Sold Date: May 27, 2022
Start Date: April 27, 2022
Final Price: €28.99 (EUR)
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Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of Ziad Rahbani's cult classic "Houdou Nisbi," one of his most praised albums, released on the sought-after Lebanese label Relax-in. This release is an event as the album, recorded in 1984-85 at Rahbani's By-Pass studio, was only released in 1991 on cassette and CD and missed out on the vinyl format. Mixing arabic music with Funk, Jazz, Boogie and a touch of Brazilian music, it is considered a classic among Oriental groove fans, DJs and collectors around the world. Curated by Lebanese DJ and Journalist Ernesto Chahoud, the album is making its vinyl debut with original cassette artwork, audio remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris and also a 2 page insert with a new introduction by Chahoud in English/French. Ziad Rahbani is one of the giants of Arabic music and a cultural icon in the Middle East. The musician, pianist and producer is also a celebrated playwright and a political activist. Coming out of an illustrious artistic dynasty (his father, famous composer and musician Assi Rahbani, was in The Rahbani Brothers and his mother is the legendary Lebanese Diva, Fairuz), Ziad Rahbani released a string of key albums in the 70s that have since become cult among DJs and collectors.

Heavily influenced by Western music, Rahbani brought these influences to traditional Arabic music early one. 1978 saw the release of two key Rahbani albums, the Disco 12-inch 'Abu Ali,’ one of the most sought-after Arabic albums on the international DJ scene and 'Bennesbeh Labokra... Chou?’ also featured in many diggers' want-list.

Serving as musical director to his mother Fairuz, he produced some of her best albums including 'Maarifti Feek' recorded in 1984 at his Beirut studio, By Pass, bringing his blend of modern influences to her traditional sound. At the very same time, Rahbani started recording his own album at By Pass with the cream of Lebanese musicians including saxophonist Tewfic Farroukh, Guitarist Paul Dawani and percussionist Emile Boustani.

Bringing Funk, Boogie, Jazz Funk fusion and Brazilian music to the mix, Rahbani created a landmark album, 'Houdou Nisbi' now considered one of the best jazz funk albums from the Middle East. Featuring such cult tracks as 'Rouh Khabbir', a remake of the Crusaders' 'Soul Shadow' sung by Rahbani himself, the Modern Soul of 'Bisaraha' and the Brazilian flavoured 'For Sure', the album is both effortlessly groovy and steeped in Oriental music. Held as "one of Lebanon's best kept Musical treasures' by Ernesto Chahoud in his notes, the album is a certified Rahbani cult classic.

"Houdou Nisbi," which means "relatively calm", an expression used by news anchors on Lebanese TV to describe the mood during cease-fire in the civil war that went on between 1975 and 1990 - has been remastered for vinyl from the original masters by David Hachour at Coloursound Studio in Paris. The cassette artwork has faithfully been reproduced for vinyl release with an iconic woman supposedly going to party with her high-heel shoes during cease-fire in a war-battered beirut (an agit-prop cover in line with the political stances of Rahbani, a self proclaimed non-religious leftist). Wewantsounds is delighted to bring the first-ever vinyl release of this iconic album to the world, an event for all Middle Eastern music vinyl collectors and 80s funk & boogie lovers.

Trackliste

A1 Bala Wala Chi
A2 Relative Calm
A3 The Same
A4 Yalla Kichou Barra
A5 Don't Go
A6 Bil Nisbi La Boukra
B1 Bisaraha
B2 5 To 7 Pm
B3 Rouh Khabbir
B4 For Sure
B5 Khalas
B6 Finale