Search - Omar Faruk Tekbilek :: Whirling

Whirling
Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Whirling
Genre: International Music
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1

The great musical traditions of the Middle East include serene, meditative courtly works; and the continually building, relentlessly propellant music that drives the famed Whirling Dervishes to spiritual ecstasy. These ...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Title: Whirling
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Celestial Harmonies
Release Date: 8/19/1994
Genre: International Music
Styles: Middle East, Turkey
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 013711308624

Synopsis

Album Description
The great musical traditions of the Middle East include serene, meditative courtly works; and the continually building, relentlessly propellant music that drives the famed Whirling Dervishes to spiritual ecstasy. These haunting, timeless sounds still echo through the years, and those echoes have now reached the United States. Whirling is Omar Faruk Tekbilek's first recording as a soloist. Here, Tekbilek presents a full range of traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern music that will appeal to Western listeners and fans of the early Celestial Harmonies recordings. Whirling's diverse music includes new compositions by Tekbilek and Brian Keane, and also features a beautiful new version of an early work by Deuter, the contemplative La Ilaha Il Allah. The recording begins with a traditional Sufi work associated with the Mevlevi or Whirling Dervishes.Tekbilek, plays an impressive array of instruments on Whirling, including the instruments he is most often associated with, the ney flute and the lute known as baglama. Tekbilek's arsenal also includes lesser known instruments like the Arabian clarinet and Turkish oboe, as well as a battery of jar drums and frame drums, and the Western accordion. Guest musician, Brian Keane, contributes atmospheric washes of guitar and synthesizer, and a small but select ensemble of Middle Eastern musicians round out the sound with Arabian lutes, zither, and percussion.

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CD Reviews

A terrific album
06/11/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was Tekbilek's first solo album following a series of collaborations with Brian Keane, but it's a winner. Although he pays extensive tribute to the Sufi musical tradition, he covers a wide range of Middle Eastern music, from "Gawazi" (which perfectly captures the sound of the Egyptian gypsy entertainers), to the more Central Asian-feeling "Caspian Winds." "Old Man's Dance" is spunky and dignified at the same time. And if you're a belly dancer, "Fly Away" is a great veils piece. I found the final track rather vague and airy (especially compared to some of his later work in the same vein, e.g., the conclusion of "Mystical Garden"), but it's pleasant to listen to. Tekbilek is a wonderful musician, as are all his collaborators, and they deliver masterful performances. Keane generally keeps his electronics in a tasteful supporting role rather than getting in the way of the traditional instruments. This is an album I'll definitely play often."
Prepare to start whirling!
04/15/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you can keep from jumping up and dancing, then you aren't listening to this CD! The music compels you to move, to spin and dance. Aside from one track, which was mediocre, each song is filled with emotion. Truly beautiful."
Ethereal
Infidel | San Bernardino, CA USA | 10/16/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)

"You all know there's alot of "garbage" music on the the market and on the airwaves these days. If you are truly ready for something completely different, try this! You'll be transported momentarily to another time and place!"