Sabla Tolo: Journeys Into Pure Egyptian Percusion
If you think belly-dancing music is simple, this CD from Cairo-born  percussionistHossam  Ramzy, the leader of Pharaoh's Egyptian Ensemble (he also toured with Robert  Plant and Debbie Harry), will correct that assumption. Ramzy is a master of thedarbouka, the Egyptian version of the tabla; the title of this CD is  actually an inverted play on words for "solo tabla." It contains about 45  minutes of intricate and ingenious pre-Islamic, Arabic, and  world-beat-influenced solos and rhythms. With other percussion instruments  supporting thedarbouka, Ramzy creates a fresh, fertile crescent of sound  stretching from the Nile to the Middle East, Morocco, and beyond. The track  "Brazilian Pearls" features samba-fied grooves thrown in for good measure. An  informative booklet details the rhythms of these Saharan syncopations, from  "West Naima (Naima's Hip)" to "Samya's Solo." With stealth and skill, Hossam  Ramzy shows us the legacy of his land through the belly dancer's hypnotic hips.--Eugene Holley Jr.