idlero I guess the saying 'you don't change a winning team' was not strange to Anouar Brahem because for 'Le Voyage Du Sahare' he keeps the winning team of 'Le Pas Du Chat Noir', Francois Couturier on piano and Jean Louis Matinier on accordion. This time there is not any information regarding what instrument was used for the composition process but the oud regains front stage.

The music here sounds closer to Tunis and Moorish Spain than Paris, but it has the same ethereal beauty of music born out of silence.While 'Astrakan Cafe' and 'Le Pas Du Chat Noir' make an impact on the first listen, "Le Voyage Du Sahare' is a grower it's beauty revealing itself slowly with each listening. Beside the new compositions, Brahem revisits two older tracks-Vague/Et La Nave va from 'Khomsa' and 'Halfouine' from 'Astrakan Cafe', both among the highlights of this album together with 'Cordoba' and 'Ete Andalous'.

'Le Voyage...' brought Anouar Brahem the prestigious Edison Award in the World Music category.A bit ironic since refering to the 'world music' labeling his music gets, Anouar Brahem said: "This designation annoys me more and more. It is neither a movement nor a particular aesthetic, it is nothing more than a marketing label for record stores in the western world. It would be the same if you are in a record store in Egypt, Pierre Boulez, Keith Jarrett and Britney Spears together in ' world music sort 'would'.

Another essential Anouar Brahem album, recommended to lovers of good music, although jazz purists and fans of avant-garde music probably enjoy less this kind of music despite it's magic beauty.