Soul of the East

Buddy Sarkissian & His Mecca Four with Fred Elias - Soul of the East

Performers:
Buddy Sarkissian - durbeckee (hand drum)
Fred Elias - violin
Manny Petro - guitar
Paul Mooradian - tambourine
Lisa and Ahmad [no last names given] - finger cymbals (zils)

From the liner notes:

The ancient rhythms and sounds of the Near East, with their Arabic, Armenian, Greek, Turkish and Israeli overtones, take on an exciting new dimension in these imaginative interpretations by a group of skilled musicians born in the USA of Near Eastern parentage.
With two exceptions, all the tunes are original compositions, written and arranged by Fred Elias and Buddy Sarkissian. The unusual instrumentation - violin, guitar, tambourine and hand drums, creates a distinctive blend that adds depth to the group.
...
Leader, Buddy Sarkissian, born in Lowell, Mass. has been called the king of Near Eastern drummers. Utilizing an authentic Durbeckee (hand drum) he creates his own unique rhythmic patterns, switching occasionally to bongoes and combo drum for variety.
Like Sarkissian, violinist Fred Elias has been a life-long devotee of Near Eastern music. Born in Manchester, New Hampshire, of Lebanese parentage, he is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music and is generally acknowledged as the finest violinist in his field. His unerring command of complex Near Eastern scales, which he blends skillfully with standard Western progressions, has earned him honors from many quarters, not the least of which was a recent command performance for King Saud of Saudi Arabia.
Rhythmic background for the group is supplied by Manny Petro, a Peabody, Massachusetts, native of Greek ancestry. His unique style, developed over a period of years, makes use of a technique called doubling, enabling his one guitar to sound like two.
...
Rounding out the group's distinctive sound is Armenian-American Paul Mooradian, born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. One of the few true masters of the tambourine in America, his accented syncopations and dynamic expressions make themselves felt on every number.
The sheer skill and exuberance of the players, coupled with their modern conceptions and interpretations will provide a true listening thrill.
The tunes chosen for this album are numbers played during the group's night club and concert appearances. They have been arranged in a sequence that will generate excitement - and listening interest - from the first note to the last.
During night club dates, the group often features the artistic interpretations of folk dancers Lisa and Ahmad. Listen carefully and you'll hear the metallic glint of their finger cymbals (zils) in the background on many of the numbers.



Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Mecca Interlude {3:00}

2. Tempo of the Veils {4:01}

3. Laurentien Dreams {2:50}

4. Drumselero {2:34}

5. Chifti Sands {3:15}

6. Caravan {3:21}

Side 2

1. Turkish Nightmare {3:57}

2. Desert Moods {2:47}

3. Carribean Holiday {3:42}

4. 6/8 Delight {2:08}

5. Moorish Echoes {3:28}

6. Habeebe Village {3:12}

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