Music
If Caitlyn is performing at your party and you have any music requests, just let her know a few days in advance. Please do not expect her to accomodate musical requests made five minutes before the show.
If you would like live music at a show, please email Caitlyn for details. Several options are available, ranging from a single Arabic/Turkish drummer to a full Arabic band with additional dancers.
Below is a catalogue of some of Caitlyn's music, with her comments. Music is listed by genre, then by artist. This list was created as a guide for students who are looking to expand their collections of dance music.
EGYPTIAN ORIENTAL
The Babylon Arabic Band
Khamis Henkesh
*Jalilah/ Mokhtar al Said and El Ferka el Mesaya
Georgeous, classic orchestral music for the intermediate/advanced dancer
*Mesmera/Salatin el Tarab
Brilliantly played orchestral music for the intermediate/advanced dancer.
Hossam Ramzy
Admittedly, some of his CDs are sounding a little dated, but he’s still the most talented drummer I’ve ever heard.
Sami Nossair Orchestra
*Veena and Neena
High quality musicianship and production, excellent choice of songs on “Bellydance Fantasy”. Veena and Neena have chosen real, sophisticated Mideastern music that’s pleasing to the average Western ear. Unfortunately the tracks are badly broken up, casuing pauses mid-sonmg when played on a normal sound system.
You can look for Egyptian oriental not only by band but also by composer. Famous composers include Farid el Attrache, Abdel Halim Hafez, and Mohammed Abd'al Wahab.
EGYPTIAN POP
Baha'a Sultan
Hakim
Cheesy and upbeat, a great artist for getting people up and dancing
Amr Diab
Hisham Abbas
Saber el Robai
EGYPTIAN FOLKLORIC
Fatme Serhan
"Best of Saidi"
*Hossam Ramzy
“Beledi Plus” is a favourite of mine. Great for tribal, teaching, assaya, practicing finger cymbals. Some good drum solos for oriental dance as well.
Saad
"The Prince of Shaabi" has a lot of good tracks. And a few tracks that will make you want to smash your CD player in horror.
GHAWAZEE
Aisha Ali (compiler), Music of the Ghawazee
If you don’t like mizmar, beware this CD…Actually, if you don’t like mizmar, beware the Ghawazee;-) They use a lot of it. I use this CD to practice Ghawazee dance. It would be good for practicing slow 1-2-3s with zills, but my students complain that the sound is too raw. A CD for Ghawazee fans only, I suppose.
LEBANESE and SYRIAN
Assi el-Hellani
Darine Hadchiti دارين حدشيتى
George Abdo
Retro, but fabulous. Dramatic Lebanese music from the 1970s. The sound quality is not as good as on a modern CD; you can tell it’s retro. However, I still listen to my “Bellydance!” CD frequently and “Hadouni” is a popular song to teach beginner choreographies to. He also does a great rendition of “A Nadda,” as does Sabah.
Elissa
Contemporary pop
Haifa Wehbe
Contemporary pop
Dina Hayek
George Wassouf
Nancy Ajram
Fun for the first few tracks, then a bit too sickly-sweet
Sabah
She sings with feeling and attitude. As with George Abdo, this is a retro sound.
Najwa Karam
Lebnanyat (CD, Various Artists)
Rola Saad
Shereen
TURKISH ORIENTAL
Ahmet Kusgöz Ve Arkandaslari
*Brothers of the Baladi
They do Arabic music as well. I recommend Further Journeys and Eternal Egypt. “Further Journeys” has a great variety of music and a mizmar piece at the end that’s great for sword dancing or tribal. If you are ever in Portland, Oregon, you can see part of the band perform weekly at It’s a Beautiful Pizza, perhaps the only pizza parlor to host a regular oriental dance event.
*Ozlem
Slow and beautiful Turkish music, plus the occasional bit of Persian or drum solo. Excellent for taqsims.
*John Bilezikjian
Amazing, amazing, musician. Not strictly Turkish music on his CDs.
TURKISH POP
Tarkan
His self-titled CD is his best.
Asena
Ibrahim Tatlises
TURKISH CLUB
A Night In Istanbul (Various Artists)
Great 2-CD set
Baba Zulu
Harem
Ibrahim Tatlises
Lava Beaux
Orient Beats
Orientation
Smadj
Under the Bridge (Various Artists)
Mercan Dede
Baba Zulu
ROMAN (by title)
Ciguli
*Gypsy Fire
Bellydance music, inclusing some classics such as “Siseler” and the best version of “Rompi Rompi” I’ve ever heard. When Yuri Yanakov is one of the musicians, you can’t go wrong.
