Munir Bashir - Iraq: Ud Classique Arabe

Ocora - LP
France, 1971 / 1973
Ethnographic / Iraq / Classical 

As one can read on the sleeve, a "classic" of Arab classical music indeed. Released on Ocora, a record made of 8 Iraqi maqâm by oud legend Munir Bashir. As often with the revered French ethnographic label, you can expect a technically flawless recording. One of the most blissful experience on the label. Very clean copy.

It's perhaps a bit intimidating to delve into such a secular musical tradition, but A) this gatefold edition offers a synthetic introduction to the music played by Munir Bashir (in French and in English) ; B) the music itself is sensual, welcoming, and absolutely not the arid and serious kind one may wrongly expect from an Ocora record. It feels like all the music on that record came from one single blow from Munir Bashir, a single second stretched over the two sides of a record. Eternal (NM+ / VG+)

Tracklist

1. Taqsîm En Maqâm Nahawand
2. Taqsîm En Maqâm Râst
3. Taqsîm En Maqâm Hijâz Kâr Kurd
4. Taqsîm En Maqâm Awj
5. Taqsîm En Maqâm Awshär
6. Taqsîm En Maqâm Kurdî
7. Taqsîm En Maqâm Lâmî
8. Taqsîm En Maqâm Dasht