SheshBesh- Continuing the percussion rant

[Eliezer Kaplan <zelwel...>]

    I just got the new CD by SheshBesh, an Israeli group of mostly
classically trained musicians who play regional (mideast) music. Their
percussionist is the technically excellent Chen Zimbalista- from a purely
technical standpoint, this man can fly. He's learned this stuff well, and
he's got great chops. But I had to take the disk off, and play a Turkish
Bellydance disk instead- this one by Ozer Senay, titled simply 'Turkish
Bellydance' (sorry, Kristine) on ARC records. Dumbek player- Murat Arslan-
never heard of him. Technique? I doubt that Arslan is flashier than
Zimbalista. Note choice? Fire? Arslan, no contest. This is not to knock
Chen Zimbalista, but if you can't stand the heat maybe you should just stay
in the salon?
    Now maybe that's it- there are different approaches taken to playing
different forms of music, and I'm seeking a type of Jewish music that
either hasn't been invented yet, has never been properly documented, or has
never been properly explored. Jewish music that uses Balladi, Cifte-Telli,
etc. in a firey mix with Jewish sources.
                        EK 

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