(Hit the back button on your browser to return to product listing.) Rhythm Music Magazine Incorporating all the signature rhythms used in Middle Eastern dance (beladi, chiftetelli and more), percussionist R.A. Fish has created a tasteful and entertaining piece of North African-based music. Dumbek, tar and riq dance with oud, shenai, violin and vocals to create pictures out of sound. The four-track "Middle Eastern Medley," put together by Fish and oudist/vocalist Scott Wilson especially for dancers, features a "Turkish Love Song in Beledi" and a "Lebanese Wheyek Love Song" with a ghawazzee rhythm. The "Tihai Sufi Trio," with Randy Crafton on bendir (snared frame drum) and Jorge Alfano on bansuri flute, is more melodic and introspectiveÐa wonderfully open-ended improvisation on a Pakistani Sufi rhythmic phrase. rm - Sule Greg C. Wilson , 8/98 Detroit Metro Times **** 1/2 In the 1960s, Robert Arthur Fish studied percussion at the Berklee School of Music. By the 70s, his interests led him to study Indian classical music for which he had a great affinity. His playing found him becoming involved with the Middle Easlern group which performed at the New York Renaissance Festival in Tuxedo, NY. With that kind of history, it might seem unusual to find among his credits stints with the likes of Chet Baker, Mary Travers (from Peter, Paul & Mary), the Drifters and Bob Marley. But it is exactly Fish's versatility and open-mindedness that make his sound so enrapturing. On this latest collection of recordings, Fish explores the exotic sounds of the Middle East and and North Africa. Right from the start, "Procession" is a prime example of the driving, subtle and hypnotic music yet to come. In addition to Fish's own percussion, the work of Randy Crafton is featured in the set. There are also string instrumentsÐfrom oud to violinÐas well as some reeds and vocals. Jorge Alfano, Scott Wilson and Jon Kass fill out the ensemble. The five-part "Middle Eastern Medley" showcases the diversity of the players. It runs the gambit from breakneck-paced percussion to a plaintive Turkish chant. "Spirit Descending" is a frame drum solo which gives the listener an opportunity to hear the subtleties of such percussion instruments without any other aural distractions. "Gateway to Eternity" is a composition dating from the late 1970s which appears to have been influenced by the jazz-fusion era. Thankfully, this influence is minor and a Middle Eastem flavor dominates the picture. Closing the album is a work with Fish playing many different of types of percussion. Here, the composer creates a dynamic, multi-layered soundscape which ebbs and flows in an organic fashion. With all of the tracks virtually flowing into each other, the effect is like a lengthy suite of exotic Middle Eastern sounds. It's a real treat from beginning to end. - Chris Meloche, 8/98 Dirty Linen World percussionist Robert Arthur Fish brings a particularly seductive brand of rhythm to the dumbek, tar and riq drums. On his second Lyrichord CD he is joined by violinist Jon Cass and multi-instrumentalists Scot Wilson and Jorge Alfano for a wonderful exploration of the rhythms of North Africa and the Middle East. Highlights include frame drummer Randy Crafton adding his unique sound on the exuberant "Tihai Sufi Trio" and the great Iranian poet and Rumi scholar Sharam T. Shiva reciting (in Farsi) a profoundly allegorical poem, backed by Fish and friends. -Lahri Bond |