Search - Various Artists :: Shesh Besh

Not exactly a new idea: take highly skilled Western classical musicians and give them source material from a tradition and see what happens. SheshBesh are four classically trained artists from Israel who use as their material the folk and classical traditions from both Israel and its Arab neighbors. While the idea is somewhat radical, their music is not. They move between traditional-sounding compositions, well played but lacking any real street passion, and original new compositions. The original pieces are where the potential in the group lies. While some slide a little too far into Western romance or New Age catharsis, a few are really quite original and beautiful. SheshBesh may be making a statement playing Arabic music in Israel, but they don't take enough musical chances to really stand out. The talent is there, though, so wait and see. --Louis Gibson