Bukra - Rabih Abou-Khalil Transcription

This is the title piece of of Rabih Abou-Khalil's album "Bukra". The album has a bunch of great tunes and some particularly intense saxophone playing by Sonny Fortune.

More info here.

Nadim — Rabih Abou Khalil Sheet Music

Here's another one by Rabih Abou-Khalil.  This is from al-Jadida (roughly, "the new thing"), the first album I ever heard of his. Enjoy!

 

Astrakan Café - Sheet Music

Here's a transcription I did of the title piece from Anouar Brahem's album Astrakan Cafe. There are two versions on the album. They are mainly the same, but are slightly different in the number of repeats and some of the rhythms are played with variations throughout. I tried to create an overall version. Another ending possibility is just repeating the last four bars and fading out.

You can purchase this great album from Amazon:
Astrakan Café

Ahmed Abdul-Malik Sheet Music

Here are some transcriptions of the tunes from Ahmed Abdul-Malik's 1958 record Jazz Sahara. My impression is that Abdul-Malik didn't really "write" these tunes, but arranged them from themes that he had heard in traditional Arabic pieces.
The charts are "lead sheet" style, with a simple version of the melody. Ornaments and rhythmic variations are open to interpretation.

The record featured a mix of musicians from the NY middle-eastern "cabaret" scene, with Naim Karacand (violin), Jack Ghanaim (qanun), and Mike Hamway (percussion) joined by hard-hitting jazz musicians Johnny Griffin (saxophone) and Al Harewood (drum set). I've mentioned this record before, as the first recorded meeting of jazz and Arabic music, it remains a sentimental favorite despite some flaws (Although a world-class bassist, Abdul-Malik is not a, shall we say, subtle oud player, and the post-recording edits are laughably inept).

Available at Amazon (click image):

Anouar Brahem Sheet Music

Here are some transcriptions I have made of Anouar Brahem's music. Brahem is well-known as one of the foremost Arabic jazz oud players and composers. His work (especially his more recent recordings) tend to be meditative in tone, but he can still surprise with fiery intensity on occasion.

Note: These transcriptions are my own work, which I am providing for educational purposes only. If anyone objects to their inclusion, please notify me and they will be removed immediately.

Halfouine, from Astrakan Café (also appears on Le Voyage De Sahar).

Lecon du Oud, from The Silences of the Palace.

Qurb, from Thimar. Note that there are some rhythmic anomalies on the recording, this is my best guess as to Brahem's intent. This was originally performed with the outstanding jazz musicians Dave Holland (bass) and John Surman (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone).

Parfum de Gitane, from Astrakan Café (also appears on Barzakh).