Track Listing

1. At the Gates of the Citadel
2. Cairo Blues
3. Last Words by the Temple
4. Morocco Dance
5. Derwood Green
6. Moulid
7. Praying for Rain
8. Emerald Minarets in a Sea of Stars
9. Sunrise over Giza
10. Immortal Egypt

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43083 in Music
• Released on: 1998-10-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Album Description
Following the glowing success of Eternal Egypt, a new light of inspiration has guided Thornton and Ramzy to work together again in a startling and innovative format. Thornton describes the the creation of the recording in this way...

Amazon.com
This, the third pairing of Brit multi-instrumentalist Thornton and Egyptian percussionist Ramzy, further explores Middle Eastern dance motifs in a contemporary setting. Recording the basic tracks in the U.K., they went to Cairo and invited some of the top local musicians to collaborate. Flute, violin, ney, aud, rebala, and accordion flesh out these extended, ambient grooves in an evocative, textural tapestry aimed as much at the mind as at the feet. Reminiscent of Peter Gabriel's film scoring, Immortal Egypt has, with all its participants, enough cultural pedigree to satisfy World Music fans and sonic construction to please the headphone listener, but is probably too gentle for dance clubs, except for the most subtle sashaying. --Derek Rath

About the Artist
A pioneer of European New Age music, which he describes as BAND_MEMBERS: Phil Thornton:: Keyboards, vocoder, E-bow and electric guitars, didgeridoo, percussion programming. Hossam Ramzy: Egyptian percussion, world percussion and drums. Mohammed Ali: Nay (Egyptian bamboo flute). Ahmed Abdel Fattah: Quarter tone accordion Abdalla Helmy: Kawala (Bamboo flute). Mahmoud Serour: Violin. Mahmoud El Gebaly: Aud (Egyptian fretless bass). Chalf Hassan: Moroccan Aud and keyboards. Mohamed Baher: Mizmar (Egyptian oboe/shawm). Sayed El Sha-er: Rebaba (Egyptian two string violin). S

Customer Reviews

This is a wonderful CD!
I have been belly dancing for over 15 years and I would say that this is one of the most beautiful compositions of music that I have heard. It is not music for a set dance routine, nor is it a rendition of popular Egyptian music which can often be difficult for Americans to relate to. Rather it is very beautiful, authentically styled Egyptian music that is full of emotion and vision. I enjoy dancing to it as a form of moving meditation. It brings me joy and deep feeling and I find myself really being able to lose myself in the music. This, in my experience as a dancer, is what marks truly good music. It is also wonderful music to just listen to, especially if one wants to feel a musical connection to Egypt. I have found most of Hossam Ramzy's music to be great, including the renditions of popular songs by famous Egyptian singers. However, this CD is truly my favorite.

East and West Blend Beautifully
Immortal Egypt has some really amazing musical creations. A wonderful marriage of East and West. In my opinion, the electronics get in the way sometimes, overpowering everything else, but not so much as to spoil the CD. This is such an amazing blend of traditional and modern, it has to be heard to be appreciated!

I think it's fun to listen to, and some songs have great potential as dancing music. The music is an amazing marriage of East and West, producing fascinating results that really require more than one listening to appreciate. I am trying to think who would best appreciate this... anyone who can listen to any kind of music open-mindedly will likely love this. It doesn't lend itself to any category well; "new age" isn't quite right, Mid Eastern is certainly not. It's got some jazz-fusion elements to it, but I wouldn't keep it there, either. It really defies description!

The skill of the musicians and the editing is apparent in every song. So even if you can't figure out where in your collection it belongs, it does belong there!

WONDERFUL MIDDLE EASTERN
This is a wonderful album by one of my favorite Middle Eastern artists. It surely evokes thought and dreaming and excitement. A mental transport to another land. I'm not keen on belly dance albums but Hossam Ramzy's shows his best work in these more mysterious and evocative CDs: Baladi Plus, Egyptian Rai, Enchanted Egypt, Immortal Egypt, Qanun El Tarab, Secrets of the Eye, and Source of Fire--all smooth, fascinating and thought-provoking.