Charcoal Gypsies

Amazon.com
The Musicians of the Nile are a well-respected troupe of Nubian Gypsy performers from Egypt, a country whose name is not coincidental to the genre. They have been performing internationally since the '70s and were featured in the excellent Gypsy film Latcho Drom. Though the Musicians of the Nile come from the lesser-known southern arm of the "Gypsy road," their music nevertheless shares the sometimes rowdy, sometimes melancholic love of life found in the music of their Romanian or flamenco cousins. Substituting North African instruments like the rebab and arghul, theirs is a life-affirming cry from the heart driven by plenty of Middle Eastern and African percussion, equally as raw as that of the group's counterparts in Europe. Charcoal Gypsies perfectly illustrates the cross-pollination of cultures that the migration of Gypsies has exerted since the Ottoman Empire, this time flavored by the Islamic countries of North Africa. --Derek Rath

Product Description
From the Furthest Reaches of Upper Egypt to New Spaces and Cultures, the Musicians of the Nile Return with Powerful Songs Deep in Tradition and Spontaneity. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Bitnadini Tani Lih
Eb'At Djawaben
Suq Al-Manadil
Mawwal-Doha/Rais Al-Bahr
Al-Ward Al-Foll
Ramla
Salamat
Walla Zaman

Amazon.com

The Musicians of the Nile are a well-respected troupe of Nubian Gypsy performers from Egypt, a country whose name is not coincidental to the genre. They have been performing internationally since the '70s and were featured in the excellent Gypsy film Latcho Drom. Though the Musicians of the Nile come from the lesser-known southern arm of the "Gypsy road," their music nevertheless shares the sometimes rowdy, sometimes melancholic love of life found in the music of their Romanian or flamenco cousins. Substituting North African instruments like the rebab and arghul, theirs is a life-affirming cry from the heart driven by plenty of Middle Eastern and African percussion, equally as raw as that of the group's counterparts in Europe. Charcoal Gypsies perfectly illustrates the cross-pollination of cultures that the migration of Gypsies has exerted since the Ottoman Empire, this time flavored by the Islamic countries of North Africa. --Derek Rath

Album Details

From the Furthest Reaches of Upper Egypt to New Spaces and Cultures, the Musicians of the Nile Return with Powerful Songs Deep in Tradition and Spontaneity.

Customer Reviews:

Gypsy Dance from the Heart of Egypt.......2007-01-07

The other night I dug this CD out of my collection and played it on my computer, and I must say, I'm sad to admit that I had forgotten just how good this CD really is. The Musicians of the Nile, an ensemble of Mataqîl musicians from Upper Egypt, deliver powerful, raw Saidi music. This is authentic stuff, the real deal, and it brims with passion and emotion. The singing, ranging from poetic epics to folksy love songs, is masterfully accompanied by traditional instruments such as tablah, arghul and rebab. By far, my favorite songs are 'Suq al-Manadil', a lively instrumental piece highlighting the arghul, and the Nubian classic 'Salamat', which features strong vocals backed by powerful percussion. But every song on this CD is worth it, straight up the final one, 'Walla Zaman', which ends the CD on such a strong note.

As I said before, the music on this CD is real Egyptian music. More authentic than your likely to find elsewhere - even in Egypt itself, where the slick Arabic pop music of Amr Diab, Hakim and Sameera Said has largely taken over. Other listeners have rightly commented on the influences of Nubian and Rromani (Gypsy) influences, and they are indeed correct. So if you want real, lively Gypsy music, look no further. This is the sort of authentic ethnic music that will appeal to any music lover, even if you aren't familiar with Middle Eastern/North African music at all. And if your a bellydancer, or just into Raks Sharqi, this CD should have even more to offer. So do yourself a favor and check this CD out, it's well worth the purchase.

The soul music of Egypt.......2002-02-27

My title isn't a completely off-the-wall comparison: the gypsies in Egypt are a minority underclass who have managed to support their identity (and maintain their zest for life) through song and dance. This album is captivating: the songs and instrumentals sound spontaneous, but the artists are consummate musicians who give a professional while still impassioned performance. As a student of Middle Eastern dance, I've become very impatient with the techno-pop sound of much contemporary Egyptian popular music; this group goes back to its folk roots without being self-consciously "folksy," and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable CD.

Excellent Egyptian.......2000-06-08

Anyone who saw and loved Latcho Drom will remember the scene featuring the Musicians of the Nile playing in Egypt, watched from above by a child. Though the music is familiar to devotees of Middle Eastern culture, the Musicians are heavily influenced by their traveling Gypsy ancestry. Traces of European and Asian Gypsy music are audible on the album, though the instrumentation is predominantly native to Egypt. Strings, reeds, and percussion form a synthetic whole that lifts the vocals high above, as suggested by the cover art.

Very Traditional.......2000-05-10

The Musicians of the Nile are without exception brilliant musicians and powerful singers. This album consist of very authentic traditional North African- Middle Eastern music. There are no fusion flourishes or guests western vocalists. The music is haunting and high pitched without electronic appendages. However if you are accustomed to Khaled or Cheb Mami, this album will not deliver

Great Music from the Charcoal Gypsies.......1999-12-06

This is the best music from Upper Egypt. It reminds me of my youth. It is great dancing music.

Average customer rating:

Gypsy Dance from the Heart of Egypt
The soul music of Egypt
Excellent Egyptian
Very Traditional
Great Music from the Charcoal Gypsies

Charcoal Gypsies
Musicians of the Nile
Manufacturer: EMI/Real World
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Egypt | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Middle East | International | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

From Luxor to Isna
Ensemble Mizmar Baladi
Gypsies of the Nile: Rahhal
Baladi Plus: Egyptian Dance Music
Passion Sources

ASIN: B000024ODO
Release Date: 1999-08-19