George Wassouf - Heya El Ayam

Vocal deterioration and a penchant for the fast life aside, it is hard to find a man who can still deliver a oriental music like George Wassouf does. Heya El Ayam, the Sultan's 2006 offering is impeccable, and deserved far more attention than Wassouf gave it. A mix of powerful ballads and dance tunes. The album opens with the title song, which features Amjad El Atefi and Tony Saba at their best. Everything from the bouzouk and the strings to the mizmar and the accordion is melded perfectly and sounds beautiful. Bastanna Bel Youm Wel Youmein invites Adel Aayesh's signature Turkish-style G (sol) clarinet into the mix into a more modern ballad, typical of Walid Saad. Haninak Hanini marks one of the few (but great) Lebanese songs that Wassouf has sung, albeit with less powerful lyrics than Helef El Amar. The song is quintessential Tarek Abou Jaoudeh, Tony Saba's arrangement shines here as well, with more bouzouk and flowing strings. Khsert Kol El Nas is one of Walid Saad's best songs, and brings back the G clarinet and low-pitched strings in a great ballad. Ghadr El Nas, a thoroughly Egyptian affair, is less engaging, and perhaps because Wassouf's vocals falter with notes better suited to Nour Mhanna's flawless voice. With Mestanni Menni Eih, Adel Aayesh takes a more Egyptian approach also with a mix of kanun, ney, and strings. Despite some nice solos, the song is not a standout and fades into the background. After a feast of oriental instruments for the ears, Mazen Zawaydi's choice of synths in El Zaman Dawwar is a bit of a letdown, and the song is nothing overly interesting. Leilet Wada'na, the album's sole single, is an excellent note to end on. Tony Saba brings restless strings, the oud, rebab, and ney together to accent a great piece by Amjad El Atefi.

1. Heya El Ayam

2. Bastanna Bel Youm Wel Youmein

3. Haninak Hanini

4. Khsert Kol El Nas

5. Ghadr El Nas

6. Mestanni Menni Eih

7. El Zaman Dawwar

8. Leilet Wada'na (Ya Habibi)

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Nancy Zaabalawi - Moustahil

Syrian singer Nancy Zaabalawi is the daughter of a musician, and so music has been a part of her life since she was born. From humble beginnings singing at hotel restaurants, Nancy made it onto Superstar and was a favourite to win. In 2006, Nancy returned to the music scene with her debut album, Moustahil. The album is on the short side with only seven tracks, but there are many gems here that never received the attention they deserved. The album's title song, and only single, is a slow romantic number written/composed by Marwan Khoury and arranged by Bilal El Zein. The song is beautifully arranged and Nancy's voice is full of optimism. Shou Lzakarak is a typical Marwan Khoury-Bilal El Zein collaboration, a ballad with heavy beats and melancholic lyrics, but that's not a bad thing at all. Saheit Men Ez Noumi is a beautiful classically-influenced ballad, composed by Anas Sha'ban and arranged by Hassan Hossami. Aridak is another great song, composed and arranged by Mazen Zawaydi. The lyrics are full of hope and the music is a perfect mix of piano, kanun, and strings. The album's remaining songs: Law Laffeit, Khod Rahtak, and Inta We Bas, are not as innovative but far from bad.

1. Moustahil

2. Law Laffeit

3. Shou Lzakarak

4. Saheit Men Ez Noumi

5. Inta We Bas

6. Aridak

7. Khod Rahtak

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Nawal Al Zoghbi - Yama Alou

Nawal Al Zoghbi's return was ill-timed with the breakout of the 2006 Lebanon War, but Egyptian record company Alam El Phan insisted on releasing the album that was to headline their summer catalogue. Though she had only been gone for two years, during which she released the hit singles Rouhi Ya Rouhi and Shou Akhbarak, Nawal's presence was sorely missed. Following up an album like Eineik Kaddabin is hard enough, but Yama Alou was released in the same year Elissa and Nancy's hit albums Bastannak and Ya Tabtab Wa Dalla' were, and faced stiff competition. It did not meet with the commercial success they did, but Nawal's album is pure quality.

