Rihla
/ Tim Rayborn
Music and dance through Iberia, Arabia, Africa and Turkey
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Eventide Music Productions, Eve 14, © 2005
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[69:07]
1. Non deve null' ome / Estampie [4:50]   medieval Spain (6/8)
CSM 50
2. Aal bab [4:05]   traditional Tunisian
3. Soleá [7:24]   traditional flamenco, Spain (12/4)
4. Adrar [3:48]   drum piece, Morocco (6/8)
5. Khamsin [4:26]   Egypt (4/4)
6. Sahra [2:10]   Arabic ney taqsim
7. Nebos [4:32]   Nubia (4/4)
8. Badiyya [2:57]   Syrian rababa taqsim
9. Kalakh [7:54]   Iraq (4/4)
10. Seyahat [4:06]   drum solo piece, Turkey (7/8 4/4 9/8 4/4)
11. Üzgün [5:45]   Ottoman Turkish (4/4)
12. Kýrsal [7:01]   Anatolian (7/8)
13. Yalnýz [6:24]   Turkish 'ud taksim
14. Tutka [3:38]   Turkish Romani (9/8)
Tim Rayborn
vocals and various instruments
& accompanying musicians
Recorded: November 2004-June 2005 at Hypercussion Studio, Berkeley, Calif.
Album notes
Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Tim Rayborn presents a new recording of
folkloric dance music. Journey through the historic lands of the
Mediterranean and the Middle East. From the courts of medieval Castile
and Andalusia to the banks of the Nile; from the Roma culture of
southern Spain to its Turkish counterpart; from Nubia to Iraq, this
recording encompasses thousands of miles and hundreds of years of
folkloric traditions, with numerous plucked and bowed string
instruments, flutes, and percussion, as well as vocals.
In the medieval Islamic world, a rihla, or "travelogue", was an account
of a personal journey written to educate its readers about lands far
away from their own. Often recounted by someone who had made the
pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, it derived ultimately from the Prophet
Muhammad's direction to "seek knowledge, even as far as China." This
led to the concept of al-rihla fi talab al-'ilm, or travel in search of
knowledge.
The most famous rihla of the Middle Ages was that of Ibn Battuta, who
traveled more than 73,000 miles between 1325 and 1354, from his home in
the Maghreb, as far as China and southeast Asia, to Turkey and the
steppes of Russia, to sub-Saharan Africa.
It is in the spirit of these remarkable travels and the tradition of
seeking new lands that this CD presents a musical journey, featuring a
multitude of folkloric genres and styles, while focusing on three
geographic areas: Iberia, Arabia, and Turkey.
The courts of medieval Spain and North Africa were known for their
artistic excellence and multi-cultural flavor. Flamenco, a much more
recent Romani art, nevertheless has roots in the many rich cultural
exchanges of Iberia and North Africa, while Moroccan Berber folk music
traditions may predate Islam.
The civilizations along the Nile River, in this case, Egyptian and
Nubian, are thousands of years old, and music has always been a part of
life. The classical music of Iraq is an ancient art; Iraq's is the only
Arabic music that still features regular use of the santur, now most
often found in Persian and Indian music.
The Ottoman Empire was a world power for 500 years, presiding over a
vast domain that included the Balkans and the Middle East. In addition
to its elaborate court music, the music and dances of the common people
included those of Anatolia, and of the Roma who both lived nomadic
lives, and settled in urban centers such as Istanbul.
This recording is a journey of thousands of miles and many centuries,
into the heart of these remarkable music and dance traditions.