Amina Alaoui - Alcantara (1998)

Artist: Amina Alaoui
Album: Alcántara
Label: AUVIDIS
Catalog #: B 6872
Released: 1998
Genre: Arabo-andalousian, classical
Country: France
Duration: 01:02:07
Amina Alaoui has had a major impact on the evolution of Middle Eastern classical music. A virtuoso pianist, Alaoui has performed in concert with such Moroccan artists as Djamchid Chemirani, Pedro Soler, Hameed Khan, Pablo Cueco, Hughes de Courson, and Luis Llach and has composed and played music for many of the country's top choreographers. Born in Fez, Morocco, Alaoui enrolled in the Conservatory of Rabat at the age of six. In addition to studying classical piano, she studied traditional Arabic-Andalusian music and Moroccan and Middle Eastern dance. She published his first collection of poems at the age of ten. Although she studied philosophy and linguistics (Arabic, French, and Spanish) at the University of Rabat, Alaoui continued to focus on music. She studied Persian classical music with Djalal Akhbari and European medieval music with Henri Agnel.
Craig Harris, All Music Guide
The ancient Andalusian poetry that Moroccan singer Amina Alaoui brings to radiant life in Alcantara has been in her family for generations. Her relatives sang the 500-year-old poems at gatherings and her grandmother murmured them while working on embroidery. The CD, whose title means "the bridge," takes listeners over time and land to the Muslim dynasties of medieval Spain and the music created there. This unique, melodious music along with Alaoui's aromatic voice makes Alcantara one of the best CDs of 1998. --Karen Karleski Alcantara is a testament to the beauty of simplicity. This CD holds deliciously exotic music spun from the lovely singing of Moroccan vocalist Amina Alaoui and light but expressive guitar and percussive accompaniment from Henri Agnel and Bijan Chemirani. Empty of any sublime pretensions or girlish Western tone, Alaoui sings simply and maturely--with the love for her Anadalusian heritage spilling naturally through. Her style reminds one of Cesaria Evora--not singing to impress but to preserve and celebrate her culture's music. Rooted in a Muslim dynasty of Spain that ruled from the 8th to the 15th century, Andalusian music has a distinctly ancient, Arabic feel that's not particularly melancholy, certainly not solemn--just lyrical and elegant. And Alaoui portrays these qualities with a rare grace and expertise. To mine for more gems of Amina Alaoui's talent, check out her first U.S. release, Gharnati: Arabo-Andalusian Music of Morocco.
Karen Karleski

Tracklisting:
01. Ode d'ibn arabi (02:24)
02. Ya 'ouchaq* (07:18)
03. Amours ou trop tard me suis pris (05:51)
04. Lamento de Tristan (estampie du XIV siècle)(02:08)
05. Istikhbar Zidane* (estampie du XIV siècle)(04:16)
06. Ya racha fattan (05:08)
07. Maravillosos (04:07)
08. Baha stibari* (06:44)
09. Ya man lahou* (03:05)
10. Batahouvat el qama bachahar** (03:22)
11. Hija mia (03:20)
12. Ya 'adili billah* (03:34)
13. Ya mouqabil* / Amchi ya rassoul (04:36)
14. El hourm ya rassoul allah* (06:08)
Arrangements Henri AGNEL
MARAVILLOSOS - AMOURS OU TROP TARD ME SUIS PRIS - LAMENTO DE TRISTAN - HUA MIA
Arrangements Amina ALAOUI
excepté: L'ODE D'IBN ARABI, composition d'Amina Alaoui.
Amina ALAOUI: chant et daf
Henri AGNEL: guiteme, cetera (cistre), rebec, daf, tambourin et chœur
Bijan CHEMIRANI: zarb, daf iranien et tambourin
Photos: AUVIDIS / A. YANEZ