: BroSpence wrote: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is featured on parts of the Passion soundtrack I believe.  He and Gabriel were buddies (and Nusrat was on his label). You should check out the Lawrence of Arabia soundtrack.  Great score, some arabesque flavors.  Great film too. I think a lot of my Anglo-Pakistani friends would cringe at the thought of  the Khan's family music, based on Qawwali, being located in the Middle East - instead 'Middle Eastern'  strictly refers to Arabic and/or Western Muslim music, so also take in Turkish and some eastern European - and indeed Israeli - musics.

As I had stated in my first post of the thread, I don't consider him middle eastern since he is from Pakistan, but he would be satisfying for what is being sought after.

Dick Heath wrote: BroSpence wrote: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is featured on parts of the Passion soundtrack I believe.  He and Gabriel were buddies (and Nusrat was on his label).You should check out the Lawrence of Arabia soundtrack.  Great score, some arabesque flavors.  Great film too. I think a lot of my Anglo-Pakistani friends would cringe at the thought of  the Khan's family music, based on Qawwali, being located in the Middle East - instead 'Middle Eastern'  strictly refers to Arabic and/or Western Muslim music, so also take in Turkish and some eastern European - and indeed Israeli - musics. Rachid Taha has alos been mentioned but the great diva of  Rai singers, who only died died last summer in her mid -80's, was Rimitti - her album Sidi Mansour, with Flea and Robert Fripp along with former members  of Zappa's brass section is an ear opener - and there is a remix album version of this too! Check out the Algerian/French group Duode - a great pun on what they play and there being two of them. Jonas Hellborg in one of his many  excursions into many musical territories, recorded Aram of Two Rivers, with Syrian traditional musicians. And Plant & Page's No Quarter has a very strong Middle Eastern flavour from Morocco to Egypt. BTW did Brian Jones' recording of Moroccan traditional musicians ever get a CD issue - reminded that Plant & Page apparently used the said same musicians some 20 years later?

I haven't heard any one mention Brian Jones' field recording in a long time, back in the day it was the number one hip obscure hard to find record out there. It was a real "name dropper" when you wanted to show underground your tastes were.

I forget the name of it, but I do remember it had field recordings that were processed through phase shifters in an attempt to sound more "psychedelic". I would imagine by today's standards it would be fairly "kitsch", but I may be wrong on that.

Agitation Free -Malesch is worth checking out.'Krautrock' goes middle-east.

Popol Vuh's 1970's (especially) material took it's influence from both the Middle and Far East.

Magic Carpet - s/t. The band fronted by guitar/sitar player,Clem Alford

Quintessence. Any of their albums but my favourite is 'In Blissful Company.Fantastic prog/psych/eastern vibes.Some amazing guitar work on all of the albums.The even had a minor hit with a single called,'Notting Hill Gate.'   

Edited by Man Erg - March 27 2008 at 07:23

For old school prog with eastern tinges, you could do worse than try Rennaisance's 'Shehezerade' (especially live at Carnegie Hall) or even Robert Plant & Jimmy Page's album 'No Quarter' (classic Zeppelin songs backed by a Moroccan orchestra).

Sean mentioned the great Rachid Taha - quite a hard album, but I'd recommend 'Made In Medina':



Steve Hillage works with Taha a lot & this is the album which fuses both their styles very well.

Also from Algeria, check out Claud Chalhoub's self titled album:



A fusion of eastern influenced classical music with modern production & beats - great chillout album

How about eastern influenced dance music? It may be a bit of a search to get this one (well worth it though), but check out Max Pashm's 'Weddings Bar Mitzhavs & Funerals':



I kid you not - Hassidic Jewish Trance - a blinding album!

Going further east (and he's been mentioned here a couple of times before), you need to hear the late, lamented Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, one of the qawwali (Sufi devotional vocalising) performers/teachers... don't be put off by the description, his albums are haunting; problem is, there are so many of them, so just choose one at random.

in terms of progressive music, ozric tentacles include a lot of middle eastern influence in their music.

it's not exactly middle eastern, but there is a genre of music that originated in Algeria called Rai that I really enjoy. The more modern stuff is kind of a mixture of Algerian folk, French, and rock music. Some good artists would be Rachid Taha, Khaled, and Faudel.

For completeness: the Marcus Miller album is called Free, and the song that is (most) influenced by the Turkish instrument is called Blast.

Embryo are of course to be mentioned too. try "Embryo's Reise" for a start; also the solo albums of Roman Bunka, their guitar and oud player

Secret Chiefs 3.  Although they mix it up with other styles, it's mainly based in Middle Eastern musics.

Maybe a bit different cup of tea, but Marcus Miller got inspiration from a Turkish, clarinet like instrument on his last album. It sounds fun, have a listen if you get a chance.