Wonderful
nurah abdullah | chicago illinois | 04/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"everytime I play this CD....I feel the hot desert sands...long kool sensuous nites. It was all that I expected !"
Sounds of the Sudan
Zekeriyah | Chicago, IL | 07/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With headlines about Darfur and the civil war, its easy for westerners to forget just how rich and complex the culture of the Sudan really is. Yet in a country that is three and a half times the size of Texas and is home to over a hundred languages, making any 'sample' of national music might seem like an exercise in futility. Nonetheless, the folks at the World Music Network came through and made this masterpiece, maybe one of their best releases of all time.
The album showcases the cultural diversity and heritage of the Sudan is a magnificent way. The 'oud, long considered the king of Arabic instruments, features very strongly here, from the virtuoso talent of Muhamed el Amin to the beautiful singing of Mustafa al Sunni to the refinement of Abdel Gadir Salim on 'Mal wa Ihtagab'. But theres so much more - the big band Afro-jazz sounds of Abdel Aziz el Mubarak (arguably Sudan's biggest international superstar) and the late Tarig Abubakr, northern Sudanese pop diva Rasha, the rootsy folk sound of the Omdurman Women's Ensemble, the 'henna queen' Setona performing the women's music of Kordofan, Nubian singer Mohammed Wardi, and much more.
But the most poignant part of this CD comes from a collaboration between Abdel Gadir Salim and Nuer rapper Emmanuel Jal on 'Gua,' awaiting a day when Sudan returns to peace. If you haven't heard their collaboration on the CD 'Ceasefire' (which I also strongly recommend), then prepare to be blown away. This is powerful music right here, a real taste of the Sudan. If you want to hear the music of the Nile, then this should be your first stop. Good stuff right here."