A recent album from the guru of Egyptian (and world) percussion,
Hossam Ramzy. This album sticks pretty tightly to Egyptian classical sounds, without so much of the straying that is his wont. While
Ramzy's percussion is always the star of the show, here the melody is really carried by Farouq Mohammed Hasan's accordion playing. Along with this, there's some exceptional flute playing by Ibrahim El-Kawala on the kawala and
Mohammed Ali on the nay. While the accordion and the flautists might be the stars of this album, it's
Ramzy's choice of songs that really makes the album what it is. While
Ramzy has dozens of albums out there to choose from, each one has a slightly different flavor. This one has a pretty clear focus, and sticks to it quite well. While it doesn't necessarily have the authenticity of a full-blooded album from the Cairo historical orchestras, that isn't always
Ramzy's intent. That said, it's still quite a good showcase of Egyptian music. Not all purely classical, but all performed quite well. For the basic look at
Ramzy's main musical love, this album is a good way to go. ~ Adam Greenberg