idlero Trouble in Jerusalem is the film score composed by Rabih Abou-Khalil for the movie Nathan The Wise made in 1922. The project was funded by the German Foreign Office, the Goethe-Institut and the Munich cultural department. The German Youth Orchestra join Rabih Abou-Khalil on oud, Michel Godard on tuba ,and Jarrod Cagwin on drums in a blend of classical and arabic music(by the way, should't the music include least some jewish influences too?). The story of the movie is based on Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's 1779 play. Set in and around Jerusalem at the time of the crusades, the story throws Christians, Muslims and Jews together in a melodramatic maelstrom of epic proportions. The music is rather bland, "Lament" has some interesting parts with nice violin and cello solos, "Once Upon A Dervish" is more lively but standalone the score fails to inspire or attract, maybe it works better with the movie. Not a score that makes you want to see the movie

Sean Trane Among RA-K's abundant discography, there are some (many?) albums that sound relatively similar (rather inevitable) but Journey To The Centre Of The Egg is one of those that stands out a bit from the "norm". You can already tell with/by the more discreet white artwork gracing its sleeve, and that only three musicians (including Rabih) intervening, with just one guest drummer on two successive tracks.

Still very much acoustic and instrumental, the general feel remains ethnic-jazz, mainly due to Rabih's oud and the scales used in the compositions. Note that this trio does not feature bass, but this is precisely why this yolk tastes different from the rest of the Egg's centre. Kühn 's piano is certainly very much and asset, and when he's not fondling the keys, he's sometime blowing into an alto sax, which fits the album's ambiance without being either disruptive or repetitive. Cagwin's drum sound is part of the excellent production job of the now- habitual Walter Quintus, and it adds much depth to the soundscapes of the album. The album's apex is the eccentric Mango, but it ends rather abruptly. For the rest, the "ethnic" flavour in this Egg is probably tandoori, because there are a few Indian raga moments, most notably in the longer pieces. As with many of RA-K's album, there is a dissonant piece and inn the cazse, it's not served in Plastic Cups.

While the album is still a typical RA-K work, Journey does stand out a bit, but one can still think of ECM-label jazz products even if the Oregon comparisons are a little harder to bridge. So if you're looking to have more than one of his album, but want to avoid the unpleasant feeling that you've bought the same one twice, this is an excellent second choice.

Sean Trane In the RA-K albums I've heard so far (some 7 or 8), Tarab is probably the most "world" music in the sense that it's the most "ethnic", even we can't talk of a specific ethnic or continent with the Lebanese genius. It's actually no surprise since this album dates from 93 and is one of his earlier works, and one of the first to bear that luxurious Arabic arts wafer cardboard digipak.

In the accompanying band we can getv acquainted with contrabassist Glenn Moore and percussionist Nabil Khaiat, both of whom will become usual suspects in RA-K's discography. Tarab has a very much Arabic or Mid-Eastern sound, but some passages are strongly influenced by classical Indian music, especially when percussionist Ramesh Shotham plays tabla drums and engage in some raga. Unlike many of its successor, Tarab does not have much jazz influences, and remains acoustic and almost totally instrumental. The different pieces can range from festive and happy to reflective or even a tad melancholic, often coloured by Selim Kusur's flutes, of which the bamboo flute, but not only. If in general with later albums, the obvious Oregon or ECM label comparisons are unavoidable, it's not really valid with Tarab, although it could fit on the German jazz label without sticking out much.

Sean Trane Sometimes hailed by RA-K fans as his definitive statement, The Cactus of Knowledge is one of Rabih's livelier albums in his vast discography. Whether the title is a joke or not, we can see the main (and more numerous than usual) musicians taking turn sitting in a sofa next to a horrible toy cactus in a studio hall.

The album develops a Klezmer-Gypsy Jazz feel, a consequence of an 8-man brass section, not just in the opening two tracks, goes even further in the Got To Go Home piece. The opening Lewinsky March has some wild brass exchanges between the lead horns and the rest of the section. The Gypsy/Klezmer ambiances are generally very upbeat and happy, sometimes fairly complex, and approach Miriodor or Alamaailman Vasarat's works, but it doesn't develop their energy, partly because the latter two don't hesitate to go electric when needed. Probably the album's apex is Oum Said (probably a reference to the legendary Egyptian singer Oum Kalsoum) but I also find Malyese Chicken farm to my liking.

While this joyous Klezmer-circus-like music is rather dominant, it doesn't stop the other more Eastern "ethnic" music influences to permeate the album's soundscapes, most notably on Fraises & Crème Fraiche. Also worthy of notice is Ma Muse M'Amuse (my muse amuses me), where Courtois' cello is really on the forefront.

Cactus is a typical RA-K album, maybe a tad more than others due to the vast amount of wind instruments that have invaded his musical imagination. One of his better works, but not my favourite, despite some wild moments; but it should please most newcomers and confirmed fans.