Middle East / North Africa (Reference)

The reference list includes records that have been obtained and/or rated (in blue) as well as many other records that have been recommended from various sources.

Najat Aatabou

• The Voice of the Atlas [1991, Globestyle]
• Country Girls and City Women [1997, Rounder]

Mohamed Abdu

• Mohamed Abdu [Saut el Jazira]
• Inti El-Hawa [Saut el Jazira]

Ahlam

• Revolt Against Reason [1992, Barbarity]

Aisha Kandisha's Jarring Effects

• Shabeesation [1993, Rykodisc], B+

Rahim AlHaj

• Iraqi Music in a Time of War [2003, Voxlox]

Amina

• Yalil [1989, Mango]
• Gharnati [1995, Ethnic]
• Nomad: Best of Amina [(2001), Ark 21]

Natacha Atlas

• Gedida [1999, Beggars Banquet], B+

Abed Azrié (1945– )

• Aromates [1990, Elektra/Nonesuch], B+

Mustapha Baqbou

• Mustapha Baqbou [1996, World Circuit]
• Gnawa Trance Music [1999, Sounds of the World]

Tanburi Cemil Bey (1871–1916)

• Tanburi Cemil Bey [1910–14, Traditional Crossroads], B

Saïd Charïbi

• Holm bi Fes [1997, Al Sur]

Djur Djura

• Adventures in Afropea 2: The Best of Djur Djura [(1993), Luaka Bop]

Khalifa Ould Eide and Dimi Mint Abba

• Moorish Music From Mauritania [1990, World Circuit], B

Hamza El Din (1929– )

• Escalay: The Water Wheel [1968, Elektra/Nonesuch], U
• Muwashshah [1996, JVC]

Abdel Karim El Kabli

• Abdel Karim El Kabli, Vol. 3 [Sudanophone]

Maurice El Médioni

• Café Oran [1999, Piranha]
• w/Roberto Rodriguez: Descarga Oriental: The New York Sessions [2005, Piranha], A–

Abdel Aziz El Mubarak

• Abdel Aziz El Mubarak [1987, Globestyle]
• Straight from the Heart [World Circuit]
• Songs from the City [World Circuit]

Kudsi Erguner (1952– )

• Turkey: Art of the Ottoman Tanbur [1989, VDE]
• w/Suleyman Erguner: Sufi Music of Turkey [1990, CMP]
• Works of Kemani Tatyos Efendy [1996, Traditional]
• Vocal Masterpieces of Kemani Tatyos Efendi [1996, Traditional]
• Meditations on the Ney [Philips]
• Sufi Music and Unrecorded Songs of the 15th Century [GREM]
• Peshrev and Semai of Tanburi Djemil Bey [CMP]

Hassan Erraji

• Traditional Arabic Music [1991, Saydisc]

Chaba Fadela

• You Are Mine [1988, Mango], A–
• w/Cheb Sahraoui: Hana Hana [1990, Mango], B+

Mahmoud Fadl

• Love Letter form King Tut-Ank-Amen [1998, Piranha]
• The Drummers of the Nile Go South [2001, Piranha], A–

Fairuz (1934– )

• The Legendary Fairuz [(1998), Hemisphere]
• The Very Best of Fairuz [EMI]
• Kifak Inta [Relax-in]
• Maarifti Fik [Relax-in]
• Dabke [Voix de l'Orient]
• Al Mahatta [Voix de l'Orient]
• Ya Rayeh [Voix de l'Orient]

Sabah Fakhri

• Ya Teira Tin [Duniaphon]
• Mouwachah Iski al Itash [Duniaphon]

Faudel

• Baïda [1997, Mondo Melodia], A–
• Samra [2001, Ark]

Soliman Gamil

• The Egyptian Music [1989, Touch & Go]

Djivan Gasparyan (1928– )

• I Will Not Be Sad in This World [1989, Opal]
• Moon Shines at Night [(1993), Gyroscope]

Taskioune Giumbri

• Songs and Rhythms of Morocco [Lyrichord]

Oruç Guvenç and Tümata

• Ocean of Remembrance [1995, Interworld], A–
• Rivers of One [1997, Interworld]

Abdel Halim Hafez (1929–77)

• Ala Hasb Weddad [Soutelphan]

Richard Hagopian (1937– )

• The Best of Armenian Folk Music [(1992), Arc]
• Armenian Music through the Ages [1993, Smithsonian/Folkways]

Hakim (1962– )

• The Lion Roars: Live in America [2001, Mondo Melodia], B+
• Talakik [2002, Mondo Melodia]
• Lela [2004, IRS World], B+

Hassan Hakmoun (1963– )

• Gnawa Music of Marrakesh [1991, Axiom]
• Gift of the Gnawa [1991, Flying Fish]
• Trance [1993, Real World]
• The Fire Within: Gnawa Music of Morocco [1995, Music of the World]

Cheb Hasni

• Lover's Rai [1997, Rounder]

Udi Hrant (1901–78)

• The Early Recordings, Vol. 1 [(1995), Traditional Crossroads]
• The Early Recordings, Vol. 2 [(1995), Traditional Crossroads]

Istanbul Oriental Ensemble

• Gypsy Rum [1995, Network]

Cheb Kader

• From Oran to Paris [1991, Shanachie]
• The Best of Cheb Kader [(1996), Blue Silver]

Cheb Khaled (1960– )

• w/Soufy Boutella: Kutché [1989, Intuition], A–
• Khaled [1992, Virgin], B
• N'ssi N'ssi [1994, Mango], A–
• Hada Raykoum [1994, Sterns]
• Sahra [1996, Polygram]
• Kenza [2000, Ark 21]
• Fuir, Mais Oui? [Celluloid]

