ORCHESTRA BAILAM
Harem Bailam

Fy 8153

8021750815326
Felmay Records
Italia

 

ORCHESTRA BAILAM is back with a live album. Recorded during a show held at the infamous Teatro della Tosse in Genoa in March 2009.
Harem Bailam is a useful work for this band and its new and old passionate followers to assess the journey started in 1988, and to prove that live performances are the best suited form of expression for this group. The very acoustic ORCHESTRA BAILAM has always stood out for its measured approach to its repertoire, without lacking emotional involvement. The concert album opens up with Mamma li turchi and Gatto morto -respectively evocating klezmer incursions of Eastern Europe and the solid balkanic rhythms- two very dynamic compositions signed by Franco Minelli, guitarist and oud player of the group. The recording does not allow you to put your feet up for a moment as Rumenia Rumenia (by Aaron Lebedeff) follows. A funny Jewish tale whose significance is universally legitimate. The fourth composition, Semai nahawand lamma bada, introduces a sort of generous suite paying its respects to Middle Eastern tradition through tracks such as Enta aumri (a former success by Oum Kalsum), Cimbali (traditional), L’anima ha preso tutto in gioventù (on lyrics by XII century poet Ibn Hamdis) and Longa farahfaza (by Ismail Haqqi bey). The result is a cultured yet popular soaked atmosphere evocating belly dancers and the huge Arabic string orchestras , harems swarming with beauties, radio tunes echoing and fading to the desert.
According to the same eastern inspired style is the cover of the brilliant Il volto della vita, a song that Caterina Caselli presented at the Cantagiro in 1968, here performed by Roberta Alloisio.
For this concert ORCHESTRA BAILAM (formed by the previously mentioned Minelli, Luciano Ventriglia, percussions and drums; Edmondo Romano sax and clarinet; Roberto Piga violin; Luca Montagliani bandoneon and keyboards; Tommaso Rolando bass) boats some special guests, the Arcotrafficanti trio, Maco Fadda, percussions and Cosimo Francavilla, sax.