Search - Taha, Khaled, Faudel :: 1 2 3 Soleils (Dig)

A Mystical Journey........

Manbir Chowdhary | Orange County, CA | 06/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This whole concert is a journey. A journey to a far and mystical place. It is a beautiful live recording of three of rai's most prominent singers and proves that music truly transcends language, ethnicity and region. From the passion and energy of "Eray" and "Abdel Qader" (named after the famous Sufi saint of Baghdad) to the sensual and soul-touching "Chebba" this is musical art at its finest. Their rendition of "Chebba" is one of the most beautiful things i've ever heard. I don't understand a word of arabic, but when I hear this concert, I feel i've been speaking it all of my life."

Great Arabic/French Pop

04/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased the original French double album of this concert some years ago, which I believe is the best-selling record ever in the Arab world, and I can't recommend it more highly. The two-disc set is great, but this one-disc version certainly grabs most of the highlights. It is a rare all-star concert that really works. Three actually very different musicians, working together and enhancing each other: Khaled, with his hook-laden pop-rai. Faudel, a budding movie star, who has by far the best voice of the three, and does jazzy world-pop pulling influences from everywhere. And my favorite, Rachid Taha, who made his name as a French punk-rocker and at the time of this concert was specializing in techno-influenced takes on traditional North African songs. Each has his moments here: Khaled's unbelievably engaging (and feminist!) "Aisha," Faudel's pyrotechnic "Tellement N'Brick," the primal power of Taha's "Menfi." The high point of the record, though, may be their collaboration on "Abdul Kadr," a bouncy Arabic ballad based on an Irish reel. The set also includes some more traditional music (the opening Egyptian-style instrumental, and the sparse "Wahrane") and the more rocking "Ida". The only real dud is the unexciting studio version of "Comme d'Habitude," a 60s French song that is better known in the U.S. (with different, far superior lyrics) as "My Way." Even that has its virtues, showcasing the "3 suns" in a more restrained way. The fourth star of the set is Steve Hilliage, Taha's regular British collaborator, who serves as musical director and makes a massive number of musicians (two separate string orchestras -- one Egyptian and one French -- plus rock and Algerian bands) sound perfectly co-ordinated and tight as a drum. ... [T]his may be the best-sounding live album I have ever heard. But two most important reasons to listen to this album are: (1) It serves as concrete proof that the Arabic world has more richness and variety of culture than the demagogues (on all sides) want you to believe. These are very popular artists who are extremely open to the European and American world, whose music embodies a real exchange of ideas that is missing from all portrayals of Arab life on the nightly news. (2) The songs are great."

An all-star extravaganza

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 10/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Recorded 9/26/98 at the Bercy Arena in Paris, you can feel the intense energy of these three great artists, and the response from the sold out audience of 18,000...I love the sound of the women ululating in the distance.
It's a sensational concert, and it gets better with each hearing. The musicianship is stupendous, from several groups of instrumentalists, set in clusters on the stage, and at times playing as one. The technical problems of recording this concert must have been daunting, but the results are wonderful. The sound and balance is above average for a live performance. Total time is 76:44.My favorites start at track # 6, with the gorgeous, sensual "Wahrane, Wahrane", sung by the King of Rai, Khaled. This song has the more traditional Arabic orchestration, with strings and oud.
# 10, Faudel's "Tellement N'Brick, is over 9 minutes of throbbing rai at its best...the intro alone is worth the purchase of this CD. Faudel is a superb singer...also highly recommended are his solo CDs, "Samra", and "Baida".# 12, "Ya Rayah", is one of the five songs these fabulous singers perform together, and it will knock your socks off...its rhythmic pulse and melody make dancing to it irresistible, and it should have been the real and fitting finale to this CD. The choice of ending with the studio recording of the bland "Comme d'Habitude" (the original '67 French version of what later Paul Anka would turn into "My Way"), is inexplicable...though actually quite good, it pales with comparison to the rest of the CD, and "Ya Rayah" would be a hard act to follow for any song.I hardly understand a word that is sung on this CD, but I get the message...there's an irrepressible, life-affirming joy that emanates from it, and shows how art transcends all barriers."