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Rai music


adnan

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I've never heard such rich music before in my life. Classic instruments (oud, violin, tabla), along with instruments that are regularly in use today (guitar, drums, keyboards, piano, bass, organs, sax, trumpets) combine to make a rich funk/jazz/blues/classical/arabian mix that really fucking mindblowing to me. More so is the sheer excellence of the compositions from Cheb Khaled and Cheb Mami among others. The The difference between Rai and say- Prog Rock, is that Rai uses the instruments tastefully. They all serve a purpose, while Prog uses them to create as big and progressive a sound as possible.

The music is also the rebels' music. It's understandable that kids in Oran, Algeria were thrilled to get their hands on Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Beatles records (hence the rock and funk elements were introduced), because this pure Arabian music was diluted (and sometimes completely replaced) by 'infidel' western music, Rai was considered the Aerosmith of Arabia, the kind of music parents hated, prostitutes and other low life listened to, so they were the 'bad boys' of Arabia. Naturally of course these bad boys are about as clean as most adult contemporary acts in the US (except Rachid Taha who infamously included a fully nude woman in one of his music videos and managed to get it shown late at night on public television) , but it's still interesting history. In any case, they still sang about drugs and sex etc.

By the way, you know the scene in the Fifth Element where Bruce Willis is driving that futuristic vehicle thingy, the song playing was Khaled's Al Akhtar.

Edited by adnan
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Their bravery still shocks me today. To come out of a generally secular community and sing about sex as graphically as Cheb Hasni did with "Beraka", where he sings: "Making love in a filthy old shack, I made her... cause that's what goes through your mind when you're drunk".

He gave his life for music and freedom. He's up there with every other musical figure that sacrificed themselves for those reasons.

I mean, can you imagine living in Oran, Algeria in 1987, when most people liked to pretend promiscuous sex and alchohol abuse didn't exist in their corner of the world, then hearing a song describing drunken sex between minors in a filthy old shack through a loudspeaker from a record store. It made sex an accessible topic of lyricism in middle eastern music.

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actually im really interested! listen to Ya Rayah right now cuz of this thread, thanx Adnan!

Ya Rayah is classic. Look up Abdul Kader, Aicha, Serbi Serbi by Khaled. Yalla Bina by Cheb Hasni.

Also the most essential rai song ever is La (A) Camel by Cheb Khaled. That's the greatest ever.

And I really love Gonks JeanGenie, thank you. :)

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Most complexed compositions? please, i could go as far as to say boards of canada and buddha bar are more complexed then this stuff. Just becuase theres alot of intruments doesn't mean its complexed.

yeah... this sounds like lite jazz with indian (?) lyrics sung over it

this really isn't all that innovative

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Most complexed compositions? please, i could go as far as to say boards of canada and buddha bar are more complexed then this stuff. Just becuase theres alot of intruments doesn't mean its complexed.

yeah... this sounds like lite jazz with indian (?) lyrics sung over it

this really isn't all that innovative

That song is no indication of anything. It's a jazz song pretty much. You'd have to actually listen to some of the stuff to understand how complex it is. That song is just a file I had on my computer is all.

And how is incorporating western instrumentalism and arabian instrumentalism not innovative? And they did it really well.

Plus, go read up on rai, it's one of the most respected forms of music in the world. That particular song is from a pop album that Khaled did in an attempt to make the French charts. Go find Ya Rayah, Abdul Kader, or A Camel, especially A Camel, and tell me it isn't ridiculously innovative.

And it was stupid to say the most complex, because they probably are not. But it takes a lot of talent to play this music, you try it. The three dots after the subtitle sort of change the meaning of the sentence, it wasn't a statement. And as an RHCP fan, you should know that they were slightly influenced by it. Anthony said so in an interview or something.

Edited by adnan
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Fair enough, but are you sure this isn't just one of the phases you seem to go through weekly and post topics on?

