OMAR FARUK TEKBILEK - One Truth (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Omar Faruk Tekbilek's One Truth continues his exploration of the mystical sounds of Sufism, blending Middle Eastern instruments like the ney flute and modern electronic textures into intense, intricate works. The album's songs of devotion showcase Tekbilek's technical skill as well as his intuitive understanding of this passionate and spiritual music. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1    Red Skies    6:42
2    I Love You    8:11
3    Wildflower    5:50
4    Manhem    5:52
5    Tahir Ranks    5:19
6    Roman    4:58
7    One Truth    6:59
8    Ara'ya    5:10
9    Sufi    9:31
10    Istanbul    6:30
Credits:
Arranged By – Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Yuval Ron
Backing Vocals – Azam Ali, Deniz Tekbilek, Pinar Tekbilek
Baglama, Bells, Bendir, Bongos, Goblet Drum [Darbuka], Daf, Djembe, Strings [Jura], Kaval, Keyboards, Ney, Oud, Cymbal [Rama], Shaker, Slit Drum, Snare, Tambourine, Finger Cymbals [Zils], Zurna, Voice – Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Bendir, Bells, Shaker, Finger Cymbals, Percussion [Bottles] – Dror Sini
Cello – Kenan Torfeh
Drum – Tal Bergman
Electric Guitar – Mike Fonte
Flamenco Guitar – Adam Del Monte
Producer, Keyboards, Classical Guitar, Piano – Yuval Ron
Shaker, Overtone Voice – Randy Crafton
Sintir [Bass], Guitar [12-String] – Chris Cunningham
Toy Piano – Ian Nickus
Tracking By – Randy Crafton
Violin – Roberto Cani
Violin, Kanun – Hasan Isikkut 

AZAM ALI - From Night to the Edge od Day (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

If you think you detect a bittersweet edge to the songs brought together on this collection of lullabies performed by Niyaz vocalist Azam Ali, you're right. Her interpretations of these melodies -- which come from a variety of cultural traditions -- are informed by her belief that lullabies are intended as much for the comfort of the adults who sing them as for the soothing of the infants and children to whom they are sung, and that they often communicate much about our attempts to deal with the harshness and sorrow of the world. None of this is to say that this album, which was conceived after the birth of her first child, is gloomy or difficult; it is somewhat dark at times, and to Western ears, it may frequently sound exotic and mysterious, but the songs are invariably tender and loving, even when they are simultaneously mesmerizing and mystical. When word got out among her friends that she was putting together this program, material came to her from several different directions: the great Palestinian oud player Naser Musa wrote the song "Faith" for her, and a friend shared with her the traditional Turkish song "Neni Desem." Others led her to songs of the Iraqi Kurds ("Lai Lai") and the Iranian Azeris ("Shirin"). Many of these songs have no regular rhythm, and most are accompanied by a motley assortment of strings, reed instruments, and percussion. None is less than lovely, and the variety of ways in which they are lovely is very impressive, as is Ali's voice itself. by Rick Anderson  

NIYAZ - Niyaz (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Niyaz is something of a miniature electro-worldbeat supergroup. Consisting of singer Azam Ali (of Vas), multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian (of Axiom of Choice), and producer/remix artist Carmen Rizzo, the trio has a sound that centers on Ali's ethereal vocals and incorporates musical elements from Iran, Pakistan, India, Western Europe, the U.S., Turkey, and many other regions. Three of the songs on the band's eponymous debut album are based on the writings of the acclaimed Sufi mystic poet Jalaluddin Rumi; another is a setting of an Urdu poem by Sauda. But these ancient traditions are given settings that could have been created at no time but the present -- while traditional instruments are used liberally throughout, everything is undergirded with up to the minute breakbeats, electric guitars, and synthesizers. The resulting sound isn't slick, but it's definitely complex and frequently highly danceable. Highlights include the bhangra-flavored "Allahi Allah" (on which Ali's singing is especially beautiful), the dark and funky "Golzar," and the slowly simmering "Dunya." One or two other tracks (notably a rather slight instrumental titled "Arezou") fail to match the intense beauty of this album's best moments, but then, this is the first release by Niyaz -- the trio's next one should be even better. by Rick Anderson  

VAS - Feast of Silence (2004) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Feast of Silence is the fourth album from world fusion duo Vas (vocalist Azam Ali and percussionist Greg Ellis). The range of instrumentation as well as vocal technique have been expanded thoroughly since their previous albums. On the vocal end, the first things one will notice are the new use of English lyrics here and there, and more importantly, a sudden reliance on Eastern European stylings. The polyphony is decidedly Bulgarian through portions of most of the songs, alternating with a collection of other styles. Indian and Middle Eastern sounds flow easily and beautifully from Ali, often with some pattering accompaniment on what sounds like an udu or a ghatam, perhaps. Touches of guitar and bass are also new to the sound of the duo, but stay largely in the background, giving Ellis the ability to stand at the forefront with an array of percussion. African drums can be heard from time to time, but the bulk of his work appears to be in the Middle East and the subcontinent, with some cymbals heard here and there. While there's a wealth of sounds here, the palette is almost overused at times, running dangerously close to falling into pure new age, rather than ambient world fusion. Regardless, it's an enjoyable listen, just be careful for Ali's long notes. by Adam Greenberg  