The majority of the album is arranged by Amir Mahrous, with strings by Yehia El Mougi, unless otherwise stated. The oddball title song, composed by Mohamed Rahim, is instantly a case of love-it-or-hate-it. Amir Mahrous' mix of pop, sha'bi, and tarab in the arrangement characteristic of his style, and the song has guitar, rebab, and ney, with an infectiously catchy tune. Habbaitak is a rather tame love song, composed by Tarek Abou Jaoudeh. El Assi is a more downbeat ballad composed by Mohamed Refai, and the heartfelt lyrics are his signature. The hit Aghla El Habayeb is another catchy song, composed by Haitham Zayyad and arranged in a beautiful classical Arabic style by Tony Saba. Aadi is the album's sole Khaliji song. Composed by Abdallah El Gaoud and arranged by Tarek Aakef, it is nothing groundbreaking, but her best effort at the genre so far. Bta'refni Ana, composed Tarek Abou Jaoudeh and arranged by Michel Fadel, is a harmonious love ballad and everything from Nawal's voice to the piano and the accordion seem to be perfect. Betes'al is more of a chillout oriental song, with romantic lyrics from Hani Abdel Karim and and beautiful music from Walid Saad and Amir Mahrous. Ghib Anni Ghib is a cover of Turkish singer Hande Yener's Sen Yoluna Sen Yoluma, composed by Altan Çetin and arranged by Jean-Marie Riachi. Though it simply feels like a refined version of Hande's original, the feelings communicated in the other songs seem to be absent here. Akher Marra is modern tarab song, with a melancholic oud, sublime strings, deep lyrics, and beautiful composition on Walid Saad's part. Shou Akhbarak, Nawal's first Lebanese hit in a very long time, is another beautiful ballad. Composed by Nicolas Saade Nakhle and arranged by Michel Fadel, the song also has an air of the classics while still sounding clear and modern. Ayzak, composed by Walid Saad, begins as a classic ballad and transforms into a catchy sha'bi-style song. The album ends with Nawal's chilling tribute to Abdel Halim Hafez's Habibati Man Takoun, written by Prince Khaled bin Saoud and composed by the great Baligh Hamdi.

1. Yama Alou

2. Habbaitak

3. El Assi

4. Aghla El Habayeb

5. Aadi

6. Bta'refni Ana

7. Betes'al

8. Ghib Anni Ghib

9. Akher Marra

10. Rouhi Ya Rouhi

11. Shou Akhbarak

12. Ayzak

13. Habibati Man Takoun

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Grace Deeb - Aktar Min Gharam

The biggest crime an artist could do to an excellent album is to sell it short. Unfortunately, that is what Grace Deeb did after releasing the video for the title song, and she disappeared. Though the album is her best so far, she only released two singles, Aktar Min Gharam, and many months after, Ghinniyat. The album is a huge change from her first, which relied heavily on very western-style songs. George Marderosian, who composed her hit Ghannali, returns with two amazingly good songs. Lail Ou Bel Lail is a breathtaking ballad which Adel Aayesh compliments with great arrangement, and Endak Khabar is in the traditional fashion that Marderosian always innovates with. Tony Abi Karam wrote and composed Law Kan, a beautiful ballad that only pales in comparison to Lail Ou Bel Lail. A surprising name on the list is Salah El Sharnoubi, who composed Alfein Mersal, a great, upbeat song with fun beats and baglama, and one of the best Salah has composed in a while. Rawad Raad's compositions, the nouveau-dabke Ghinniyat and Latin-influenced Aw'at are also interesting, upbeat songs, both arranged by Dani Helou. The album ends with Wissam El Amir's Endi Ehsas, which had it not been preceeded by two great ballads would have been much more appreciated! It is not clear why Grace was away for so long, but the fact her management changed after this album may be a clue. Nevertheless, this is a top-notch album, that finds the balance between Grace's western voice and great Arabic music.

