Rachid Taha Diwân / Live (2CD) Wrasse WRASS151 || 14.3.2005 || £13.19  $ € ¥  + p+p +tax Click for big pic Two reissue albums with huge Steve Hillage contribution If you want to catch up on what Steve Hillage gets up to when not System 7-ing at a reasonable price, then the reissue of the Rachid Taha albums on this double package and the Made in Medina/Olé Olé double CD package are manna from heaven. This is not prog anything, this is not jazz, this is not this is not for immediately pontificating over (although strong opinions on weighty issues are powerfully addressed in the lyrics if your French or Algerian are up to it). For us non linguists (although there are detailed descriptions of the songs in the 16 page booklet) it is initially for moving to as the irresistible Rai & Roll beat and the passion of the performances surge in waves out of your speakers. It's shimmering organic trance-like music and glorious Arabic rhythms played on real instruments, merging seemlessly with high music technology. And for me at least it's a wonderfully affirming antidote to the all pervasive anti Arabic/Muslim background bullshit hum since 9/11. This is music equally centered in the heart and the hips, passionate stuff that will carry you away if you let it, and probably even if you resist it. Diwân was originally released in 1998 is produced, programmed and mixed by Steve Hillage. Oh, and he plays guitar on it as well. Live was originally released in 2001 is produced, arranged and mixed by Steve Hillage. As well as appearing on stage playing on a couple of tracks at some stage in the production process Steve added guitar to some other tracks - and very subtly enhancing it is too. There is no dumbing down of the booklet for this 'twofer' reissue, the 16 page booklet reproduces the complete artwork, lyrics (in Algerian) and notes (in French and English) of the original releases . CD One: 'Diwân' Total Runtime 69.18 Ya Rayah 6.13 (A.Amrani) Ida 5.56 (Rachid Taha) Habina 7.27 (T.Barakat/F.El Atrache) Bent Sahra 7.12 (Ahmed Khelifi) Ach Adani 6.25 (A.Amrani) El H'Mame 6.07 (M.El Anka) Enti Rahti 6.58 (A.Amrani) Menfi 5.03 (A.Yahiatene/M.Amraoui) Bani Al Insane 4.32 (B.Hgour) Malheureux Toujours 6.13 (B.Baghdadi/A.Soulimane) Aiya Aiya 7.00 (Rachid Taha) CD Two: 'Live' Track Listing Total Runtime 78.43 Menfi 6.55 (A.Yahiatene/M Amraoui) Nikta 6.39 (Rachid Taha) Ida 6.23 (Rachid Taha) Ya Rayah 8.59 (A.Amrani) Medina 6.46 (Rachid Taha/Rachid Taha - Steve Hillage) Bent Saraha 9.00 (Ahmed Khelifi) Barra Barra 5.42 (Rachid Taha/Rachid Taha - Steve Hillage) Foqt Foqt 6.46 (Rachid Taha/Rachid Taha - Steve Hillage) Ala Jalkoum 5.06 (Rachid Taha/Rachid Taha - Steve Hillage) Voila Voila 7.47 (Rachid Taha) Garab 8.45 (Rachid Taha) 'Diwân' Musicians: Rachid Taha: Vocals Nabil Khalidi: Oud, Banjo, backing vocals and additional percussion Hossam Ramsy: Live Percussion Amina Alaoui: Female Voice Steve Hillage: Guitar Aziz Ben Salwm: Flute Geoffrey Richardson, Bob Loveday, Pete Macgowen: Live strings Kaseeme Jalanne: Oud (11) 'Live' Musicians: Rachid Taha: Vocals Yves Aouizerate: Keyboards Abdel Abrit: Drums Hassan Lachal: Derbouka Hakim Hamadouche: Lute Francois Delfin: Guitar Francois Even: Bass Femi Kuti: Vocals & Sax on 9 Steve Hillage: Additional Guitars on 6,7,8,9 & 11