Gypsy Caravan, produced by Putamayo
Not all suitable for oriental dance, but a good CD. You can listen to clips on the website.
Gypsy Music of Constantinople
Kemani Cemal
Shuvani
This CD was put together by Dahlia Carella, who invented “Dunyavi Gypsy Dance”, a fusion of dance moves from along the Romani trail. Her CD reflects this eclecticism, including everything from a lively “Pero Pom Pero” to a slow karsilama. Appropriate for fusion, Romani, or Dunyavi dance.
Latcho Drom
The Gypsy Road
Brilliant musicianship. There’s a movie by the same name in which you can see people dancing to the songs on the CD. The music is good for folky fusion bellydance, not strict oriental.
Sulukule
Techno Roman
Burhan Őçal and the Trakya All Stars
AMERICAN TRIBAL BELLYDANCE/URBAN TRIBAL
Beats Antique
Urban Tribal
Djinn
Fantastic! What other band combines Mideastern music with beatboxing and a hurdy-gurdy? And gets away with it?
Gypsy Caravan
American Tribal
Helm
American Tribal
Pentaphobe
Mideastern-influenced electronic music used by dancer Rachel Brice
Solace
Very dramatic, sometimes experimental. Lots of good music for tribal. Solace CDs don’t work very well for restaurants (too intense), but are good for stage shows.
FUSION
Alabina
Fun Spanish fusion, popular with dancers. As with most pop artists, there’s a shortage of real Spanish and Middle Eastern rhythms in her music.
Bellyhouse
Only vaguely Middle Eastern. Perhaps better for listening than dancing.
Carvin Knowles
"Hamsa" has some excellent songs for clubby oriental, gothic, and urban tribal dance
*Dolphina
Recommended for beginners. Difficult to find outside the US). Her CDs have some Indian influence.
Children of Paradise
Lovely music, very cleanly and steadily played, which makes this a good CD for beginners and troupes. Soem excellent taqsims.
Galactic Caravan
Goofy name, but a couple of fantastic songs on their CD. I use this CD for fire sword and tribal style.
Jehan
Arabic-Rock fusion. I like the idea but the use of English lyrics really doesn't work for me.
Natacha Atlas
I mostly use her music for stretching, teaching slow moves, and performing with a veil. She has a gorgeous voice.
Niyaz
Oojami
DRUM SOLOS
Issam Houssan
The drummer who works with the Bellydance Superstars
*Susu Pampanin
Hossam Ramzy
Epecially the CD Sabla Tolo.
Turbo Tabla
COMPILATIONS IN VARIOUS STYLES (by title)
Arabesque
Cheb Mami, Omar Faruk, and more. A wide selection of music, all of it dance-able.
Arabia: The Women’s Voice
Wide selection of styles, some songs very dance-able
Beginner's Guide to Arabia (pop, lounge, and classic; 3 CD set). Good deal
*Bellydance Superstars, vol. 1
Great quality CD. A vast range of music (everything from Oojami’s “Chicky” to the classic “Bitwanas Beek”), something to suit every dancer. I’m particularly fond of “Raqs Africa”.
The Best Arabian Nights Album in the World…Ever! vol. 1, 3 (pop)
OTHER STYLES
Mizrah (Mizrahi)
Za'atar (no longer available)
Ofra Haza (Israeli)
Despina Vandi (Greek)
Annabouboula (Greek)
Amina (Tunisian pop)
I recommend her CD mainly for the song “Liriliri”, which is both easy to dance to (especially with a veil) and extremely beautiful. Bought this CD in France and haven’t seen it in the U.K.
Aynur
A Kurdish singer
Shams (Tunisian-Kuwaiti Pop Singer)
TUTORIALS
Jalilah's Raks Sharki vol. 4
Rhythms tutorial
Zils
Rhythms tutorial for finger cymbals
It bears mentioning that www.maqam.com is a grear site for Middle Eastern CDs. It also bears mentioning that not every song on every CD listed above is appropriate for performing. Dance to whatever you want at home, but have caution when selecting CDs for performances. Most CDs that are marketed as "bellydance music" are fine, but do some research when selecting pop. A Syrian audience might not appreciate Haifa's Lebanese nationalism any more than a Turkish audience will appreciate it if you dance to the Kurdish national anthem.
