Salama s Egyptian premier arabesque but hip Fathy Salama and his band Sharkiat s latest album Sultany (or My Sultan ) - the group s first to be released in Egypt - features music that should be played at foreigner-frequented locales: it is arabesque enough for the authentic experience, but hip enough to tolerate. Salama s Grammy-winning music is well known for fusing East and West, traditional and modern genres. But the Western/modern component must not be confused with radio pop - Salama s music is not easily accessible. There are no fun lyrics to sing along to or tunes to whistle. Its jazzy instrumentals are for the cultured listener. It is difficult to speak of individual tracks on the album, as they could easily have been melded into one long experience. While Salama encompasses various music styles, a similar blend is incorporated into each song, giving few tracks distinctive qualities. At other points, such as in Nubi and Amm, you may feel you re being jerked between an African wilderness and a chic cocktail party. The jerking, however, is thankfully seamless. One outstanding piece is Llaria, a slower, more intimate selection that opens with jazz piano and then pads on more oriental sounds and instruments. In a nutshell, if one wishes to feel nomadic, transported to an Arabian desert of a past century, much of this ambience-creating album will aid in the endeavor. Sultany, which features tracks taken from two of Salama s older CDs, was released early this week by a Lebanese production company called Incognito, part of the Oriental Music Sound Project. He has released nine albums outside Egypt.
