To listen to audio on Rock Paper Scissors you'll need to Get the Flash Player
Sample Track 1:
"Opening of Part One" from Taqasim
Sample Track 2:
"Opening of Part Two" from Taqasim
Sample Track 3:
"Opening of Part Three" from Taqasim
Buy Recording:
Taqasim
Layer 2
CD Pick (excerpt)
Click Here to go back.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, CD Pick (excerpt) >>

A world of cultural music is at listeners' fingertips
--by Ellis Widner

Around the world in eight CDs ....
.....

On to Paris (6) for Lebanon-bom Marcel Khalife. His latest, Taqasim (Nagam/Connecting Cultures), is three pieces of music inspired by the work of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. The pieces are duos for oud (a Near Eastern lute) and double bass. Khalife, an oud master, is accompanied by Peter Herbert on double bass and son Bachar Khalife on percussion. The music is uplifting, expansive, beautiful and sometimes unsettling.

How does one approach this traditionally rooted, but contemporary Arab music? Khalife suggests "deprogram yourself and explore the universe with your innate mind." Taqasim (which means improvisations) is a challenge, but one with many rewards.

..... 12/10/06
Click Here to go back.