Following this former article, I wanted to share with you for today “Allil Mawal El Ashaa“, another fantastic groovy Middle-Eastern Soul Surf Jazz track with Belly Dance music flavors, taken from a single recorded in the 70s (I guess ?) by the singer Sana Nada (ثناء أحمد ندا) and written in the 70s by the Egyptian singer, actor & composer Mounir Mourad (منير مراد).
This song is actually a cover of the song “Mawal Al-Ashaa” (موّال العشاق), initially recorded by the Egyptian singer & actress Sherifa Fadel (شريفة فاضل), Sana’s sister.
And you, what is your favorite version ? Enjoy !
Sana Nada – Allil Mawal El Ashaa (Egypt, 1970s, Chandor)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Paris Dans Mon Sac“, an incredibly beautiful Soul Jazz ballad sung in French with Oriental flavors, recorded in 1965 by the Algerian singer & actress Fatima Zohra Badji (better known as “Noura”) on the French record label “Pathé“.
This song is backed by a beautiful orchestration by Larbi Zeggane (Kamal Hamadi on his artist’s name), a Kabyle Algerian songwriter and composer who was also Noura’s husband, and Roland Richard Vincent.
Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art – Enjoy !
Noura (Fatima Zohra Badji) – Paris Dans Mon Sac (Algeria, 1965, Pathé)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Shabe Man” (“شب من” what means “My Night” in Farsi Persian langage), a deep Middle-Eastern Soul Funk Jazz with killer percussions & gorgeous flute parts, recorded in 1972 by the Iranian singer Gitty Pashaei (گیتی پاشایی) on the legendary Iranian record label Apollon (آپولون), funded in the late 50s by Manouchehr Bibiyan (منوچهر بیبییان) until the Iranian islamic revolution of 1979.
This track was composed by the Iranian composer Fereydoun Khoshnoud (فریدون خشنود), and the lyrics by the composer, musical arranger and trombone player Mohammad Oshal (محمد اوشال).
Really beautiful & hard to find single nowadays, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !
Gitty Pashaei – Shabe Man (Iran, 1972, Apollon) / گیتی پاشایی – شب من
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nadim (Je Regrette)“, an instant catchy Disco Soul Synth track from Maghreb, taken from the 2nd album recorded in 1978 in Paris by the musician (saxophone player) & composer Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja.
Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja was born in Sidi-Bel-Abbes (Algeria), on the 1st of January 1949.
At the age of fifteen, he began musical studies, entered the Conservatory, where he opted for the saxophone. Two years later, he began playing at open air dances, banquets, etc.
In March 1968, he travelled to France, and worked in different jobs to earn his living, including grill man in a restaurant. Then, he joined his brothers in Lyon, where he became a semi-professional performer at the city’s Winter Palace, and met his first band with whom he played Soul music.
Back in Paris, he and his group gradually appeared as stars at the “Bus Palladium” concert hall. After several tours in clubs, Freh abandoned Soul music for varieties, and left France for the United States, to Greenwich Village, to play in one of the most sumptuous establishments in the region. It was there that, by chance, improvising on his guitar & backed by his musicians, he sang for the first time in Arabic, which was instantly a big success.
Thus, was born an idyll : merging Arabic and pop influences in his music.
From that moment on, he made a point of honor to defend during all his musical career the promotion and acknowledgement of Arabic language in Western pop songs.
(Yes, this album features the legendary Cameroonian keyboardist Eko Roosevelt, whom we reissued a few years earlier a vinyl compilation on Nubiphone, one of the record labels I run !)
One of my personal favorite track in the genre, that always set the dance floor on fire when I play it during my DJ sets – Enjoy !
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nouné“, a killer uptempo Psychedelic 70s Jerk Mod Soul Breakbeat track, taken from the 1st album of the Armenian Lebanese composer & musician Adiss Harmandyan (“Ատիս Հարմանտեան“, in Armenian langage) recorded in 1971 on the legendary Armenian Lebanese record label “Voice Of Stars” – Enjoy !
Adiss Harmandyan – Nouné (Armenia, 1971, Voice Of Stars)
