The question is -- who hasn't
Hossam Ramzy
played with? His resume is a literal who's who of everyone in
rock
,
pop
Celtic
, and
world
music. In other words the Egyptian-born English resident is obviously a master of his percussive craft, and in the kind of demand most musicians only dream about. Whether this really qualifies as a best-of, however, remains moot. This is, as the cover implies,
belly dance
music. It's of a higher musical order than most, admittedly, but still relatively generic and anonymous -- you could put it on as background at your next dinner party (say, if you're eating Moroccan food) and not surprise anyone. There's precious little stamp of individuality to the music, which is a shame, because
Ramzy
is a fine talent. The implication that this is some of his best is a little disturbing, if his personality is stamped so faintly on this. ~ Chris Nickson