Rabih Abou-Khalil - Hungry People (World Village 2012)
Since the early eighties, Rabih Abou-Khalil, born in Lebanon and currently living in France, has managed to raise the oud, the primary instrument in Arabic culture, to a high level of prominence in contemporary music. With his original compositional style, his unconstrained, daring approach he has found a rhythmic and melodic musical language entirely his own. Hungry People has all the fundamentals of his writing and playing: music performed with a passion and an intuitive understanding between Abou-Khalil and his "Mediterranean Quintet". Unique and yet strangely familiar, the music is delivered with a touch of humour despite the recent economic, social and political upheavals that inspired it.
