For today, I wanted to share with you “المعمل” (“Al Ma3mal“, that can be translated by “The Workshop“), a beautiful deep bewitching Middle-Eastern Soul Jazz track with mesmerizing voices, taken from the album “هدوء نسبي” (“Houdou Nisbi“, that can be translated by “Relative Calm“) recorded in 1985 by the mythical Lebanese composer Ziad Rahbani (زياد الرحباني), and privately released on a now ultra hard to find tape the same year.

This album includes some of the finest musicians of that era, such :

Ziad Rahbani : Composition, Sound Engineer, Bouzouki, Electric Piano, Synth ;

Toufic Farroukh : Flute, Tenor Saxophone ;

Abboud Saadi : Bass, Acoustic Guitar ;

Michel Assaad : Trombone ;

Elie Menassa : Trumpet, Flugelhorn ;

Paul Dawani : Electric Guitar ;

Samir Rafraf : Congas, Drums ;

Walid Tawil : Drums ;

Samir Chabchab : Guitar ;

This tape was repressed again in K7 format again in 1991 and CD in 1995 (both with a different cover than this one), but without the track presented here, which is one my favorite of that legendary album, one of the Lebanese musical holy grails – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Ziad Rahbani – Al Ma3mal (Lebanon, 1985, By-Pass Production) // زياد الرحباني – المعمل 

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/dC33gobkYfo

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Ouda” (“عوده”, or “return” in Arabic), a super sweet balearic Pop Soul track from Libya with catchy guitar parts, taken from an early album recorded in Egypt at “Studio M. Sound” & released on tape format in 1988 by the superstar composer  & singer Hamid El Shaeri (حميد الشاعري).

I found this tape in a grocery store in a small village in Lebanon a few years ago, and this one is one of my favorite from this very prolific artist, whose a compilation was released on the famous reissue label “Habibi Funk“, but without that track – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Hamid El Shaeri – Ouda (Libya, 1988, El Sharq) / حميد الشاعري – عوده  

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/7qOHaPTw82k

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

 

For today, I wanted to share with you “Mer Yerevan” (“Մեր Երեվան” in Armenian), an uptempo dope Freakbeat Mod Jerk Soul Surf track, recorded in the 70s in Beirut (Lebanon) by the Lebanese Armenian composer & singer Rayissa Meguerdichian (“Ռաիսա Մկրտչյան” in Armenian).

Unfortunately no infos about the backing musicians who play on the album, so any infos are welcome.

Another great example of how prolific the 70s Armenian musical scene was, managing to merge folk roots with Pop Rock influences – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Rayissa Meguerdichian – Mer Yerevan (Armenia, 1970s) / Ռաիսա Մկրտչյան – Մեր Երեվան

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/ERN7r7z7FJo

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this previous article, I wanted to share with you for today “غيفارا غزة” (“Ghfyara Ghaza“, pun for “Che Guevara from Gaza” in tribute to Gaza’s resistance fighters in Palestine), a melancholic bewitching Middle-Eastern Soul Jazz track with Brazilian influences a la Arthur Verocai & beautiful flute parts, taken from the first album of the Lebanese band “Ferkat Al Ard” (فرقة الأرض) leaded by the guitar player Issam Hajali (عصام الحاج علي) and composed with :

Issam Hajali (عصام الحاج علي) : Vocals, Guitar ;

Toufic Farroukh (توفيق فرّوخ) : Flute, Saxophone ;

Elie Saba (ايليا سابا) : Bouzouki, Oud ;

This album, arranged by the legendary Lebanese composer, musician & producer Ziad Rahbani (زياد الرحباني) & produced by the Lebanese-Armenian producer Khatchik Mardirian (co-founder with Ziad Rahbani of the mythical 70s Lebanese record label “Zida“) is considered by many as one of the hardest to find holygrail Lebanese vinyl record album ever out.

This album as been reissued in 2022 by the German record label Habibi Funk but without this track, so now it’s available widely.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦-𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘳 & 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱.

Ferkat Al Ard – Ghfyara Ghaza / فرقة الأرض – غيفارا غزة (Lebanon, 1979, Zida)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/BlHpQlps1CY Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/ Have a nice Wednesday, see you on next Sunday for another musical (re)discovery ! Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Stand Up“, an outstanding instant catchy Rock Soul Jazz track with mesmerizing synth & solo guitar parts, taken from the 1st album of the cult Lebanese band “Force“, self-released in 1984 by the band on K7 format only & distributed in very limited quantities.

