High quality field recordings and ethnic sound.

Charcoal Gypsies

Option: "...melodies that alternate between epic and sentimental, with an emphasis on elliptically metaphoric love songs.... beautifully orchestrated-- hypnotic, luscious virtuosic....stands with the best in all the world."

The Beat: "...Of the many releases... CHARCOAL GYPSIES is the title most likely to induce its audience to crumple, smiling all the while."

Luxor To Isna

I love this one - very ethnic, raw, simple but beautiful music. Traditional music from upper Egypt.

I haven't heard this one, but its their first release and should be excellent.

Lots of good stuff - authentic sound and feel. Not quite traditional, but excellent and moving.

Passion

The sound track from The Last Temptation of Christ. Wonderful passionate music, I use this in my classes every week. Hossam Ramzy plays on this.

Passion Sources

These are the field recordings that Peter Gabriel used as the foundation for his work on Passion - A variety of things here, high quality, some really good ethnic stuff.

A singer from Yemen, Ofra has a beautiful, classical Arabic trained voice. Her music includes both traditional elements and modern instrumentation... very nice stuff. If you like a more modern / rock sound, you will really like some of these pieces. Others have a more traditional, haunting sound. She sings in both English and Yemenite.

Desert Wind

This one is my favorite.

Music of Upper and Lower Egypt

Traditional music of rural Egypt, a good variety, superb quality.

Latcho Drom

Music from the movie about the journey of the Gypsies from India through the Middle East and Europe.

Good quality recordings, eclectic, but some stuff I really like. Liner notes on music style and instrumentation.

Arabic Folklore

Some interesting stuff here - lots of oud, female vocals. Kind of simple but good quality.