Ali Hussan Kuban (1929–2001)

• From Nubia to Cairo [1989, Shanachie]
• Walk Like a Nubian [1992, Piranha]
• Nubian Magic [1994, Mercator]
• The Rough Guide to Ali Hassan Kuban [1989–2001, World Music Network], A–

Umm Kulthum (1904–75)

• Al Atlaal [Sono Cairo]
• Nasheed Al-Amal [Sono Cairo]

Reinette L'Oranaise

• Mémoires [1995, Blue Silver]

Malouma

• Desert of Eden [1998, Shanachie]

Cheb Mami

• Let Me Rai [1990, Priority]
• Meli Meli [1999, EMI]
• Dellali [2001, Mondo Melodia], B

Michy Mano

• The Cool Side of the Pillow [2003, Enja/Justin Time], B+(***)

Souad Massi (1972– )

• Deb (Heart Broken) [2003, GRC]
• Honeysuckle (Mesk Elil) [2005, Wrasse], B+(***)

The Master Musicians of Jajouka

• Master Musicians of Jajouka [1972, Genes]
• Apocalypse Across the Sky [1992, Axiom]

Aït Menguellet (1950– )

• Chants et Poesie de Kabylie [1998, Blue Silver]

Bellemou Messaoud

• Le Père du Rai [1989, World Circuit]

Channe Nussbaum

• Copenhagen Klezmer [1997, Danica]

Talip Özkan (1939– )

• Mysteries of Turkey [1988, Music of the World]
• The Art of the Tanbur [1994, Ocora]

Elia Pehlivanian

• Kanonne: Musique traditionnelle d'Arménie [Buda Musique]

Ali Jihad Racy (1943– )

• Taqasim [Lyrichord]

Hossam Ramzy (1954– )

• Rhythms of the Nile [Arc]

Cheikha Remitti

• Ghir al Baroud [1996, Michael Levy]
• Anthologie du Raï [(1996), MED], B

Rustavi Choir

• Georgian Voices [1989, Elektra/Nonesuch]

Sabah

• Excerpts from "The First Lady [Voice of Lebanon]
• Zay El Assal [Voice of Lebanon]

Cheikh Salah

• Arabo-Andalusian Music [Buda Musique]

Abdel Gadir Salim

• Nujum Al-Lail / Stars of the Night [1989, Shanachie]
• The Merdoum Kings Play Songs of Love [1990, Shanachie]

Simon Shaheen (1955– )

• The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab [1990, Axiom], B+
• Turath: Masterworks of the Middle East [1992, CMP]
• Blue Flame [2001, Ark 21], A–
• Taqasim [Lyrichord]

Rachid Taha (1958– )

• Diwan [1998, Polydor], A–
• Made in Medina [2001, Ark 21], A
• Live [2002, Mondo Melodia], A–
• Tékitoi [1998–2004, Wrasse], A–
• Diwan 2 [2006, Wrasse], A–

Okay Temiz

• Drummer of Two Worlds [1980], U
• Okay Temiz / Sylvain Kassap [1994, Label la Lichere]

Toumast

• Ishumar [2007, Real World], A–

Turbo Tabla [2004– ]

• The Belly and the Beat [2006, CIA], B

Saadet Türköz

• Urumchi [2005, Intakt], B+(*)

Warda

• Warda [(1997), Hemisphere]
• Lebanon / Algeria [1998, Metro Blue]
• Bawadak [Saut el-Duniya]

Mohamed Wardi

• Live in Addis Ababa, 1994 [1994, Rags]

Yosefa (1971– )

• Yosefa [1993, Triloka]

Chaba Zahouania

• Nights without Sleeping [1988, Mango], B+

Emil Zrihan

• Ashkelon [1999, Piranha]

Various Artists

• Arabesque Tlata 3 [1988–2002, React], A–
• Desert Roses and Arabian Rhythms [1995–2001, Mondo Melodia], B
• Choubi Choubi! Folk and Pop Sounds From Iraq [2005, Sublime Frequencies], A–
• Desert Roses Vol. IV [2002–6, CIA], B
• Egypt: Echoes of the Nile [(1997), Multicultural Media]
• Folklore Kabyle [Club du Disque Arabe]
• Gnawa Music of Marrakesh: Night Spirit Masters [(1991), Axiom]
• Istanbul 1925 [(1994), Traditional Crossroads]
• Oujda-Casablanca Introspections, Vol. 1 [1994, Barbarity], U
• Pop Rai and Rachid Style [(1990), Earthworks]
• Putumayo Presents: Acoustic Arabia [(2008), Putumayo World Music], U
• Putumayo Presents: North African Groove [1996–2004, Putumayo World Music], B+
• Putumayo Presents: Sahara Lounge [(2004), Putumayo World Music], B+
• Putumayo Presents: Turkish Groove [1999–2005, Putumayo World Music], B+(*)
• Radio Palestine: Sounds of the Eastern Mediterranean [1985, Sublime Frequencies], B–
• Rai Rebels [1988, Earthworks], A–
• The Rough Guide: The Music of North African [(1997), World Music Network]
• The Rough Guide to Arabesque [1993–2002, World Music Network], B
• The Rough Guide to Bellydance [(2002), World Music Network], B+
• The Rough Guide to Raï [(2002), World Music Network], A–
• The Rough Guide to the Music of Egypt [(2003), World Music Network]
• The Rough Guide to the Music of Turkey [(2003), World Music Network], B+
• Sif Safaa: New Music from the Middle East [(1995), Hemisphere]
• Tea in Marrakech [2001, Earthworks], A–
• Women of Istanbul [(1998), Traditional Crossroads]
• Yalla: Hit List Egypt [1990, Mango], B+