Search - Abdel Halim Hafez :: Youhou Des Amants

Unique musical delight of Arab, Jazz and Latin cross-over!

H. Musazlioglu | East London, UK | 09/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Abdel Halim Hafez is one of THE Arab singers anyone inhabiting North Africa - and not only there - knows and loves passionately. And this since the 50ies and way beyond 1978 when he died being just 48 in a London clinic due to a life long illness. However, throughout his short life, he still was immensly productive, having composed the music for sixteen films and further more than a hundred songs.Al Andib al asmar, "The Dusky Nightingale" as he was nicknamed by his fervent admirers, shows especially here on this album his immense musical diversity. "Reste avec moi", so the French title (Stay with me), guides the listener through beautiful, intricate melodies and suddenly through a swinging and very sensual jazz set, wonderfully blended with his Egypt string orchestra.Fascinating especially is how gracefully he manages on "Ne me crois pas" (Don't believe me), to blend Latin elements similar to Carmen Mirandas' works with his very melodious Egyptian singing and also on "Le coucher du soleil" (The sleep of the sun) to sing the blues a la Billie Holiday, bare any Arab orchestrations completely. This album definetely is for anyone who appreciates not only first-quality Arab music, but also a musical cross-over from a completely different angle."