VAS - In the Garden of Souls (2000)

In the Garden of Souls is the third CD from Vas -- Azam Ali and Greg Ellis. Cameron Stone is a guest cellist. This is a grand-scale project. Ali's Farsi vocals tell tales of unknown splendor, triumph, sorrow, and pain. The dark passages and light passages weave throughout the soundscape effortlessly. Ellis is a superb multi-instrumentalist; his percussion surrounds ethereal atmospheres. Stone's cello provides a drone to splay the soundscape. This is consistent with the first two Vas albums. It is an excellent cross-cultural hybrid. It will appeal to fans of Sheila Chandra, Natacha Atlas, and Loreena McKennitt. by Jim Brenholts
Tracklist
1 In the Garden of Souls 10:26
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
2 Inamorata 4:50
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
3 Samaya 6:07
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
4 Prayer for Soheil 5:04
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
5 Ceremony of Passage 3:44
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
6 Beyond Despair 1:37
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
7 The Inward Coil 5:11
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
8 Ephémère (Upon the Faded) 6:23
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
9 Lila 5:26
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
10 Unbecome 6:11
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
11 Sevdama 7:32
Azam Ali / Greg Ellis
Credits
Udu, Tabla, Goblet Drum [Dumbek], Drums [Nagara], Cymbal, Bells, Drums [Frame Drum], Tom Tom [Toms], Gong, Keyboards, Voice, Dulcimer [Lap] – Greg Ellis
Voice, Dulcimer [Hammered], Tambura [Tanpura], Drums [Frame Drum], Tambourine [Riqq] – Azam Ali

VAS - In the Garden of Souls
 (2000) Narada World / CBR320k / scans

O Púbis da Rosa

AZAM ALI — Elysium for the Brave (2006) Six Degrees Travel Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Beginning in the late '90s as half of the duo Vas (with percussionist Greg Ellis), one-third of the group Niyaz (with Loga Ramin Torkian and Carmen Rizzo), and on her own, Azam Ali quietly established a reputation as one of the purest, most captivating voices in world music. But Elysium for the Brave elevates Ali to a whole other level. The second solo album by the Iran-born, India-raised, L.A.-dwelling Ali is -- there's no subtle way to put it -- a masterwork, a stunningly whole, utterly fulfilling creation that forces a reconsideration not only of her own capabilities but of the inherent possibilities of the world fusion genre. Whereas Ali's previous work often verged on new age, its breathy gentleness alluring but ultimately limiting, on Elysium Ali -- who wrote the album's lyrics and co-produced it with Rizzo -- hurls herself into the void, allows creative vision to intervene and takes her vocal instrument to places it never before indicated it could go. Now singing some of her material in English, and further blurring the lines between traditional acoustic instrumentation and electronic synthetics, Ali interlaces the vocal and the instrumental, the new and the old, the spiritual and the erotic, into one seamlessly sewn quilt of atmospheres, textures, and unexpected, breathtaking leaps. Joined by the members of Niyaz, King Crimson's Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto, Persian classical violinist Kiavash Nourai, and others, Azam Ali has created a thing of beauty and wonder in Elysium for the Brave. Jeff Tamarkin  
Tracklist :
1 Endless Reverie 5:47
Drums, Tom Tom [Toms] – Pat Mastelotto
Lyrics By – Azam Ali
Music By – Azam Ali, Carmen Rizzo
2 Spring Arrives 5:17
Music By – Azam Ali, Loga Ramin Torkian
Words By – Azam Ali
3 In Other Worlds 6:07
Bass – Tyler Bates
Music By, Lyrics By – Azam Ali
4 Abode 5:59
Lyrics By – Hayedeh
Music By – Sadegh Nojouki
Violin – Keyavash Nourai
5 Forty One Ways 6:09
Lyrics By – Azam Ali
Music By – Azam Ali, Tyler Bates
6 The Tryst 6:04
Lyrics By – Azam Ali
Music By – Azam Ali, Trey Gunn
7 From Heaven To Dust 4:19
Music By, Lyrics By – Azam Ali
8 I Am A Stranger In This World 7:24
Music By – Azam Ali, Jeff Rona, Loga Ramin Torkian
Ney – Omid Torbatian
Programmed By, Keyboards – Jeff Rona
Words By – Azam Ali
9 In This Divide 5:18
Music By, Lyrics By – Azam Ali
Credits :
Arranged By – Azam Ali
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Keyboards – Tyler Bates (tracks: 5, 9)
Goblet Drum [Darbuka], Drums [Nagaras], Dhol [Turkish], Shaker – Andre Harutounyan (tracks: 2, 7, 8)
Guitar [Warr Guitar] – Trey Gunn (tracks: 1, 6)
GuitarViol, Lute [Lafta], Electric Guitar, Baglama [Djura] – Loga Ramin Torkian (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 9)
Tabla – Satnam Ramgotra (tracks: 8, 9)
Voice, Dulcimer [Hammered], Daf, Frame Drum, Percussion [Chan Chan, Zils] – Azam Ali