Middle Eastern Jazz/Mod/Rock
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Fusion of jazz and oriental music includes both the use of exotic instruments by U.S. jazz groups and jazz efforts by specialists in oriental music. Ahmed Abdul-Malik performed with oriental-music master Mohammed El-Bakkar as well as Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Thelonius Monk, and other jazz leaders. Influences from places farther east, such as India and Southeast Asia, join Near and Middle Eastern sounds on jazz albums in more or less recognizable forms. Yusef Lateef, for instance, experimented with oriental and African sounds on several albums. The Atlantic and Impulse labels had several fine oriental-jazz LPs in addition to their indo-jazz offerings. Traditionally exotic jazz albums have met with a cool reception, but clearly many such LPs have aged more pleasingly than their peers in standard bop. Perhaps the passage of time, including differentiations in such things as recording technique, lends additional exoticism. In hindsight, oriental jazz can be evaluated less as a new direction in jazzfor than for its ability to provide a captivating, Eastern mood. As with indo-jazz, the oriental-jazz hybrid occasionally straddles rock and pop as well. The Silhouettes' fantastic "Hashi Baba," other vibes tunes by Cal Tjader, and Gus Vali's Chimera are top examples. At least jazz dancers can become belly dancers and vice versa. |
Mid-East Jazz/Mod/Rock LPs
| Rating | |
| 8 | John Berberian: Expressions East featuring the Oud of John Berberian; Mainstream S-6023/56023; 1964 (1/2 of 2-LP reissue Ode to an Oud; Mainstream 802) |
| 8 | John Berberian: Oud Artistry of John Berberian; Mainstream S-6047/56047; 1965 (1/2 of 2-LP reissue Ode to an Oud; Mainstream 802) |
| 8 | John Berberian/Rosko: Music & Gibran--A contemporary interpretation of the author of "The Prophet" by Rosko w/the John Berberian Ensemble; Verve Forecast FTS-3044 (spoken w/music) |
| 8 | The John Berberian Ensemble: Music of the Middle East; Verve/Forecast (Comet/Universe UV-023) |
| 9 | John Berberian & the Mid-Eastern Ensemble: Middle Eastern Rock; Verve Forecast FTS-3073 |
| 7 | John Berberian, Oud: The Dance Album; Olympia OLP-1003; 1978 (New Jersey; w/John Vartan, Onnik Dinkjian, Jack Baghsarian) |
| John Berberian: A Mid-Eastern Odyssey; Olympia | John Berberian & Onnik Dinkjian: Echoes of Armenia (probably on Olympia) | 7 | The Devil's Anvil: Hard Rock from the Middle East; Columbia CS-9464 |
| 7 | Ganimian & his Oriental Music: Come with Me to the Casbah; Atlantic/Atco SD-33-107 (Charles "Chick" Ganimian; also 7" on Atlantic/East West as Ganim's Asia Minors) |
| 5 | The Great Disco Bouzouki Band; Grecophon GRS-351; 1979 (Fiesta) |
| [Yusef Lateef] | |
| 8 | Sonny Lester: Little Egypt Presents How to Belly Dance for Your Husband; Roulette SR-42021 (w/variation on Time cut "Rebecca from Mecca"; reissued as SR-59029) |
| 7 | Sonny Lester: Little Egypt Presents More How to Belly Dance for Your Husband; Roulette SR-42066 |
| 8 | Sonny Lester: Middle East After Hours; Time S-2096 (reissues 4 cuts from Time S-2200 & updates some Roulette material) |
| 6 | Ahmed Abdul-Malik w/Johnny Griffin: Jazz Sahara--Middle-Eastern Music; Riverside RLP-12-287; 1958 |
| 8 | Ahmed Abdul-Malik: East Meets West--Musique of Ahmed Abdul-Malik; RCA Victor LSP-2015; 1960 |
| 9 | Ahmed Abdul-Malik: The Music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik; New Jazz 8266; 1961 |
| 8 | Ahmed Abdul-Malik: Sounds of Africa; New Jazz 8282; 1962 |
| Ahmed Abdul-Malik: Eastern Moods; Prestige 16003; 1963 | |
| 6 | Ahmed Abdul-Malik: Spellbound; Status LP-8303; 1964 |
| 5 | Herbie Mann (w/Chick Ganimian, Rufus Harley, Roy Ayers): The Wailing Dervishes; Atlantic SD-1497; 1967 (notable only for bagpipe cut) |
