Any suggestions for middle eastern music

Provided you like modern style (and only then: music released on ECM, that should tell it all) with traditional instruments - the oud in particular - Anouar Brahem may appeal to you. Typical ECM-style thoughtful but dense music for those who care to listen. Quite different recordings, so it's difficult to name one in particular, try "Vague", "Astrakan Cafe", "Le Pas du Chat Noir" but also "Thimar" with Dave Holland and John Surman.

Enjoy

You looking for that Liz Frazer sound ? Dead Can Dance.

Check out stuff on Bar De Lune records; some of the Buddah Bar stuff might be worth a listen.

Saoud Massi is good, too, imho.

While not Middle Eastern per se, "Su" by Turkish artist Mercan Dede might be to your liking.

Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance also had a lot of involvement in the film "Baraka" There is some very haunting "Gladiator" like music there too.

Try Charles Lloyd's Sangem. It's heavily infused with middle eastern flavor and an fantastic recording to boot.

Listen, the UNdisputed master of Persian classical singing is Mohammad Reza Shajarian. There is an album called "Without you" that has gems of Sufi poetry and exquisite instrumental improvisation. Don't buy no stinking sountrack. Get this!!!!!

I love the Gladiator Soundtrack also, so I know where you're coming from.

If you like Zimmer, check out his amazing soundtracks for Blackhawk Down and Thin Red Line. I couldn't get enuf of Gladiator, so I also got his "More Music from Gladiator" which is also very good.

If you're into the Middle Eastern sound I would second Rabih Abouh Khalil and also Kayhan Kalhor's Silent City album, esp "Beloved do not let me discouraged". He plays the kamancheh which is an Iranian spiked fiddle. Check out his video on youtube, it starts slowly but really gets going near the end.

Hamza el Din, John Berberian... for M-E starters... lots of fantastic stuff out there.

And get into some Mali Music... Habib Koite for starters

Good stuff guys looks like I have some new stuff to buy

Any cd's by oud player Rabih Abou-Khalil sound great. Search amazon and allmusic. They're on the Enja label, and most covers are even beautiful.

Jef Stott, the artist behind Lumin and Stellamara, recently released the cd Saracen.

Loga Torkian of Niyaz was previously involved with the middle eastern band Axiom Of Choice, any of their three albums are a good choice.

Calamus, on MA Records, has a magnificently recorded album entitled The Splendour of Al-Andalus. This is a collection of 7th to 15th century Spanish/Moorish music.

Anything on the Water Lilly label

Nice first post Joebiz, would u suggest some tupac !!

Sure I have a suggestion. Don't bother it really sucks!

Check out "Eastern Twin" by Martin Tillman.Not only is the music very interesting,but the sonic quality of the disc is superb (great bottom end).I think you may really this cd.Let me know what you think if you acquire it.

The Gladiator soundtrack was done by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard with much of the 'middle eastern' feel of the music arguably coming from Lisa's singing. I would recommend exploring her work in Dead Can Dance, and with Pieter Bourke (Duality). In a similar vein, you also may want to seek out work by Loreena McKennitt, Niyaz, or Vas.