1. Aktar Min Gharam
2. Law Kan
3. Alfein Mersal
4. Aw'at
5. Ghinniyat
6. Lail Ou Bel Lail
7. Endak Khabar
8. Endi Ehsas

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May Hariri - Habibi Inta

It's hard to argue the fact that May Hariri got a head start on her musical career thanks to ex-husband Melhem Barakat. Whether her second album, Habibi Inta, was her best may be an arguable point, but it's definitely this listener's favorite. It's no secret that May's voice is limited, but she chose songs that sounded good and she didn't overstretch her voice. The album is dominated by Lebanese duo Haitham Zayyad and Tony Saba who composed/arranged Hasan, Fallaha, Ya Bta' El Gharam, and Dena. Habibi Inta and Hamama Beida are updated versions of Melhem Barakat's classics, and Tony Saba, responsible for updating Sabah's Yana Yana also, makes the arrangement more dynamic. Hasan is a fun, upbeat song with the simple things that make traditional Arabic pop good: a good beat, organic strings, and smart use of synths. Fallaha, the album's first single, has more great arrangment from Tony Saba. The song is very traditional, with a strong beat and a great string and mizmar intro. Ya Bta' El Gharam, which preceded the release of the album, takes a similar tone as Hasan in terms of Hasan, but with mizmar a some dance synths thrown around. La Tnamou is a cover of Ziynet Sali's Cikolata (which was a remake itself!). Einak Menni and Ma' Min are credited to Jean Saliba. The latter was first released on her debut album, but this is the video version (which added Urdu lyrics). The album ends with Dena, another cheesy Khaliji by Lebanese musicians, that the album could have done without! Overall, the formula followed here was a successful one, and May should have stuck to it, instead of the unfortunate trainwreck that was her 2008 album.



1. Hasan
2. Fallaha
3. Ya Bta' El Gharam
4. Habibi Inta
5. La Tnamou
6. Hama Beida
7. Einak Menni
8. Ma' Min
9. Dena

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Nancy Ajram - Ya Tabtab... Wa Dalla'

After two hit albums in a row, Nancy's fifth album was one of the most highly-anticipated releases of 2006. With more upbeat maksoum songs, and just a few, albeit excellent, ballads, Ya Tabtab has a bit of everything. The title song, which has been remade into Greek by Kelly Kelekidou, kicks off the album in the same playful spirit as Ah We Noss. As the album progresses, the diverse list of composers is evident. Most of the maksoum songs, Ya Tabtab (Tarek Madkour), Ana Yalli Bhebbak (Samir Sfair), Mo'gaba (Walid Saad), Ashteki Menno (Hamdi El Sediq), and Ya Si El Sayed (Walid Saad), are arranged by Tarek Madkour. Though Madkour is frequently criticized for "recycling" ideas, his work here is good and each song has its own flavor, incorporating synths into some, accordion in others, or sticking simply to violins. The ballads, Ehsas Jdid (Salim Salameh), Meshtaga Leik (Yacoub Al Khubaizi), Elli Kan (Walid Saad) and Oul Hansaki (Hassan Abou El Saoud) are even more diverse, with a different arranger in charge of each. On Ehsas Jdid, Hadi Sharara combines the best of both East and West as usually, mixing piano with bouzouk, darbouka, and strings. Elli Kan is some of Karim Abdelwahab's best, and most oriental, work so far. Amr Abdelaziz gives Meshtaga Leik light percussion (for a Khaliji song) and the pop treatment, which Nancy tends to in most of her albums. Oul Hansaki is a classic ballad, with heartfelt lyrics, and typical arrangement from Mohamed Mostafa. Even the songs that did not get the limelight, like Sabrak Alaya (Walid Saad) and Law Dallalouni (Suhail Fares) are well-composed and enjoyable. Ya Tabtab was one of Nancy's most successful and most commercialized albums too, with five of the songs used for jewelry, Coca-Cola, and perfume ads.



1. Ya Tabtab Wa Dalla'
2. Ehsas Jdid
3. Mo'gaba
4. Meshtaga Leik
5. Ana Yalli Bhebbak
6. Ashteki Menno
7. Oul Hansaki
8. Elli Kan
9. Ya Si El Sayed
10. Sabrak Alaya
11. Law Dallalouni

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Reeda - Shaklak Ma Ytammensh

Reeda's absence from the music scene could not have been cut short in a better way than her 2006 album, Shaklak Ma Ytammensh. To announce her return, she released a video for Mashi Ya Zaman which showed her at work in the studio with Iwan and Tarek Abou Jaoudeh, as well as other musicians, production teams, and makeup artists. A few months later, Reeda released her album and the video for the title song simultaneously. Though the arrangers incorporate western instruments to spice things up, the album is a very oriental one. The catchy title song, composed by Riyad El Hamshari, is made up of heavy beats, accordion, and kanun for the most part. The third single, Bala Betthebni, is another catchy, upbeat song composed by Mohamed Yehia, and Khaled Nabil incorporates the electric guitar (similar to the way he did on Aadi by Nora Rahal). Hadi Sharara's arrangement on the upbeat Khallik Ala Rahtak is also reminiscent of his work on Razan's hit debut single, Law Hob Dah, which came out later that year. Apart from the very Turkish Bes'al Hali, which doesn't fit Reeda at all, and the sleepy Tamma'tak Feya, the album is a success. However, is no doubt that Mashi Ya Zaman remains the gem in this album, and the proof is that most to people refer to this album by that title.



1. Bala Betthebbeni
2. Kol Dmou' El Koun
3. Shaklak Ma Ytammensh
4. Tamma'tak Feya
5. Bes'al Hali
6. Khallik Ala Rahtak (Narak Men Nari)
7. Khod Albi
8. Mashi Ya Zaman
9. Mashi Ya Zaman (Remix)

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Julia Boutros - Ta'awadna Alaik... Habibi

Julia Boutros' follow-up to her hit 2004 album, La B'ahlamak, came in the form of this 2006 release. The album tones down some of the jazz elements Julia incorporated in her past two releases, and concentrates on what Julia seems to do best, oriental songs (like Ala Shou?) and dramatic ballads (like La B'ahlamak). The majority of the album has an Arabic orchestra, with the exception of Habibi and Deblet Bakkir which employ more western arrangment. Ta'awadna Alaik kicks off the album with a very rich, traditional feel and sets the mood. Habibi is in the vein of La B'ahlamak, and goes for more dramatic, western ballad arrangement. Tghayart Ktir and Mfakker Inta returns to the Arabic style, and is typical of Ziad Boutros' compositions for Julia, with lyrics that tell a story. Ma Btefhamni and Menhebbak Aih are bit more upbeat, with heavier percussion and lighthearted lyrics in which she tells her lover that he is loved regardless of his flaws. Julia always sings a song for her country, and Khawfi A Weladi does the honors here. Julia's attention is usually focused on meaningful lyrics that you can relate to, or at least think about. The whole album is composed by Julia's brother, Ziad Boutros, and arranged by Michel Fadel, who also conducts the orchestra. Despite the first-rate music, the summer 2006 Israeli-Hizbollah war cut Julia's plans to promote the album. She did not release any videos or go on tour, and instead of returning to her home in Dubai, she remained in her Lebanon to protest the war. She became an outspoken supporter of Hizbollah, for the simple reason that they were protecting Lebanon. Her songs Ahebba'i, inspired by the words of Hizbollah leader Nasrallah, and Intasara Loubnan made enemies for her at a sensitive time when most Lebanese singers were trying to keep their political views to themselves. Julia raised thousands from her Ahebba'i campaign that went towards rebuilding Lebanese homes destroyed by Israeli fire. Though Julia is reportedly back to work on secular music again, it's unlikely this album will be revisited.

1. Ta'awadna Alaik
2. Habibi
3. Tghayart Ktir
4. Deblet Bakkir
5. Mfakker Inta
6. Ma Btefhamni
7. Menhebbak Aih
8. Khawfi A Weladi

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Karol Sakr - Da'et Albak

Though Da'et Albak is her debut album, Karol Sakr is no stranger to music, having worked in her twenties with Hadi Sharara and other musicians. Karol even released an obscure French single before marrying and settling down. After her divorce, and (later on) marriage to friend Hadi Sharara, Karol returned to the music scene in duet with Assi Al Hillani, Ouli Jayeh. Three years later, Karol released Da'et Albak. Carrying Hadi Sharara's name on every song is a rarity in itself, but the list of composers doesn't pale in comparison either. The hit title song, composed by Melhem Barakat, is a relaxed and upbeat song that manages to go both East and West without slipping into the oriental jazz cliche. Ya Albi Rouq, composed by Tarek Abou Jaoudeh (before his split with Karol and Hadi), opens with a light mawal and then the song, a great mix of strings, electronic motifs, and guitar, begins. The diverse ballad ends with a traditional, more dramtic mawal with much heavier percussion. Bmout Alaik is by the same team as Nancy Ajram's Ehsas Jdid and Najwa Karam's Ta'a Khabbik, however Ufuk Yildirm also joins Hadi Sharara on the arrangement. Sahhart Eyouni, one of the album's biggest undertakings, is arranged by Hadi Sharara, Aytekin Kurt, and Elie Barbar. A completely different song than the previous three, Sahhart Eyouni combines both club and traditional Arabic beats, combined with strings by Group Gumedim from Turkey. Tammenteni, the album's sole Egyptian song, takes the same relaxed tone as Bmout Alaik. Shou Baddak and Hakini, both composed by Tarek Abou Jaoudeh, are more upbeat than Ya Albi Rouq, but also relatively relaxed oriental songs reminiscent of the majority of his work with Hadi Sharara. Wain Bla'ik is an almost completely electronic song, both composed and arranged by Sharara himself.



