Zein al-Jundi: Traditional Songs from Syria

I was just bemoaning the lack of “classical” belly dance songs in current music releases when Zein al-Jundi’s new CD arrived in my mail box.

Don’t get me wrong: I love the hip-hop/techno pop variations on classical belly dance music and have many CDs chock-full of the bass-heavy drum-intense songs. I also think it sometimes makes it easier for inexperienced audience members to relate the a performance when the music sounds a little more like what they dance to in clubs.

However, when everyone is dancing to this current crop of CDs, I begin searching for the traditional, fully orchestrated style of music, if for no other reason than to simply be different! “Zein al Jundi: Traditional Songs from Syria” provides a much longed-for immersion in beautiful Arabic music. Al Jundi’s voice is smooth and compelling. Hossam Ramzy and Phil Thornton mixed the tracks and al Jundi’s voice is never overpowered by the orchestration.

The CD opens with an evocative version of “Lamma Bada Yatathanna.” This song takes me back to my early years of studying when my teachers introduced me to belly dance from the entire Arab region. In the traditional call-and-answer format, the song’s topic is also traditional: love and the exquisite pain of love. I especially enjoyed “Aminti Billah” as much for its composer as for the actual song. It was written by Laure Dakkash, the only known female Arab composer of her time (early 20th century). In addition to being an accomplished composer, Dakkash played the oud and sang beautifully (according to the liner notes).

“Qaddukal Mayyas” features qanun (kanun) master Maged Serour in the opening. Similarly, “Qoum Ya Nadim” opens with a violin taxsim before being joined by full orchestration and al Jundi. While many of the songs are of a slower tempo, “Skaba” is faster and opens with a brief drum riff. This song is in the Qadd tradition, in which an old popular Syrian song is used with new lyrics. Most songs in this style tend to be more lighthearted—ironically “Skaba” is about the bitterness of failed love, but it is, nonetheless, quite danceable. In all actuality, most of the songs on this CD are dancer-friendly, but require more than technique-laden, pop-and-drop choreography. The songs, the orchestration, and especially al Jundi’s vocals require a deeper, more emotional style of dance to do them justice.

Zein al Jundi has trained her voice since she was a child. She began singing professionally at he age of five. She was known across Syria for her amazing voice and performed from a large repertoire of songs all composed just for her voice. Surprisingly, she gave up singing when she finished high school in order to focus on her college studies (she holds a BA in Architecture from the University of Texas in Austin, where she still resides). She only returned to singing in 1999 when she performed to a sold-out house at the Jessen Auditorium in Austin where she sang traditional Arabic songs, accompanied by renowned Egyptian qanun player George Sawa (who bestowed Farfesha’s name upon us!) and the Austin Middle Eastern Ensemble.

Al Jundi also an accomplished dance teacher and choreographer, which in no doubt why the CD is so suited to a dancer’s expression.

Amongst the current crop of belly dance music remixes, house mixes, and club mixes, “Traditional Songs from Syria” is a refreshing return to the emotion and expression classical Arabic music provides a dancer.

Farfesha Belly Dance © 2004