''Odd Times'' is a live album by the Lebanese
oud player and composer
Rabih Abou-Khalil which was recorded in Germany in 1997 and released on the
Enja label.
Rabih Abou-Khalil discography
accessed June 18, 2018
Reception
The Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
review by Kurt Keefner stated "''Odd Times'' is Rabih Abou-Khalil's first live album. Since it would be impractical to assemble all of the guests he has had on his albums over the years, Abou-Khalil has gone in the other direction and pared his ensemble down to what is for him the bare bones ... Most live albums contain well-known pieces from the artist's studio repertoire; in contrast, ''Odd Times'' is mostly new material. In general, the album is a mix of shapeless, overlong attempts at atmosphere and fairly bouncy and fun items ... The pared-down lineup is engaging because Abou-Khalil's oud and Godard's tuba are more prominent; unfortunately, Levy's harmonica is also pronounced, and simply clashes with the entire project of fusing Arabic music and jazz".
Track listing
All compositions by Rabih Abou-Khalil
# "The Sphinx and I" – 5:44
# "Dr. Gieler's Prescription" – 5:15
# "Elephant Hips" – 10:15
# "Q-Tips" – 4:34
# "Son of Ben Hur" – 11:29
# "The Happy Sheik" – 9:32
# "One Of Those Days" – 10:31
# "Rabou-Abou-Kabou" – 6:52
Personnel
*Rabih Abou-Khalil
Rabih Abou-Khalil (, born August 17, 1957) is an oud player and composer born in Lebanon, who combines elements of Arabic music with jazz, classical music, and other styles. He grew up in Beirut and moved to Munich, Germany, during the Lebanese ...
– oud, bass oud
*Howard Levy
Howard Levy (born July 31, 1951) is an American musician. A keyboardist and virtuoso harmonica player, he "has been realistically presented as one of the most important and radical harmonica innovators of the twentieth century."
In 1988, Le ...
– harmonica
*Michel Godard
Michel Godard (born October 3, 1960, Héricourt, France) is a French avant-garde jazz and classical musician. He plays tuba and the predecessor of the tuba, a brass instrument known as the serpent.
Career
At 18, Godard was a member of the Phi ...
– tuba, serpent
*Mark Nauseef
Mark Nauseef (born June 11, 1953) is an American drummer and percussionist who has enjoyed a varied career, ranging from rock music during the 1970s with his time as a member of the Ian Gillan Band and, temporarily with Thin Lizzy when Brian D ...
– drums
*Nabil Khaiat – frame drums
References
{{Authority control
Rabih Abou-Khalil live albums
1997 live albums
Enja Records live albums