Recorded & engineered at the legendary “By-Pass Studio” in Beyrouth by Bernard Karam & the mythical composer & musician Ziad Rahbani during the civil war, the band included :

Lead Guitar, Vocals : Walid Itayem ;

Bass, Vocals, Backing Vocals : Abboud Al Saadi ;

Drums, Vocals : Emile Boustani ;

Guitar : Kevork Missirian ;

Were also involved in the recording session :

– Keyboards : Ziad Rahbani ;

– Backing Vocals : Monica Assly ;

The lyrics of that track, composed 40 years ago during the Lebanese civil war, couldn’t sound more relevant than today :

« There’s a jungle living outside my door, and I’m part of it ».

Extremely hard to find nowadays, one of the Lebanese musical holy grails, hope you like it – Enjoy !

Force – Stand Up (Lebanon, 1984, Force Self-Released)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/IAYtNZzgjwM

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Johnny Be Goode“, the timeless Surf Rock classic track recorded in 1957 by the American legend “Chuck Berry“, covered here in a version recorded in 1966 by the Turkish beat cover/band “Mavi Işıklar” (“Blue Lights” in Turkish langage), founded in 1964 and disbanded in 1970.

The band, considered as “Turkish Beatles” because of their appearances, was composed from 1962 to 1966 with :

Nejat Toksoy : Vocals ;

Zamir Manisa : Drums ;

Çetin Yavuzdoğan : Bass guitar ;

Metin Yavuzdoğan : Piano, Keyboards ;

Cihat Günay : Guitar ;

Cute jukebox single edition, found during a recent record digging trip in Turkey – Really hard to find single nowadays, hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Mavi Işıklar – Johnny Be Goode (Turkey, 1966, Odeon)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/Ekoa3bZHJYk

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this former article, I wanted to share with you for today “الآن” (“Now” in Arabic langage), a spellbinding Middle-Eastern Soul Jazz Folk track with Brazilian influences, taken from the 3rd album of the legendary Lebanese band “Ferkat Al Ard” (فرقة الأرض) leaded by the guitar player Issam Hajali (عصام الحاج علي) and composed with :

Issam Hajali (عصام الحاج علي) : Vocals, Guitar ;

Toufic Farroukh (توفيق فرّوخ) : Flute, Saxophone ;

Elie Saba (ايلي سابا) : Bouzouki, Oud ;

This song was recorded at the mythical By-Pass Studio, located in Beirut, initially released on tape format, and re-released in 1995 on CD format.

A true Lebanese musical holy grail here, ultra hard to find, so hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !

Ferkat Al Ard – Al An (Lebanon, 1985, Ferkat Al Ard Self-Produced) / فرقة الأرض – الآن

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/JrUEZZcyuik

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “I Notturni“, an incredible powerful psychedelic Rock Funk Soul instrumental with gorgeous flute & organ parts, taken from the one-and-only EP released by the Lebanese band “I Notturni” in the 70s (I think, any informations are welcomed…), leaded by the composer & musician Khaled Choughari, and that used to play in several night clubs of Lebanon (it was the resident band of “Casino Du Liban” for some times), Iran & Egypt.

The band was composed with :

Khaled Choughari : Music, Band leading ;

Ermanno Riccordi : Lyrics ;

Conductor : Tony Akkawi ;

Super obscure & hard to find record, one of the hardest to find Lebanese treasures, hope you’ll like it !

I Notturni – I Notturni (Lebanon, 1970s, I Notturni Self-Released)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/PWfEn-cJ_os

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Seni Dileniyorum“, a wild Psychedelic Turkish Funk Rock Soul with heavy fuzz guitar parts, recorded in 1973 by the legendary Turkish composed & musician Alpay Nazikoğlu – Enjoy !

Alpay Nazikoglu – Seni Dileniyorum (Turkey, 1973, Yonca)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/OG_wbiQPq7s

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

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 !

Fairuz – Habbeytak Bessayf (Lebanon, 1973, Parlophone – Voix De L’Orient Series) / فيروز – حبيتك بالصيف

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/QSdjuYMOiZg

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau