The Ensemble Al Salaam ~ Optimystical

[DuranDuran]

This song is from 1974.

 

[arXter]

i've come across them before in a Gilles Peterson compilation, with this tune:

Circles
















real spiritual, laid back and funky grooves. love it, especially the flutes (very underrated instrument in today's pop/soul/urban music).

and 'al-salaam' means 'the peace' in Arabic. i need to check out the whole album, great post.

 

[Ohood]

interesting ........thanks for sharing.

 

[arXter]

"The music is greater than the sum of our collective beings."

got 'round to checking out the whole album. otherworldly. the message below is deep and yet pretty funny in a 'conspiracy-brethren' kind of way, lol. i wonder if we still have this sort of natural spirituality being performed and recognised somewhere in today's Western music.

my picks, alongside Optimystical:

Peace














Ecstasy














Vibration Love Call

 

[DuranDuran]

Re: "The music is greater than the sum of our collective beings."

got 'round to checking out the whole album. otherworldly. the message below is deep and yet pretty funny in a 'conspiracy-brethren' kind of way, lol. i wonder if we still have this sort of natural spirituality being performed and recognised somewhere in today's Western music.

Sure, the spirituality of materialism and egoism. There was a group a few years ago called Fertile Ground, but they had more of a Sade type of sound. I don't know if they're still together, though. People now tend to be "fast food" and don't get into that sort of mysticism.

 

[arXter]

most definitely. there's a British-Asian musician/producer goes by the name of Nitin Sawhney who puts together world music with jazz/soul collaborations. i first came across him only this year at the BBC Electric Proms with this, his latest tune:

Distant Dreams



his usual work is full of this sort of spirituality (more Asian-influenced) and not the religious agenda-driven kind. just natural 'mysticism' as you put it. i'll try and dig up some of my fav works i've heard from him.

 

[DuranDuran]

Here's another group on the same record label called 'The Descendants of Mike and Phoebe'.

Two Songs For a Boy Named Mark:
(a) Little Bitty Baby (b) Soliloquy to a Man-Child

 

[arXter]

Khaliq Al-Rouf & Salaam - Elephant Trot Dance [1979]

some great stuff. what a discovery,,

the group had another album several years later under the bandleader's name, Khaliq al-Rouf, who's also the prominent flautist on their first record.

continuing on the spirituality, but this one's a lot more jazzy..

The Elephant Trot Dance




















Malcom, The Call




















Sunset In Venus




















Libra

 

[DuranDuran]

Those are pretty smooth.

 

[DuranDuran]

Re: "The music is greater than the sum of our collective beings."

Vibration Love Call

This is very relaxing.

 

[DuranDuran]

Strata-East Records

Here's some other acts from the Strata-East label.

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