American bands can make great Arabic music

Or so it turns out.

I just purchased the two releases from House of Tarab (a.k.a. HOT) – a band in Seattle that works closely with Delilah. Their CDs are available from Visionary Dance. I love them both from head to toe. They both have good instrumentation and singing and it feels like dancing to live music, with a smaller band, very different from the big orchestra sound of the music from Cairo, but still very Arabic. The instruments used include mismark, nay, oud, violin, and a variety of percussion.

Their first release is bellydance classics from the golden ages and old films, Hebbina, Zeina, Aziza, Lamma Bada, and a variety of taqsims with different instruments including a fun table solo. Their second release is called Beledi and has a more earthy feel, with classics such as Ya Aziz Aini – done in more contemplative style than I've heard on other releases – and old Syrian and Lebanese folk songs appropriate for debke or cane work. There are two drum solos on these release, as well as a folkloric Turkish piece and a 10/8 Muwasharat.

We will be using this music in our upcoming show – Raks Nativity – so I will be getting to know a lot of it very intimately. It's amazing how many of these songs fit perfectly into the scenes we had envisioned, and the band was kind enough to allow us to use the music for our dancing in the show.