Thursday, August 4, 2011

CD Review: Amira Kheir's 'View From Somewhere'




View From Somewhere

Contro Cultura Music





The cross-cultural leanings of Sudanese-Italian born Amira Kheir, stem from her home base in the U.K. and inspirational melodies, rhythms, and styles that shaped the final product of View From Somewhere. With a multitude of styles, Amira primarily borrows her Sudanese ancestry with Arabic jazz and folk music. The instrumental repertoire of oud, kora, piano, djembe, shekere, accordion, darbuka, bongos, cajon, riqq, sax, guitar, and bass reflect a solid concoction of musical tools. The music reflects a spiritual component of the Sufi tradition, along with Sudanese jazz and soul in a similar style, though not as polished as fellow countrywoman, Seba. The liner notes contain English lyrics, even though most of Amira's vocals are in another language. Overall, Amira Kheir sings from the heart and soul with a backing of just the right amount of instrumentation. Fans of Seba, Yungchen Lhamo, and Sudanese music will find comfort and joy in the sounds of Amira Kheir. ~ Matthew Forss

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