1. Da'et Albak
2. Ya Albi Rouq
3. Bmout Alaik
4. Sahhart Eyouni
5. Tammenteni
6. Shou Baddak
7. Wain Bla'ik
8. Hakini

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Asalah - Hayati

After settling an ugly divorce, finally quitting smoking, and remarrying, Asalah released Hayati (My Life) in 2006. Hayati was, and remains, one of Asalah's most diverse albums. At its release, Asalah stated that each song she chose described a stage in her life. The first single, Aktar, was an instant hit, and was constantly played on TV, radio, and she was requested to sing it at every TV appearance or concert. Now one of her defining hits, Aktar was even remade by Turkish singer Jale Parıltı. The song was composed by Tamer Ali and arranged by Tamim, both of whom worked on Elissa's 2006 hit Bastannak. Arod Leih is Asalah's second collaboration with Amr Mostafa, and she made the dramatic ballad her second single. Ana Moush Sa'ba Aleik and Nassini Bik are stylistically similar, upbeat love songs. Asalah shot Bein Eideik on the beach with her husband, and made the song, which was composed by Ramy Sabry, a look at how she enjoyed her new life with her husband. Wehna Sawa, her first Algerian song, is composed by Mounir El Jazairi, the man behind Nawal's hit Tammen Galbak. Wallahi Ma Tahaddi (by Walid Saad & Karim Abdelwahab) was originally intended for Tamer Hosny, whose version was leaked, but ended up becoming Asalah's, and she more than did song justice. The album's sole Lebanese song, Alamtni (by Marwan Khoury & Hadi Sharara), is a slow, malancholic song which met with success for Asalah, who had not sung a Lebanese song since 2001. The title song was Asalah's first attempt at jazz, and combined with the lyrics, which spoke of her newfound liberation, it was well-received as the album's final single. The album won Asalah a Murex D'Or in 2007 for Best Female Arab Singer.



1. Aktar
2. Ana Moush Sa'ba Aleik
3. Arod Leih
4. Alamtni
5. Hayati
6. Wehna Sawa
7. Bein Eideik
8. Nassini Bik
9. Wallahi Ma Tahaddi

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Sara Al Hani - Akher Arar

Happy Eid Al Fitr to all Tabbouche's patrons! Enjoy Sara Al Hani's debut album, Akher Arar, as our present this year. This much-requested album includes Sara's hit Karrahni Fik (composed by Walid Saad, arranged by Karim Abdelwahab) and a remake of Shadia's hit Khalas Misafer (composed by Baligh Hamdi, arranged by Yehia El Mogy). Enjoy, and make sure to go easy on the celebratory qahwa!



