Search - Khaled :: Ya-Rayi

A rousing, exuberant expression of passion...

Matthew | New York, NY | 11/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is from the Observer Magazine review: In the past two years, each of the major world artists of the 1980s has chosen to turn around and look backwards, to make semi-acoustic, reflective albums in celebration of the music of their formative years. Salif Keita led the way with his wonderful Moffou in 2002, and already this year we've had milestone albums from the Gipsy Kings ( Roots ) and Youssou N'Dour ( Egypt ), with Mory Kante's Sabou due in September.

Ya-Rayi, the latest album by Algerian maestro Khaled, does not immediately sound as if it belongs alongside them. The accompaniment is mostly loud and upfront, Khaled's exultant roar is undiminished, and on the surface sounds similar to his four million-selling albums since his international breakthrough in 1992. But in several respects Ya-Rayi is a return to the singer's early inspirations.

Born in Oran in Algeria in 1960, Khaled burst into popularity as a teenager in the late 1970s, when his cassettes were street-market bestsellers throughout the north African diaspora. As well as being a unique singer, Khaled was also a superb accordion player, and accordion is featured on several tracks here, sometimes played by Khaled himself, more often by co-producer Philip Eidel.

Khaled gave one of the best live concerts I ever attended, in 1994. It was the first and still the only time I have witnessed the entire audience at the Royal Festival Hall leap to its feet the moment the singer walked on stage, and keep dancing until he left it. As Khaled filled that big room with his voice, I was sure there could not be a better singer anywhere. He had everything: a rich, thick tone, infinite vocal flexibility and that indefinable, heartbreaking quality which no words can convey. He can hold a note for ever, or leap from one to another, his voice flying across the beats like an acrobat.



There are perils in having such a good voice, that so often trap pop singers like Mary J Blige and Mariah Carey, who convince themselves they do not need inherently good songs but can disguise half-baked ideas in pyrotechnics. Without understanding the literal meaning of Khaled's songs, we can hear that he always starts with meaning, melody and structure. On this album, most of the songs are credited to his wife, Sam Debbie, but they have the same virtues as those written by Khaled himself in the past.

French co-producer Eidel started collaborating with Khaled in 1992, and the two seem to draw the best out of each other, and Eidel's broad brushstroke arrangements fill the canvasses with drama or subtlety as the occasion demands. This is a rare album in which each track feels like the best so far until it is replaced by the next.

The mood shifts from elegiac to intense, Khaled swoops from a shout to a sigh, the accompaniment is a fiery horn section one moment, a swirling string section the next. The first song, 'Mani Hani', starts with piano. Not an electronic keyboard, but real piano - fluent, easy going, like the musician has all the time in the world. A hint of classical, a touch of jazz. Checking the credits, the player is Jewish pianist Maurice El Medioni, famous in Algeria before Khaled was born. One-by-one, acoustic guitar, percussion and accordion fill out the sound, and 90 seconds have passed before the voice enters, softer and more gentle than we are used to hearing it. It's a brave way to start, and gives fair warning that we should expect the unexpected.

The album's title track 'Ya-Rayi', is co-produced by Don Was, the American who produced the international hit single 'Didi' on Khaled's self-titled album in 1992. 'Ya-Rayi' is much less intense than 'Didi' was, offering Khaled the luxury of stretching out on a double-bed of voices and horns. Meanwhile, 'Zine Zina' marks the first time Khaled has worked with Jacob Desvarieux, one-time leader of the zouk group, Kassav, and it's fascinating to hear Khaled's typical phrasing work so well with the Antilles-tinged horns and backing vocalists. This irresistible call-to-dance is surely going to blast out in nightclubs throughout the world for the next year or so.

Khaled's first studio album since 1999 is a rousing, exuberant expression of passion by one of the great singers in the world today, at the height of his powers.

"

Beautiful, romantic music!

Margo Escargot | East Coast, US | 06/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I bought "Ya-Rayi," I wasn't sure I would like it. Having been introduced to Cheb Khaled in the late 80s, I was accustomed to a more traditional sound with gasbahs and derboukas, and even those "drum machines." I was thinking "Ya-Rayi" was produced to cater to a wider audience, and would be kind of a "sell out" to western taste. While the recording certainly has a more modern sound, many of the songs are so catchy they will appeal to just about anyone. The young Cheb Khaled's early roots are still evident in many of the tracks but in a more polished presentation. My favorite songs are "Ya Galbi" and "Hagda," a simply gorgeous song with Spanish touches. I also love the accordion and the Egyptian strings featured on many of the tracks. The only downside - I wish the lyrics printed in Arabic on the CD insert were also translated in English. In any case, this is a CD you'll want to own. You will cherish it as one of Khaled's best."

Khaled is a musical genius

Kenny O. | Chicago, IL USA | 12/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you've never experienced Khaled, don't miss out. He is an extraordinary talent, blending musical styles native to his Algeria with hip-hop, funk and other genres. The variety on each album is also fantastic. His album Sahra may be his most accessible to Western ears, but this album as well as numerous others are well worth purchasing."