[mcm7]

Anouar Brahem: Le pas du chat noir

Mellow? Jazzy? Mediterranean?  Romantic?  Menlancholy?

I recently bought this CD on a whim, and I'm not sure how to describe it.  Anouar Brahem plays the "oud" (similar to spanish guitar or lute) and is accompanied by piano and accordian.  This is the first time I've listened to his music, and I'm already a fan.  I have to admit that I'm probably drawn into the piano arrangements since it's a style I tend to play myself sometimes, though not nearly at the same level as these accomplished musicians.

A few measures of the songs may seem to drag a little, or remind you of a coffee shop or persian rug store, but are easily overshadowed by the expressions and feelings evoked by this beautiful music.  At times I felt like I was being transported to Italy, then suddenly to Egypt, then to Spain....you get the idea.  It worked wonders after a stressful day at work.  

Take a listen to the samples on Amazon.com or DeepDiscountCD.com.  If you like what you hear, then I highly recommend buying this CD.  I also feel that it's well-recorded and might be a nice showoff CD for some of the high-end gear around here.  If anyone has heard his other CDs, let me know what you think of them!

-Martin