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Love Letter from King Tut-Ank-Amen

 
Album Review: Love Letter from King Tut-Ank-Amen

  • Artist: Mahmoud Fadl
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: May 20, 2000
  • Genre: World

Review

There are concept albums and there are albums that spring from a concept. For Nubian percussionist Mahmoud Fadl, the inspiration for this disc rested with a love letter written in 1929 by the Cuban writer Dulce Maria Loynaz to the Egyptian pharaoh Tut-Ank-Amen -- who was, of course, long, long dead by then. But Fadl wrote back, using Egyptian love songs as his seductive medium. Whether they they be traditional (like "Ishlonak") or from such lauded composers as Mohamed Abdel Wahab (such as "Khai" and "El Samba"), Fadl keeps a lush, sensual feel to the music. And he's aided by the cream of the Cairo crop, like veteran trumpeter Samy El Bably, who plays with the kind of empathy for material rarely heard anywhere, in any genre. Remarkably romantic, and gently powered by the drumming of the legendary Khamish Henkish (with an English translation of Loynaz's letter in the sleeve notes), this is the perfect (if, perhaps, most unusual) date album. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Khai (Brother) Mahmoud Fadl (4:11)
Ala Balad el Mahboub (Bring Me Home to My Lover) Traditional Mahmoud Fadl (3:33)
Rohi (Breath of Soul) Mahmoud Fadl (5:46)
Ishlonak (How Do You Do) Traditional Mahmoud Fadl (9:08)
El Samba Mahmoud Fadl (3:53)
Sabaht Wagdan (I Woke up Full of Yearning) Traditional Mahmoud Fadl (4:03)
Ana Wehabibi (My Lover and I) Mahmoud Fadl (5:05)
Ana Bamasi Al Haba Doll (I Say to You Good Evening) Traditional Mahmoud Fadl (6:51)
Llsabr Hodoud (Patience Has Its Limits) Mahmoud Fadl (3:35)
El Helwa (The Beauty) Mahmoud Fadl (5:51)

Credits

Mahmoud Fadl (Bongos), Duncan Cowell (Editing), Dr. Mina Yousif (Conductor), Mahmoud Fadl (Arranger), Mahmoud Fadl (Duhula), Rob Keyloch (Mixing), Basem Shahin (Engineer), Mahmoud Fadl (?), Rob Keyloch (?), Duncan Cowell (Mastering), Mahmoud Fadl (Riqq), Samy El Bably (Trumpet), Mahmoud Fadl (Sanduk Misri), Mahmoud Fadl (Timbales), Yasser Taha (Cello), Dr. Mina Yousif (Double Bass), Lomo Mustapha (Photography), Rob Keyloch (Recorder), Mahmoud Fadl (Conga), Hany Thabet (Engineer), Mahmoud Fadl (Director)
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Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more