Taqasim is a Beautiful Tapestry of sound. Sublime!!
search4sublimity | U.S. | 02/08/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This particular compilation is one of the best I have found. Arabic music is highly intelligent. The intricate notes always bring to my mind a Tapestry of sound. Taqasim is always very beautiful. These artists have achieved the perfect balance as they play in accord to each other...Dulcet tones & perfect pause... like two dancers poised in step & counter step. I highly recommend this CD. It is sure to become a favorite in anyones CD library. Especially to those that love the Sublime sounds of the East.
I came to Amazon to look for this & one other CD. I was dissapointed to find both of these are not in stock. No price is listed. ( The other compilation I was looking for was Amina- Ya Lil. ) I will check back, & hope to find these in stock at some future date. I am certain many latent listeners out there would love to discover these compilations. Both are excellent!!Happy Listening!!"
Two Arabic Masters of Improvisation
Zekeriyah | Chicago, IL | 06/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As you might be able to infer from this CD's title, taqasim is the art of improvisation within traditional Arabic music. For those not familiar, it does play a fairly big role within the musics of the Middle East and North Africa, and when you have a talented musician, they can do some truly amazing things with it. On this album, we have a collaboration between two masters of Arabic music - ethnomusicologist and performer Dr. Ali Jihad Racy on the buzuq, and Palestinian-born 'oud virtuoso Simon Shaheen. There are only three tracks on this CD, but bear in mind the length of traditional Arabic music, which allows the artists to showcase their talents more freely. Each track is done in a particular mode (Maqam Kurd, Maqam Nahawand and Maqam Bayyati). Both Shaheen and Racy are able to demonstrate their considerable talents to the fullest on this CD, and you will not be disappointed by it. Literally it's almost forty minutes of traditional Arabic 'oud and buzuq at it's finest. I absolutely love it."