Yosefa

1. Love Can Burn

2. Forbidden Love

3. Green Eyed Lady

4. Yaraya

5. If Your Heart Is Pure

6. Waiting for You

7. Sidi Hbibi

8. My Beautiful One

9. Lovebird

10. Outro-"Yaraya"

Tracks:

Ya Rabta Zrabiya [Love Can Burn]
Rachalak R'ak Alla [Forbidden Love]
Al Ain Ezzarga [Green Eyed Lady]
Yaraya
Ali Kelbu Safi [If Your Heart Is Pure]
Rait Lakh Iam [Waiting for You]
Sidi Hbibi (Where Are You My Love)
Yachilwi Yachali [My Beautiful One]
Ya Tair [Love Bird]
Yaraya (Outro)

Customer Reviews:

The New Ofra Haza!!.......2001-11-23

After the sad news that shocked many people that were hypnotized by the Yemenite singer Ofra Haza, I suddenly find a refuge and relief in Yosefa. I am thankful to god that the hope is still alive.
If you are familiar with Ofra's music, this CD was cooked in the same kitchen. Only those who enjoy meditative, or world music, will definitely enjoy this album. All tracks are basically modernized Arabic/Middle Eastern beats (combined with disco and bop). The music is not ethnicly pure or intensively composed by humans, rather in a studio and by machines. However, you'll still going to be hypnotized and meditated by Yosefa's Yemeni-dialect, exotic and angle-like voice.

Tracks I extremely recommend are: 2, 3, 4 (Yarayah), 6, and 8; especially track 4, Yarayah.

I hope that Yosefa follows our beloved Ofra Haza's path. I can definitely see her as the New Ofra Haza.

Nothing New Here.......1998-08-24

This album just regurgitates much of what has been done already. I suspect this fills a void for those who want to hear new Israeli disco pop between Ofra Haza releases. I was thoroughly bored listening to this and I really, really tried to salvage some interest in it.

Others who aren't as acquainted with Israeli music will find this very appealing. Unfortunately, those people are not aware of how much better it gets. Very little is easily available in the US (in particular) outside of Judaica and Jewish music stores.

I'd recommend trying out some Ofra Haza over this selection, if you can't find the better stuff or don't want to wade through the uncertainty of it. Her Yemenite album, Fifty Gates of Wisdom, that she put out in the 80s is a classic. For more of a pop sound, go with Shaday. Her earlier material isn't available here at Amazon.

Better suggestions of female mizrachi vocalists are Zehava Ben, Etti Levi, Yardena Arazi and Gali Atari.

Who knows? Maybe Yosefa will grow on me or maybe another album will seem better.

Fantastic!.......1998-08-07

I have no idea what she is saying but it doesn't matter, I can feel her words. The sound is somewhere between Celtic and Hindi, beautiful. I recommend it for people who have never listened to this style of music. Its a great beginner album!

Average customer rating:

A Timeless Masterpiece, Absolutely Superb
I am still listening after two years
must be popular the world over...
Wonderful!
If you like Ofra Haza...

The Desert Speaks
Yosefa
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Morocco | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Middle East | International | Styles | Music

Israel | Middle East | International | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000005H1X
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

The Orchestra Replies
A Postcard From Morocco
Shafshaf's Song
The Desert Speaks
Coast Line
Compassion
Taj Mahal
Double Life
Gold
Longings
Place With No Name
Before The Night Is Gone

Customer Reviews:

A Timeless Masterpiece, Absolutely Superb.......2004-01-16

Yosefa's The Desert Speaks is a rare masterpiece,
one of the very best modern female vocal CD's
ever to come out of the Mideast. It is on a par
with the best from Ofra Haza. It is a very
entertaining and interesting synthesis of
middle eastern and Israeli musical styles
both new and old. All twelve selections are
very good: uncommon indeed. It mixes traditional
Yemenite and Moroccan sounds of her parents' home-
lands with modern beats to produce a dynamic, exciting
sound that is easily appreciated by the Western musical
ear. Yosefa's crystal clear, beautiful, soaring voice is
almost as impressive as Ofra Haza's. The instrumentation,
including guitars, keyboards, piano, drums, sitar,
violin, sax, accordion, and flute is all tastefully
done and well arranged. There is a nice mix of acoustic
and electric instruments blending to produce beautiful
music. Overall this is a very impressive CD, although
sometimes hard to find, as it was not marketed much
outside the Mideast. Yosefa, where are you, apparently
there have been no more CD's from you since this 1995
masterpiece. Why? As there will be no more from Ofra
Haza, and you are the closest to her in quality of voice,
please give the gift of your gorgeous and rare voice to the world once again.

I am still listening after two years.......2002-09-21

I bought this album after I had a complete collection of Ofra Haza and I knew that sadly there are no more coming. Although she is a bit more commercial then Haza on her later albums, I listen to this album often. The title cut, The Desert Speaks is particularly good. Her voice may not be as strong as Haza's, but her music stands the test of time for me. The album is a good blend of the mideastern rhythms and Yosepha has a soaring voice.

must be popular the world over..........2001-08-20

...I first heard it while riding in a taxi cab in Seoul.

Enjoyable "world music," takes songs from a variety of sources and then applies modern pop music gloss. Closest referents Ofra Haza and rai. Not up to Don Was - Khaled standard in terms of either the hooks or inventiveness of the arrangements, still enjoyable "crossover" appeal. One song in English, brief translations of the Hebrew lyrics into English in the accompanying booklet.

Wonderful!.......2001-03-23

Yosefa's The Desert Speaks....I've had this CD for several years now, and I still love it. Yosefa uniquely blends several ethnicities of music together. You can definitely hear each influence--Israeli, Yemenite and Moroccan. I have used two of her songs for Rope and Trapeze routines.

Her other CD (from 1993) was not worth the purchase!

If you like Ofra Haza..........1998-11-11

In the tradition of Ofra Haza's Yemenite Songs, Yosefa Ha'Dari's work follows, but with a more modern twist. Imagine that a Yemeni had spent some time in Lebanese and German clubs, then come home with the technosound still ringing in her ears... that's this album.