1. Karrahni Fik
2. Sodfa
3. Ana El Ghaltana
4. Ad'i Aleik
5. Khalas Misafer
6. Akher Arar
7. Allemteni
8. Khayalak

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Dina Hayek - Ta'a La Albi

When Dina Hayek's third album was released in 2006, it had large shoes to fill. Dina's wildly successful Katabtellak album had singlehandedly made her into the star she had become. In Dina's usual style, Ta'a La Albi is made up of slow ballads for the most part. The majority of the album is composed by Salim Salameh and Samir Sfair, the composers behind her defining hits, Katabtellak and Darb El Hawa. In addition to the aformentioned, Mahmoud Khayami and Wajdi Nakhle round up the list of composers, which is less diverse than her previous album. Ta'a La Albi is deserving of the album title, it is a slow but engaging song with great arrangement that uses ney and powerful strings. It's worth noting that Israeli singer Sarit Hadad sampled the strings on her song Tetzi Me'Ha'Kalim. Mar El Helou, the most upbeat song on the album, is an uplifting song with extensive use of the rabab. Ma Baddi Trouh is another great song, combining great lyrics, composition, and arrangement. Bahlam Be Rjou'ak succeeds with a similar formula and style, but Ufuk Yildirim joins Nasser El As'ad on the arrangement, which is less simplistic than Ma Baddi Trouh. Wallahi Tayeb is unlike anything Dina has sung before, with a classic tarab feel, and it takes a while to appreciate it. Beini We Beinak, which was originally chosen as the second single, has a different, more pop-influenced style from the rest of the album, though it's not necessarily a good thing. Shou Bkhaf, Dari Eineik (Meyat Haga), are stylistically similar, using mostly traditional arrangement and starting off slow then building up to a faster pace. Baddi Habibi, another Samir Sfair-Tarek Madkour collaboration, was an instant hit and is a much more enjoyable pop song than Beini We Beinak. A revamped take on the hit Darb El Hawa is also included, dropping the ballad theme for a more fast-paced electronic feel. The album did not garner the sales its predecessor did, and was the beginning of Dina's disputes with Rotana, whom she believed gave her inadequate advertising. After they refused her a concert at the Hala February festival in Kuwait, Dina finally left Rotana, feeling the company's apathy was having a negative effect on her career. She has since released three singles on various labels.



1. Ta'a La Albi
2. Mar El Helou
3. Dari Eineik (Meyat Haga)
4. Darb El Hawa (Remix)
5. Beini We Beinak
6. Wallahi Tayeb
7. Shou Bkhaf
8. Khalas Ertaht
9. Ma Baddi Trouh
10. Bahlam Be Rjou'ak
11. Baddi Habibi

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Rouwaida Attieh - Khissamak Mur

Syrian singer Rouwaida Attieh was one of the favorites to win the first season of Superstar from the beginning of her run. Rouwaida made it to the finals and took second place, losing to Jordanian contestant Diana Karazon. However, she signed a record deal with Al Shams Arts as soon as the program had ended and her debut album came soon after. Though the album underwhelmed fans, Rouwaida did not waiver and returned in 2006 with a less rushed album, Khissamak Mur. Unlike her previous album, which was composed solely by Imad Shamseddine, the new album added veterans like Salah El Sharnoubi, Walid Saad, George Marderosian, Nizar Abdallah, Riyad El Hamshari, and Wissam El Amir to the roster also. Like Imad Shamseddine, Marderosian was and El Amir is an instrumental part of Najwa Karam's career. Like she did in her previous album, Rouwaida leans more towards slow and/or melancholic songs. Khissamak Mur, Waheshni Wallah, Rah Fein El Hob, are all slow, classic-style songs. Arguably the album's best song, Jerouhi is in the typical Saoud El Sharbatli/Wissam El Amir collaboration style. The song starts with a mawal and then swtiches to a much faster pace, similar to the duo's work on Najwa Karam's Ya Dounya and Ammant Galbi. For those who like dabke, Rouwaida does not disappoint (like she did in her previous album). Ala El Mani and Oloub Melyaneh, both instant hits, are in the dabke style which her sublime voice excels in.



1. Ala El Mani
2. Ma Hallak
3. Jerouhi
4. Tawe'li El Alam
5. Ana Man
6. Ensa
7. Oloub Melyaneh
8. Rah Fein El Hob
9. Waheshni Wallah
10. Khissamak Mur

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Magida el Roumi - E'tazalt El Gharam

Talented, outspoken, patriotic, and a UN Goodwill Ambassador, Magida el Roumi has become one of Lebanon's, and the Arab World in general, most significant personalities. At the beginnings of her career, many thought that the young Studio Al Fan winner sought to compete with Fairuz. Like Fairuz, she was mixing East and West in her style, and primarily sang in classical and Lebanese Arabic. She was also the daughter of Halim El Roumi, the producer who gave Fairuz her stage name, put her on the air, and introduced her to the Rahbani family. Though both were influenced by Western music, Fairuz introduced jazz into her music with Ziad Rahbani, while Magida's style was influenced by classical Western music. Her signature style, melding beautiful classical Arabic poetry with music that combines the best of classical Arabic and Western music, produced many hits like Kalimat and Kon Sadiqi. Magida excels in the traditional tarab style, but she is also a soprano and has several operatic songs, like a rendition of the Ave Maria and her duet with Jose Carreras, Light the Way.

