Thread: Music recommendation needed

Okay, I am about to admit to a huge hole in my dance and music education. I am looking for a recommendation for music for my Belly Dancer of the Universe competition piece and I am slightly clueless. I am planning on competing in the Ultimate category. The music requirements are as follows:

5 minute routine
Zils required
must include 4/4, 6/8, and Turkish 9/8 rhythms. MUST INCLUDE BOTH 6/8 AND 9/8 RHYTHMS IN PRELIMINARY ROUTINE AND PLAY ZILS DURING SOME PORTION OF ROUTINE OR YOU WILL NOT ADVANCE TO THE FINALS.

Now, I have no problems with any of those rhythms. And if, on the outside chance, I make the finals, I am not worried about performing in front of a live band. My challenge is identifying songs with the various rhythms by name so that I can pick something to use.

Any suggestions?

And yes, this means i am starting to train again. I am actually excited!

{{{HUGS}}}

That's a tall order for only 5 minutes! Off the top of my head I can't think of one song that has all 3 in 5 minutes.

s far as individual songs: 4/4 is easy. Most traditional BD songs are 4/4. 9/8 is pretty easy too with the Turkish Kashlimar such as Rompi.

6/8 though. It's used a lot in Persian, Armenian and Morrocan music with which I'm not very familiar.

I found this review of Visions by Mirage which includes some 6/8:
http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/musicreview2.htm
And you can listen on Napster:
http://free.napster.com/mirage-music...sions/13662629

Here's another:
http://www.tonya-and-atlantis.com/atlantis-cd.htm
http://www.dantzrecords.com/DantzRec_CDatlantis.html

Oh, I found this which as all 3:

Gilded Serpent presents...
Fusing Jazz with Middle Eastern

Souren’s "Taksim, It’s About Time"
Vince’s "Beginnings"
Two CDs Reviewed by Amina Goodyear
posted July 16, 2010


8. Seftali’s Delight - This 9/8 to 6/8 to 4/4 dance piece has mood changes along with the rhythm changes. In this piece the piano, which is a percussion instrument, also explores the various ways of playing and counting. Forever liking to play with words (as is evident in most of the names of the pieces in this CD) Vince calls this Hollywood Hijaz. I ask. Is it Turkish, Arabic, Indian? Is it Jazz? Is it Hollywood? Is it all of the above? It is a movie for the imagination. It is the story of the Silk Road with diaphanous chiffon pantalooned dancing girls dancing from one rhythm to another. They are smooth in their transitions and the instruments, including the percussion, vamp continuously allowing the dancers to use those hips. I personally love the bass, flute and piano in this piece.

http://www.amazon.com/Seftalis-Delight/dp/B000QKZGJY

That's going to require some creative editing, I would think. Leylat Hob has a beautiful 6/8 section.

You know what - I'm pretty sure Hossam Ramzy's "Flamenco Arabe" has some 6/8's - do you have that?

I have found that when editing stuff from different studio sessions, the sound quality doesnt flow and many times the key shift can cause an auditory jar. If you will be blending from different tracks, it is best to stay within one parent CD.

Originally Posted by anala

I have found that when editing stuff from different studio sessions, the sound quality doesnt flow and many times the key shift can cause an auditory jar. If you will be blending from different tracks, it is best to stay within one parent CD.

Or get a professional to do it for you so that the edits are seamless. People who have SoundForge software and know how to tweak the files can do wonders.

Originally Posted by anala

I have found that when editing stuff from different studio sessions, the sound quality doesnt flow and many times the key shift can cause an auditory jar. If you will be blending from different tracks, it is best to stay within one parent CD.

This is what I try to do . . . selections from one CD or a group of CDs that one artist produces.

I am thinking of some older music now but Eddie Kochak's CDs have lots of tracks with different rhythms. I "grew up" on Eddie's music and find I still like it quite well.

I use SoundForge too and I have had mixed results with my own editing skills, lol. BUT last year I took tracks off of 2 different CDs to create my own baladi progression because I couldn't find just one that accomplished what I needed. It was an interesting problem that I worked through while cutting both selections in to pieces . . . sort of a cut-and-paste lifting a middle section of one to make it the beginning then attach the end of the other one . . . . and then to do some fade-in-fade-out between them. After I performed that piece (for Dina in Chicago :) ), I had ppl asked me where I got the music . . . oh, my, lol, I guess I did a good job!

Tahira---so cool that you are doing this--you can do it!! John Bilezikjian's CD "Atlantis" has this song "Soul of Egypta-4/4. 6/8. 9/8" 1:44 length
I think making the cd for this competition is the hardest part---listen to all your possible cds, the first minute or last minute are usually the easiest to take and use. For you living in LA---i'm sure you can find someone to edit your music. I won this category in 2001 so i can give you some coaching if you like. And you can pick my brain!!!

[QUOTE=norma;791346]

I found this review of Visions by Mirage which includes some 6/8:
http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/musicreview2.htm
And you can listen on Napster:
http://free.napster.com/mirage-music...sions/13662629


Norma---thanks for the "Visions" recomendation. i have their other Cd and i love it ---got to dance to them live at Rakassah a few years ago. just downloaded the new one.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Funny so many are recommending Atlantis. We have been told that a portion of that will be used in the finals.

Taji - I will call you after I get back from some Coaches training I am doing next week.

Meanwhile, I have been hearing the song Romilia by Baraka Mundi going through my brain. I realize that there is no time change in it, but am kinda liking it as a building block. . .

{{{HUGS}}}

Someone posted this video on this thread with 6/8, 4/4 and 9/8.

OOOP! I forgot to post the link. That's what happens at 5 a.m.!

http://www.bhuz.com/showthread.php?5...878#post796878

Originally Posted by norma

Someone posted this video on this thread with 6/8, 4/4 and 9/8.

The thread title is "So Interesting" and the video is excellent.

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

Meanwhile, I have been hearing the song Romilia by Baraka Mundi going through my brain. I realize that there is no time change in it, but am kinda liking it as a building block. . .

Baraka Mundi has a delightful version of the 6/8 Aman Avci on their Belly of the Mountain CD (it's the hidden track). That CD may be hard to find, but you could always email Onca, ask her for Aman Abju.