Yemenite Songs

Artist: Ofra Haza
Label: Globe Style
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio Cassette

UPC: 029667300643
EAN: 0029667300643
ASIN: B00005M1KJ

Release Date: 2000-06-23

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| Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Tracks:

Im Nin 'Alu
Yachilvi Veyachali
'Salk
A) Tzur Mentati/B) Se'i Yona/Csapri Tama
Galbi
Ode Le-Eli
Lefelach Harimon
Ayelet Chen

Similar Items:

Shaday
Kirya
Desert Wind
Ofra Haza 1997
Fifty Gates of Wisdom: Yemenite Songs

Customer Reviews:

When An Angel Dwelt Amongst Us.......2006-01-25

Ofra Haza the late Israeli pop-diva had the purest voice I've ever heard. In 'Yemenite Songs' she returns to her roots and sings 8 traditional pieces. No matter what the genre of music she performs there's no mistaking that angelic voice. If you're into traditional ethnic music this is definitely an essential to your collection.

RIP OFRA

The Sound of the Southern Desert.......2005-04-15

This is a beautiful ode to Ofra Haza's Yemenite ancestry. She sings in the three languages of the Middle East-Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic. The only songs i know she sings in Arabic are Galbi, Yachilva Yachali (ya helwa ya hali), and Ayeselech (a'salk). With the exception of Yachilva Yachali, Ofra Haza confuses the dialects of Arabic that had surrounded her in life to make the lyrics nearly indiscernable, Yemenite, Palestinian, and evidently Egyptian (Egyptian movies are quite popular in Israel), but once you get through those tiny flaws the lyrics are lovely. The only reason i gave it four stars is i believe this songs would sound lovelier if devoid of synthesizers.

Charming middle eastern sounds.......2004-06-27

This wonderful album features traditional and modern instruments with songs based on the 16th century poetry of Shalom Shabazi. The opening number Im Nin'alu is a catchy mid tempo ballad and is followed by the buoyant Yachilvi Veyachali, a faster song with a complex arrangement.

Ofra's voice displays its impressive diversity on A'salk, a great interplay of mostly percussion and vocals. The medley of Tzur Menati, Se'i Yona and Sapri Tama has a catchy twirling melody and Galbi is another tuneful song with a compelling rhythmic structure. Ode Le'eli is a slow ballad with repeating patterns while Lefelach Harimon is my favorite with its sweeping melody line and hypnotic percussive textures.

Yemenite Songs is a pioneering album that successfully integrated traditional Middle Eastern songs with modern arrangements and pop appeal back in the middle 1980s. There is a moving spiritual undertone to many of the songs and Haza's voice is warm and engaging. If you like World Beat or the music of bands like Transglobal Underground, you will love this album.

Additional reccomendations for fans of this beautiful aalbum.......2004-03-31

I aggree with the other positive customer reviews and want to reccomend some discs in addition to this one for fans of Ofra Haza's beautiful music.

Amazon sells seven titles of Ladino music, which stems from pre-1492 castilian-judaeic culture in Spain. It combines Spanish and Hebrew, with beautiful stripped down arrangements.

MUSIC AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN.......2004-03-24

Yemenite Songs is an inspired and successful effort to bring renewed life to the excellent traditional Yemenite folk music of Ofra Haza's ancestors. This album (CD) is much more than Ofra's humble characterization of it as being simply something different than the usual pop offering. These songs and lyrics date back hundreds of years, yet they are extremely accessible and enjoyable to both middle eastern and western musical ears.
Catchy ethnic rhythms and melodies come vividly to life in this well crafted, richly textured, artistic production.

There are no commercial compromises on this work. Extensive use is made of traditional folk instruments, including various percussion instruments. The arrangements offer as true a taste of this type of traditional Yemenite folk music as you are ever likely to hear. This music is from the Yemenite "Diwan," a book of traditional poety meant to be sung. The poems are written, but the music has been passed down orally from generation to generation. The original album was an unexpected hit and has remained one of Ofra Haza's best sellers.

Every song is satisfying from the first to the last. This CD differs from Ofra's "Shirey Moledet" series of three albums even though Shirey Moledet means folk songs of the homeland.
"Yemenite Songs" is exclusively from the Yemenite "Diwan" song book, and is exclusively and purely Yemenite traditional folk music. The Shirey Moledet series while incorporating traditional Yemenite elements, also has various other influences including non-Yemenite Arabic music, and many of the songs are somewhat more modern in sound. The first Shirey Moledet album (CD) is particularly excellent.

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