E'tazalt El Gharam (I Have Retired from Love) was a welcome return for Magida to the mainstream music scene in 2006. Both of her 2003 albums, Cithare Du Ciel and Erhamni Ya Allah, were religious ones, and her last secular album, Ouhibbouka Wa Ba'd, was released in 1998. This album was both familiar and new for Magida, with musicians she has worked with for over a decade and others for the first time. Al Hob Wal Wafa' (Love and Fidelity), composed by Dr. Abdelrab Idriss, is a poem in classical Arabic and reminiscent of Magida's early work with the great Yemeni-Saudi composer. Idriss' other song, Fi Lailika Al Sari, Halim El Roumi's Latin-twinged Ya M'azeb Albi, Joseph Khalife's operatic Sawfa Nabqa, and Ihsan El Mounzer's Kif are all also in the signature style of her previous albums, melding the beauty of classical music from the East and West. On the other hand, E'tazalt El Gharam was her first collaboration with Melhem Barakat. Along with its broadway-inspired video, it became one of 2006's biggest hits. Magida collaborated with Marwan Khoury (Ghanni Lel Hob and Ouhibbouka Jiddan), Jean-Marie Riachi (composed Bel Alb Khallini and arranged tracks 1-4), Claude Chalhoub (arranged Ghanni Lel Hob), and İsmail Tunçbilek (arranged Al Hob Wal Wafa' and Fi Lailika Al Sari) for the first time. She also sang an Arabic rendition of Adagio, titled Habibi, and Mendelssohn's Wedding March, titled Nashid El Zafaf (The Wedding Song).



1. Ouhibbouka Jiddan
2. Habibi
3. E'tazalt El Gharam
4. Bel Alb Khallini
5. Kif
6. Ghanni Lel Hob
7. Al Hob Wal Wafa'
8. Nashid El Zafaf
9. Fi Lailika Al Sari
10. Ya M'azeb Albi
11. Sawfa Nabqa

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Melissa - Baddi Mennak

Melissa's launch began with her first single, Leil Ya Leil, which casual listeners first mistook for a new Elissa song, due to their initial vocal similarity. However, with the release of her first music video, it became clear that this was Jean Saliba's (Elissa's former producer) new project. Like Elissa's early 1998-2000 work, Melissa worked with Turkish composers, but with much better results for the most part. Melissa's debut album is a very different album from its successor, Mfakker Halak Min. The title track is a dull jazzy number, but the album gets more exciting with the second track, Leil Ya Leil, which was in the dance style she decided to continue with in her second album. Unlike her new album, this one has many more slower-paced songs, and a much more traditionalist approach to the arrangement on most of the songs. Dabou Oyouni and Habibi La Teb'od Anni are slower ballads, while Albi Eshta'lak and the hit Kam Sana are slightly more upbeat. Hobbi Ana is another slow-paced song but with a great beat and arrangement. Finally, the album ends with Wehyat Albak, another dance song in the vein of her newer work, and a remix of Leil Ya Leil. The majority of the album is arranged by Lebanese arranger Jean-Marie Riachi, with the exception of tracks 6 (Boudi Naoum) and 8 (Aytekin Kurt).



1. Baddi Mennak
2. Leil Ya Leil
3. Dabou Oyouni
4. Albi Eshta'lak
5. Habibi La Teb'od Anni
6. Kam Sana
7. Hobbi Ana
8. Wehyat Albak
9. Leil Ya Leil (Remix)

