Syriana - Ten Days in Bilad Al Sham (2009) [Hi-Res]

"...Imagine a dialogue between East and West. A dialogue of hopes and fears, similarities and differences, histories and futures; a conversation charged with emotion and balanced with respect. Imagine scenarios that bridge gaps, forge links: the great diva Fairuz sitting in a Midwest café with Dick Dale’s Miserlou on the jukebox. Think of ancient civilisations and Eastern aspirations vying and blending with iconography from spy novels, 1960s television themes and Cold War film soundtracks. See the so-called American Dream – Americana - recognising the arts and wisdom of the Middle East. Recognising Syriana.
Now imagine all this given musical form by three distinct instruments: the qanun, the ancient 81-string Arabic dulcimer with a sonorous, magical sound. The double bass, an instrument frequently used in early Arabic music and one therefore at home with both Arabic and Western scales. The electric guitar, a symbol of western popular music everywhere from Damascus to Detroit, Los Angeles to Luxor.
By playing Arabic rhythms through a Western filter the unique combination that is Syriana create a sound that begs adjectives: dramatic. Uplifting. Delicate. Powerful...."