A groundbreaking, 1978 blend of Arab, jazz, Baroque pop, folk, and Brazilian styles like Bossa Nova, Tropicalia and MPB, with Fairouz’ son Ziad Rahbani as musical arranger, setting Palestinian poetry by Samih Al Qasem, Tawfiq Ziad, and the great Mahmoud Darwish.

‘Beautiful, haunting… spiritual reflection is sung with carnal force, songs of romance are rendered like hymns. For a few moments, on these ancient records, Baghdad sounds like paradise’ (Rolling Stone).

An all-time classic of contemporary Egyptian music, recorded in 1971. The composition is by Baligh Hamdi, for a full orchestra, featuring Omar Khorshid on guitar.

Recorded in exile in Paris, this is the eye-opening solo debut of the leader of the legendary Lebanese group Ferkat Al Ard.
In 1977 Issam was scratching together a living by busking on the Metro. He could afford just one day in the studio, with a pick-up band of musicians from France, Algeria, Iran  — and a friend from Beirut called Roger Fahr, who had left Lebanon around the same time.
Back in Beirut by the end of the year, Issam added percussion and other touches. He made no more than one hundred cassettes, with his last, personal copy providing the master for this precious reissue.
In these genre-shattering settings of the Palestinian poet Samih El Kasemou you can hear the roots of Ferkat Al Ard — but “it’s more of just me,” avers Issam.
Melancholic, stripped, acoustic folk crossed with cosmic, funky jazz-fusion, with strong Brazilian influences. It’s packed with breaks, and haunted by the unique sound of the santour.

The vocalist of Salah Ragab’s Cairo Jazz Band; recorded in 1979.
A one-of-a-kind mix of funk, disco, Latin and jazz, steeped in traditional and contemporary Egyptian styles, featuring compositions and production-work by Hany Shenoda, from Al Massrieen.

Another expert compilation, featuring some of his early English recordings — like Run A Way (nice try) and Flower Of Love — alongside smashes like Sari Çizmeli Mehmet Aga and Aynali Kemer, with a sprinkling of instrumental gems from his 70s concept albums.

Stunning piano improvisations — mostly solo, though peppered with tombak, violin, and scraps of poetry — using his own tuning system, recorded for Iranian national radio between 1956-1965.