Udi Hrant

1. Rast Taksim

2. Dilerim Sen (Rast Sarki)

3. Hicaz Taksim

4. Hüseyni Taksim

5. Suzinak Saz Semai

6. Hicaz Sarki/Karslama

7. Mahur Saz Semai

8. Nihavent Taksim

9. Saba Taksim

10. Hüzzam Taksim

11. Hicaz Saz Semai

12. Kürdilihicazkar Pesrev

13. Armenian Dance

14. Hüzzam Sarki/Hoknadz Durtmadz

Udi Hrant,Hrant Kenkulian,Traditional Crossrds,Int'l & World Music,Latin Continuum,Pop,Turkey

Average customer rating: Udi At His Best

Udi Hrant Hrant Kenkulian Manufacturer: Trad. Crossroads ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Turkey | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Early Recordings, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0000031FQ Release Date: 1994-07-29

Tracks:

1. Rast Taksim
2. Dilerim Sen (Rast Sarki)
3. Hicaz Taksim
4. Huseyni Taksim
5. Suzinak Saz Semai (Kemani Tateyos Efendi)
6. Hicaz Sarki/Karslama
7. Mahur Saz Semai (Kemenceci Nikolaki)
8. Nihavent Taksim
9. Saba Taksim
10. Huzzam Taksim
11. Hicaz Saz Semai (Yusuf Pasa)
12. Kurdilihicazkar Pesrev (Kemani Tateyos Efendi)
13. Armenian Dance
14. Huzzam Sarki/Hoknadz Durtmadz

Customer Reviews:

Udi At His Best.......2007-01-04

The album, Udi Hrant, without a doubt is the best collection of his solos that I have had the pleasure to listen to. His Taksims are the finest that I have ever heard. After all, Udi Hrant was the recognized master of the ud. If you had to choose one of his albums, this is the one. Recorded in the 1950's with very good sound quality. I had the opportunity of seeing Udi play many times in the 1960's at the Egyptian Gardens in New York City.
Brought back great memories of great music, belly dancers. canouni etc

Average customer rating: Exceptional!!

The Early Recordings, Vol. 1 Udi Hrant Manufacturer: Trad. Crossroads ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Turkey | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Early Recordings, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0000031FX Release Date: 1995-07-05

Tracks:

1. Sirdus Vera Kar Mu Ga
2. Siroon Aghcheek
3. Haygagan Bar
4. Kalbimde Yaran
5. Sana Olan Askimi
6. Huseyni Saz Semai
7. Setaraban Taksim
8. Suzinak Taksim
9. Egin Havasi
10. Huzzam Violin Taksim
11. Urfa Havasi
12. Hicaz Violin Taksim
13. Ne Capkin Dudagin
14. Saba Taksim
15. Mehtaba Sordum
16. Hicaz Taksim Cifte Kiris
17. Gecmis Guzel Gunleri
18. Huzzam Taksim

Amazon.com

Hrant Kenkulian, nicknamed "Udi" for the instrument he had mastered, is a legendary figure among players and listeners of Middle Eastern music. Born as the Ottoman Empire was collapsing, this Armenian musician was not only an acknowledged master of the instrument, but a man who took it to new places. His playing is compared (roughly) to the work of Robert Johnson, in that he took a known form and made it so personal as to create almost a new entity. These old recordings, remastered from the original discs, reveal a depth of passion that explains why he was also known as Hrant Emre ("Hrant of the soul"). They include original compositions, some rare moments of Hrant playing fiddle, and a number of improvisations called taksims. The detailed booklet gives an excellent history and musical notes. Volume 2 offers more of these recordings. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional!!.......2003-04-30

Whether we're talking about Armenian (by way of Turkey) oud playing or anywhere else, Udi Hrant is one of THE GODS of the instrument. Along with his improvisational prowess, he was also an excellent singer and composer/writer. I have to admit that I worked backwards in finding him. It was my being blown away by various recordings by Richard and Harold Hagopian that lead me back in time to Hrant. Personally, I prefer Harold's violin playing over Hrant's, but Hrant's oud taksim's and oud-&-vocals stuff is untouchable! That is no knock on Richard Hagopian though, himself nothing short of brilliant.

I'm just a boring guy from Indiana and this is seriously high music, the likes of which is technically (musically speaking) beyond most of the worlds inhabitants, myself included. I'll be honest, I don't know all the ins and outs of taksim's rules and modes and regulations, but that doesn't matter. The bottomline is that these songs and improvisations blow my mind! I remember sitting on my bed listening to this disc in headphones the very first time I ever heard it. Udi Hrant does stuff during track #6 that is absolutely breathtaking. I sat there on my bed just feeling my heart-rate quicken as his level of intensity heightened. That, among many other things, was what hooked me for life. He has phenomenally perfect tone.

If I'm going to get nitpicky, I can only say that I wish each track had the date of recording next to it. The liner-notes are somewhat vague about the specifics but from what I've gathered, this stuff was all recorded from the 1930s through the '50s. I think. That lack of information isn't a huge deal to me though. I mean it's not like I am going to be at an auction somewhere bidding on his 78s. Besides, aside from this, volume 2, and the self-titled disc (all also on the Traditional Crossroads label) there is nowhere else to get this music, and that is really what it's about... The Music.

Get this and Volume 2 and you are well on your way to a stunning collection of music to immerse yourself in. I don't have the self-titled collection yet. To the best of my knowledge it is an amateur recording made by a student of Hrant's during some oud lessons. I've just always felt iffy as to whether or not that would be interesting. In the end, I am sure I will buy it, but I just haven't yet.

If you stumbled upon this disc, you should buy it.

Average customer rating: More from THE MAN

The Early Recordings, Vol. 2 Udi Hrant Manufacturer: Trad. Crossroads ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Turkey | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Early Recordings, Vol. 1 Udi Hrant ASIN: B0000031FZ Release Date: 1995-07-05

Tracks:

1. Neva Hicaz Taksim
2. Hastayim Yasiyorum
3. Violin Cifte Telli
4. Sevdaliyim
5. Derdimin Dermani Yok
6. Anadol Oyun Havasi
7. Sensiz N' Idem
8. Nihavent Taksim
9. Memories Of The Dardanelles
10. Dancing Maidens
11. Hrant's Lament
12. On The Shores Of The Bosphorus
13. Near Eastern Airs
14. Fortune Tellers Dream
15. Agin
16. Ud Cifte Telli
17. Kurdili Hicazkar Taksim
18. Huseyni Taksim
19. Huzzam Taksim
20. Hicaz Taksim

Customer Reviews:

More from THE MAN.......2004-09-09

My initial intention was to review this one back when I reviewed Volume 1, but for whatever reason, I didn't get around to it.

I feel like my review of Volume 1 is a good one, and it is more-or-less interchangeable for this disc also. Hrant was a genius, pure and simple. Again, these are (at least seemingly) recordings from the 1920s - 1950s and display a level of touch, tone, instrumental prowess and emotion that is amazing. This guy was a gift to the oud and to all of us lucky enough to have found him.

One of the main differences between this and Volume 1 is that around the middle of that disc there is a handful of lysergic violin tracks, whereas on this disc there is a handful of orchestral tracks with Hrant on oud. Very nice either way, just different.

It's your call as to which disc to purchase, as they are both excellent and if you're anything like me, you'll find that you must own both of them anyway. I feel like much of what I'd say about this disc would be gushing similar to my review of Volume One, just in a slightly different way or about different track numbers, so if you'd like to read my review for Volume One since it is longer and more in-depth, feel free, as it works for this great disc as well.

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