Following to this former article, I wanted to share with you for today “Habbeytak Bessayf” (“حبيتك بالصيف“, what could be translated by “I loved you since the summer” in Lebanese Arabic langage), a mesmerizing & bewitching Oriental Arabic Jazz track with Latin vibes & beautiful piano parts, one of the most iconic & famous song from the Lebanese Diva Nuhad Ḥaddad (betterly known as “Fairuz“) taken from the play “Ya’iche… Ya’iche…” (“He lives… He lives”).
This track was recorded in 1973 and composed by the mythical Assi & Mansour Rahbani Brothers, and released on the mythical “EMI – Parlophone” record label (“Voix De L’Orient” series).
Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous picture of the Diva, taken live by the Lebanese photographer Varoujan Setian, who was the appointed photographer of the Rahbani Brothers’ theatrical company – Enjoy !
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 “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)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nabghik Nabghik Chkoune Yedik“, a dope powerful Proto Raï Folk Soul track, take from an ultra hard to find single recorded in the 70s by the Algerian singer & composer Boussouar El Maghnaoui on the mythical Parisian record label “Sawt Hilali“.
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 “De L’Orient À Orion“, a bewitching Oriental Jazz Funk Soul track from Maghreb with French dreamy lyrics, recorded in the early 70s in Tunisia by the musician & composer Kamel Raouf Nagati on the legendary Tunisian record label “𝐄𝐧’𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦” – Enjoy !
Kamel Raouf Nagati – De L’Orient À Orion (Tunisia, 1970s, En’Nagham)
Following to this previous article, I wanted to share with you for today “Njoo El Leyl” (“نجو الليل“, what could be translated by “the night survived” in arabic), a killer downtempo dance floor Arabic Synth Funk Boogie track with Reggae flavors, catchy guitar riffs & deep flute parts, recorded in 1973 at Tommy Vance Studios (London, Great Britain) by the Libyan musician Ahmed Fakroun from Benghazi, during one of his European trips between the 1970s and 1980s where he used to compose his albums & singles, and released in Italy in 1977 on the mythical label “Polydor” – Enjoy !
Ahmed Fakrun – Njoo El Leyl (Libya, 1977, Polydor)
Following this previous post, I wanted to share with you for today “War Of Changes“, an incredible heavy & hard Psychedelic Rock Soul Funk track with bewitching flute solos & heavy vocal parts, taken from the ultra hard to find only single recorded in 1972 (very beginning of the Lebanese civil war) by the first band of the Lebanese musicians 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐥𝐢 (عصام الحاج علي) (Guitar) & Toufic Farroukh (توفيق فروخ) (Saxophone) who will form later the legendary band “Ferkat Al Ard” (فرقة الأرض).
This single also features the musicians Ali Neemeh (Vocals, Keyboards), Khaled Habre (خالد الهبر) (Bass), Mounir ??? (Drums) & Aram ??? (Flute)(any additional information is welcome).
This record is a serious holy grail, one of the hardest to find of the Lebanese musical history, rarest than the mythical album “Oghneya” (أغنية) by Ferkat Al Ard (فرقة الأرض) – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !
Rainbow Bridge – War Of Changes (Lebanon, 1972, Rainbow Bridge Self-Released)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Soleil Soleil“, an instant catchy Arabic Boogie Synth Funk track recorded in Paris in 1983 by the Libyan musician Ahmed Fakroun from Benghazi, during one of his European trips to France between the 1970s and 1980s where he used to compose his albums & singles – Enjoy !
Ahmed Fakroun – Soleil Soleil (Libya, 1983, Paris Disques)