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Latifa - Ma'loumat Akideh

Having made the jump from traditional to pop years ago, Latifa is no stranger to change. Even after she starred in Mansour Rahbani's Hokm El Ro'yan play, nobody foresaw her collaboration with Ziad Rahbani until she announced it. Ma'loumat Akideh was Latifa's most controversial album. Critics said she was "copying" Fairuz's style by singing her son, Ziad's, songs. Others criticized Ziad's "vulgar" lyrics in the first single, Bi Nus El Jaw, which used sexual metaphors, and Latifa for singing them. However, for the majority of her listeners, it was a drastic change for Latifa, who has been singing primarily in the Egyptian dialect for years. In Ma'loumat Akideh, Sherif Tag (composed Hayati) was the only Egyptian composer Latifa worked with. The other Egyptian songs, Shofto Be Eini, Ash'ana, and Tefl Esghayar, were composed by Jean-Marie Riachi, Ziad Rahbani, and Marwan Khoury respectively. The remaining songs are all composed and arranged by Ziad Rahbani, including an instrumental piece titled Atil We Darar. Dawwart Iyam El Shetteh, Ma'loumat Mish Akideh, and Ma'loumat Akideh are all western-style jazz songs, in the vein of Fairuz's later jazz hits. Bi Nus El Jaw melds more Arabic music with the jazz, incorporating bouzouk and kanun. My personal favorites; Ammenli Bait, Nafath A Bokra, and Ash'ana have more Arabic and classical instrumentation, and are more reminiscent of Fairuz's earlier work. The richness of Ziad Rahbani's music is enough to make this one of Latifa's best albums.



1. Ma'loumat Mish Akideh
2. Ammenli Bait
3. Ash'ana
4. Hayati
5. Shofto Be Eini
6. Bi Nus El Jaw
7. Tefl Esghayar
8. Nafath A Bokra
9. Dawwart Iyam El Shetteh
10. Atil We Darar
11. Ma'loumat Akideh

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Madeleine Matar - Bahebbak Wa Dari

Another underrated, but definitely top-notch album: Madeleine Matar's 2006 album, Bahebbak Wa Dari. Two songs were shot and released on video clip channels, the beautiful "Bahebbak Wa Dari" and the catchy "Betlawen Leih Alaya", and they met with success. However, if you didn't listen to the rest of this album, you missed one great album. Madeleine worked with many talented musicians, from Mahmoud Khayami to the late Riyad El Hamshari.



1. Bahebbak Wa Dari
2. Tab'ak Sa'b
3. Nessani
4. Bahebbak Wa Dari (Instrumental)
5. Betlawen Leih Alaya
6. Sabbar Habibak
7. Shar'i Habibak
8. Shaka Fik

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Mayssam Nahas - Kaddab Kebir

When Mayssam Nahas' fourth album, Kaddab Kebir, came in 2006, it had cavernous shoes to fill. Mayssam's past two albums, Bonita and Fakart Ketir, had been hits and she was expected to follow them up. However, the most significant change that came in her new album was the absence of Roger Abi Aqil, her now ex-husband. Mayssam instead worked with several newer composers such as Rawad Raad, Haitham Zayyad, Shadi Farah, and Hanel Nabil. The title song, Kaddab Kebir, became one of 2006's biggest hits, and Mayssam proved that she does not have to depend on any one person to secure success. Rouwad Raad's two compositions, Olt La La and Kif Habbaytak are great also.



1. Kaddab Kebir
2. Habibi Ma Bi'addi
3. Kelma Hekma
4. Daya't El Hob
5. Olt La La
6. Yekhalili Albak
7. Kif Habbaytak
8. Keda Gani

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Julia Boutros - Ahebba'i

This song dates back to 2006, and was released after the Israeli-Hezbollah war in Lebanon. The song's lyrics are based on a letter from Hassan Nasrallah to his troops. The song is composed by Ziad Boutros (Julia's brother), and arranged by Michel Fadel. Enjoy the song at 256 Kbps, but please if you like it, buy the original CD from any music store. All proceeds go towards the Ahebba'i fund which rebuilds Lebanese homes destroyed in the war.



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Cyrine - Aleik Oyouni

Lebanese singer/actress Cyrine Abdelnour's second album is (arguably) a much better effort than her first. However, most of the songs are still composed by Cyrine's producer, Jean Saliba, who is notorious for purchasing the rights to reproducing Turkish songs. Cyrine did breakout with Law Bass Ef Eini and Aleik Oyouni, composed by Walid Sheraqi (composed Kol Youm Fi Omri for Elissa) and Nouhad Najjar (composed Erga' Lel Shouq for Elissa). Overall, the album is enjoyable and made up of songs with Arabic and Turkish instruments, with the exception of Law Bass Ef Eini, which was given a Latin arrangement by Turkish musician Ufuk Yeldirim:



1. Law Bass Ef Eini
2. Aleik Oyouni
3. Edhak Habibi
4. Shou Aamel Fiyeh
5. A'ishha Le Min
6. Wala Kelma
7. Bahlam Bik
8. We Inta Ghayeb Anni

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