Sazi - 6-5-2008 at 05:03 PM
I just recieved Omar Bashir's Latin Oud cd, and after a quick search could find no review, so thought I'd put in my 10 cents worth. I was really
looking forward to this, as I have been impressed by Omar's style(s) but while the oud playing is amazing, the added programming - bass, keyboards,
samplers, - is a little annoying, some of the sounds are obviously general midi, flat and lifeless with no dynamics, kind of gives it that "music for
waiting rooms" flavor. The stand out track would have to be 'Grande' written by Omar and Munir, while 'bint el challabia' goes into overdrive, so fast
it trips over itself. A fantastic rendition of 'fog el nakhal' in the track 'Irak' and some interesting Turkish medleys. Great oud playing let down by
dodgy production values.
(But I still can't stop playing it!)
Well, after a few more listens, I've managed to ignore the sounds I don't like and just listen to the oud. To say the playing is great is a bit of an
understatement... if it was a guitar Omar was playing, a reviewer would use words such as "blistering' and 'pyrotechnics' - this is a great cd if you
want to practice picking techniques, there's inside picking, outside picking, every which way but loose picking! and SOOOO fast but with impeccable
technique... and I STILL can't stop playing it 