It's above par no doubt but, in all honestly, underserving of the praise you give it. Give it a week or so and see if it's still as brilliant as you think it is now.

What phases? Last time I checked I make threads about the same people largely. Sometimes I like them better than usual though.

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Most complexed compositions? please, i could go as far as to say boards of canada and buddha bar are more complexed then this stuff. Just becuase theres alot of intruments doesn't mean its complexed.

yeah... this sounds like lite jazz with indian (?) lyrics sung over it

this really isn't all that innovative

That song is no indication of anything. It's a jazz song pretty much. You'd have to actually listen to some of the stuff to understand how complex it is. That song is just a file I had on my computer is all.

And how is incorporating western instrumentalism and arabian instrumentalism not innovative? And they did it really well.

Plus, go read up on rai, it's one of the most respected forms of music in the world. That particular song is from a pop album that Khaled did in an attempt to make the French charts. Go find Ya Rayah, Abdul Kader, or A Camel, especially A Camel, and tell me it isn't ridiculously innovative.

And it was stupid to say the most complex, because they probably are not. But it takes a lot of talent to play this music, you try it. The three dots after the subtitle sort of change the meaning of the sentence, it wasn't a statement. And as an RHCP fan, you should know that they were slightly influenced by it. Anthony said so in an interview or something.

i understand how an elipsis works (especially in an informal setting like this). i was agreeing and moving on to my point.

if you could point me in the direction of something better, i'm more than open to hear it. i just didn't think the one you provided was all that inspiring.

as far as incorporating arabian instrumentation into western music, look no further than the beatles, who did it around '67 (i think that was the year of sgt. pepper's release - either way, it was close to 40 years ago) which i KNOW you know. granted, rai seems to be a little heavier on the arabian.

plus even if this is the anything goes section, you're still posting in a guns forum. i'm seeing them in 2 days so to say i'm a little slanted in my objective listening right now would be an understatement.

do you have that keidis quote? i'd like to read it.

Edited by bass71player
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if you could point me in the direction of something better, i'm more than open to hear it. i just didn't think the one you provided was all that inspiring.

See, the thing is, that and his ballad Aicha (basically a pop ballad) were his biggest hits and it's hard to find anythingk else that is pure rai on youtube. I'd have to rip the CD's and upload, and as much as I'd love for you to hear it, I'm not up for that.

as far as incorporating arabian instrumentation into western music, look no further than the beatles, who did it around '67 (i think that was the year of sgt. pepper's release - either way, it was close to 40 years ago) which i KNOW you know. granted, rai seems to be a little heavier on the arabian.

Rai goes back to the 1930's as a folk form, and was incorporating electric guitar and bass as early as 1957. In addition it doesn't just incorporate American or British rock/funk elements into the music, we're talking Spanish, French, Eastern European, even Swiss influences here.

do you have that keidis quote? i'd like to read it.

I actually have nothing other than a distinct memory of it. Sorry.

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if you could point me in the direction of something better, i'm more than open to hear it. i just didn't think the one you provided was all that inspiring.

See, the thing is, that and his ballad Aicha (basically a pop ballad) were his biggest hits and it's hard to find anythingk else that is pure rai on youtube. I'd have to rip the CD's and upload, and as much as I'd love for you to hear it, I'm not up for that.

as far as incorporating arabian instrumentation into western music, look no further than the beatles, who did it around '67 (i think that was the year of sgt. pepper's release - either way, it was close to 40 years ago) which i KNOW you know. granted, rai seems to be a little heavier on the arabian.

Rai goes back to the 1930's as a folk form, and was incorporating electric guitar and bass as early as 1957. In addition it doesn't just incorporate American or British rock/funk elements into the music, we're talking Spanish, French, Eastern European, even Swiss influences here.

do you have that keidis quote? i'd like to read it.

I actually have nothing other than a distinct memory of it. Sorry.

alright, thanks... i'll see what i can dig up

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