| Ihsan Al-Munzer: Disco Belly Dance Vol. 1; Sonodisc/Voice of Stars | |
| 8 | Ihsan Al-Munzer: Disco Belly Dance Vol. 2; Sonodisc/Voice of Stars VOS-10-045; 1979 (oriental disco w/Moog) |
| 7 | The Seven Players: West Digs East--Dig?; Audio Fidelity AFLP-2166; 1966 (Earl Wilson; mod) |
| 7 | The Sheik's Men: The Belly Dancer; Reprise R9-6056; 1961 (mod-jazz-rock; liners by Mort Goode; covers "Bangcock Cockfight") |
Partly Mid-East Jazz/Mod/Rock LPs
| Rating | |
| 7 | Neil Ardley/John Leach: Mediterranean Intrigue/Martenot; KPM 1084; 1971 (oriental jazz/ondes martenot) |
| 7 | Ross Bagdasarian: The Mixed-Up World of Ross Bagdasarian; Liberty LST-7451; 1961 (odd pop/mod Mid-East rock-jazz) |
| 8 | Artie Barsamian: Minuteman Goes East; Virgo HP-1801 |
| 6 | Gary Bartz Ntu Troop: Juju Street Songs; Prestige 10057; 1972 ("Teheran") |
| 6 | The Chiari Quartet: Personality Aplenty!; Jubile 5016 ("Mustapha"; otherwise Italian) |
| 8 | Fred Elias Ensemble w/John Tatassopoulos: Artistic Moods for Dance; Intrasonic IS-2002 (just 2 tunes, psychedelic improv!) |
| 7 | Duke Ellington's Far East Suite; RCA Victor LSP-3782; 1967/1966 |
| 7 | Don Ellis: Electric Bath; Columbia CS-9585 ("Turkish Bath") |
| 7 | Don Ellis: Shock Treatment; Columbia CS-9668 ("Opus 5") |
| 6 | Abdul Alexi Freeman & his Enquirers/Sonny Lester: The Belly Dancer; Time S-2200 (4 Sonny Lester originals) |
| 7 | Chico Hamilton: His Great Hits; ABC/Impulse AS-9213-2 (2-LP compilation) |
| 6 | Chico Hamilton: Chico the Master; Stax/Enterprise ENS-7501; 1973 |
| 7 | Chico Hamilton: Peregrinations; Blue Note BN-LA520-G; 1975 ("Abdullah & Abraham") |
| -» | Eddie Kochak, Hakki Obadia, Fred Elias... |
| 6 | George Mgrdichian (oud, w/Menachem Dworman): The Now Sounds of the Middle East; Monitor MFS-709 ("Take 5") |
| 5 | Airto [M.]: Virgin Land; Salvation SAL-701; 1974 ("Lydian Riff") |
| 6 | Sandy Nelson: Cheetah Beat; Imperial LP-9287 ("Casbah") |
| 6 | Sandy Nelson: Cheetah Beat; Imperial LP-12340 ("Freak Beat") |
| 8 | Lalo Schifrin: Lalo=Brilliance; Roulette Birdland SR-52088 (Mid-East jazz/bossa/Indo-jazz) |
| 8 | The Silhouettes: Conversations with the Silhouettes; Segue SEG-1001 ("Hashi Baba") |
| 6 | Jeremy Steig: Temple of Birth; Columbia KC-33297; 1975 |
| 7 | Bob Tashjian & Souren Baronian w/the Mid-Eastern Ensemble: Middle Eastern Soul; Carlee CLS-1000 (formerly the Nor-ikes) |
| 8 | Bob Tashjian & Souren Baronian: Hye Inspiration; Carlee CLS-1002 (formerly the Nor-ikes; features John Tarpinian, oud) |
| -» | Ozel Turkbas |
| -» | Gus Vali |
| 9 | Uncredited/Untitled 10"; Audio/Background Music Publishers BMP-134; 1968 (production; "This Eastern World") |
| 4 | Uncredited: On Stage; Hoctor HLP-3074 ("Shish Kebob") |
| 6 | Various: Jungle Exotica Vol. 2; Strip ST-076 |
| 9 | Various: Original Surfin' Hits; GNP Crescendo GNP-84 ("Exotic") |
| 9 | Various: Trunk Presents the Super Sounds of Bosworth; Trunk Barked 1; 1996 (production; reissue-compilation) |
| 8 | Various: Trunk Presents the Super Sounds of Bosworth Vol. 2; Trunk Barked 2; 1996 (production; reissue-compilation) |
[Partly] Mid-East Jazz/Mod/Rock 45s
| Rating | |
| 7 | Bob Azzam: Mustapha/Moonglow (Tintarella di Luna); Mercury 71595-X-45 |
| 8 | Bobby Christian, the Man with a Sound: Caravan/Boola; Stepheny SF-1833 (percussion, guitar) |
| 8 | Ray Gant & the Arabian Knights: Chattanooga Walk/Night in Arabia; Jay-Walking JW-001 (soul-funk) |
| 7 | Georgie Manis: Oriental Rock/High School Love; Gizmo [no #] |
| 8 | Morocco: Opa Kukla/Ela 'Tho; MGM K-13496 (Greek rock) |
| 8 | Jerry Reed: Rockin' in Bagdad/Oh! Lonely Heart; Capitol F-3731 |
| 7 | The Sheiks: Baghdad Rock Parts 1 & 2; MGM K-12876 |
| 8 | Len Stuart Trio: Caravan/Moonlight Mambo; Rivoli R-8 (exotic/Mid-East/organ/Latin rock, like John Buzon Trio) |
Hyp Records is a 3-part guide:
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