The Radio Bastet LP Cover Gallery

ROMEO LAHOUD
Green Eyes and Oriental Moods
Societe Libanaise du Disque SLP-15027; 1975
Front cover photo of Georgina Rizk, former Miss Universe, by G. Abdeni

SIDE ONE  Khidni Maak Ala Darb Baidet * Hawana El Hawa * Dabke Chmeliye * Khafif El Rouh * Yam El Jadayel * Belly Dance

SIDE TWO  Jabaliya * Ya Khayal El Leil * Ya Boul Sawaed * Tal El Sahar

ROMEO LAHOUD
Dark Eyes and Oriental Moods
Peters International Records PILPS-10045; 1973

*Marisa’s note: I’m not 100% sure that the artist is indeed Romeo Lahoud.  The label states, “All selections composed by Romeo Lahoud, arranged by Boghos Gelalian, produced by Nahi Lahoud.”  If anyone has some better info on this and the Green Eyes LP, please let me know!

SIDE ONE  Ala Bali * Ala Toul * Ya Mit Massa * Tcharrafna

SIDE TWO  Fayek Lam Kinna * Sarli Tlat Ayam * A’ankoud El Helou * Dabke Nouerieh

UDI JOSEPH KOUYOUMJIAN ORCHESTRA
Beautiful Belly - Music for Listening and Dancing
Federated Records FR-1000; 1975
Photography by Nicholas McClelland
Album Design & Lettering by Linda von Helwig
Body, Booklet, & Costume by Isis Revan

SIDE ONE  Dance of the Bedouins (Middle-Eastern Dance Routine): Iben El Ballud, Bedouin Bolero, Konyali (Turkish) * Askimla Oynama (Turkish) * Uskudara (Turkish) * Banat il Mookala (Arabic) * Hijaz Taksim

SIDE TWO  Dance of the Pharoahs (Middle-Eastern Dance Routine): Azziza; Bir Demet Yasemen; Zena, Zena; Rumpi, Rumpi * Hava Nagila (Israeli) * Acem Asiram Taksim

PERSONNEL:  Joseph Kouyoumjian (ud) * Fred Elias (violin) * Esber Koprucu  9kanun) * Richard Bayrouty (ud) * George Kokoras (accordion) * Nick Kokoras (guitar) * Manny Petro (guitar) * Steve Kouyoumjian (durbeki [metal]) * Arthur Chingris (durbeki [clay] & trap drums) * Kasim (zills) * VOCALISTS: Soraya Melik * Esber Koprucu * Richard Bayrouty

YOUSEF KOUYOUMJIAN & HIS BAGDAD ENSEMBLE
Bagdad Cabaret
Bagdad Cabaret BG-1002; no date given
Cover photo of Yousef and Reyna at the Bagdad Cabaret by David Goodyears (many thanks to Danielle Hutton at the Bhuz.com discussion boards for providing the correct spelling of Reyna’s name!  It’s spelled “Rayna” on the album cover…)

*Marisa’s note: Yousef’s last name has an extra ‘d’ added in the liner notes of the previous LP, Bagdad.  Not sure which is the correct spelling.

SIDE ONE  Bagdad Cabaret (full length routine) [Marisa’s note: Unfortunately, this is so poorly recorded that I don’t think it’s quite up to Radio Bastet standards.  It was recorded during a live performance, and it sounds like the microphone was placed in the back of the room!  Too bad, because it could have been a great recording. Actually, the cuts on side 2 are not of the highest quality either, but the music is so good that I had to include them. Who knows, I may end up caving and including this in a future podcast, so you can compare and contrast.]

SIDE TWO  Yasmeena * Arshalous Jan * Iskendereya

YOUSEF (KOUYOUMDJIAN) & HIS BAGDAD ENSEMBLE
Bagdad
Bagdad Cabaret BG-1001; no date given
Cover: “Leona Wood’s drawing of JAMILA [Salimpour], the beautiful and authentic Mid-Eastern dancer. Wearing the elegant costume of the Turkish Empire period, she performs with infinite grace and skill the classical dance that is the visual part of Mid-Eastern music.”

SIDE ONE  Elef Leila Wa Leila (One Thousand and One Nights) * Dulab El Houb (The Wheel of Love) * Baghdad Havasih (Bagdad Air) in Turkish * Wen El Habib (Where is the Beloved?)

SIDE TWO  Fantezy Nahawand (Composition in Maqam Nahawand) * Jara El Helwa (The Sweet One Nearby)* Siroun Aghchik (Beautiful Maiden) Sung in Armenian * Baba Karam (Sung in Persian)

FEATURED MUSICIAN:  Yousef Kouyoumdjian (kemenjeh [viol])

EDDIE “THE SHEIK” KOCHAK & HAKKI OBADIA
Special Silver Anniversary Album - The Best of Belly Dancing Vol. 1
Sheik Records EK-1351; no date given
Photographs by: Anthony Bardoza, N.Y.C.

SIDE ONE Routine: 1-a. Dance Serena b. Dance Alexandra c. Dance Gita  2- Dance Rami-Rumba Veil Work 3-a. Dance Jeannine b. Dance Shani c. Dance Meara d. Drum Solo e. Dance Nejat

SIDE TWO (for practice and classroom use)  I Love You-You Love Me-Depke Folk Dance (Eddie Kochak Sings) * Dance Sabah - 2/4 Zar * Dance Connie Sudani II * Dance Dina - Pharonic * Dance Morocco - 4/4 Saiady * Dance Zarefah - 4/4 Ghawazee * Dance Rhea Linda - 4/4 Musmoody

THE MUSICIANS:  Eddie Kochak (producer, percussion, tempos) * Hakki Obadia (violin, conductor, arranger) * Freddie Elias (violin) * Rami Nasser (violin) * Mazin (Saleem) Hamdan (oud) * Hanna Merhige (drums, percussion) * Khaleel Hallal (drums, percussion) * Samy Ansary (special Middle East organ [1/4 tones]) * George Melega (bass) * Ibrahim Farrah (finger cymbals, choreography) * Antoun Hajjar (nye [Arabic flute])

EDDIE “THE SHEIK” KOCHAK WITH HAKKI OBADIA
Strictly Belly Dancing The 6th Volume
Ameraba Records AM-2503; 1979
Cover photographer: Larry Lapidus
Cover dancer: Phaedra, performer with Near East Dance Group

SIDE ONE  Full Dance Routine

SIDE TWO  For Practice and Classroom Use:  Elena * Derwish Il Brahim * Sudani (Connie) * Mish Mish * Zeyna * Rhythm patterns with dumbec, deff, zils * Shifti

THE MUSICIANS:  Eddie Kochak (producer, percussion, tempos) * Hakki Obadia (violin, conductor, arranger) * Freddie Elias (violin) * Rami Nasser (violin) * Mazin (Saleem) Hamdan (oud) * Hanna Merhige (drums, percussion) * Khaleel Hallal (drums, percussion) * George Marge (oboe, flute) * Samy Ansary (special Middle East organ [1/4 tones]) * Angelo Saridis (guitar) * George Melega (bass) * Ibrahim Farrah (finger cymbals, choreography) * Said El Sharkawy (kanun) * Antoun Hajjar (ney [Arabic flute])

EDDIE “THE SHEIK” KOCHAK WITH HAKKI OBADIA
Strictly Belly Dancing The 5th Volume
Ameraba Records AM-2502; 1977
Cover photo: Dennis Lasker

SIDE ONE  Full Dance Routine

SIDE TWO  For Practice and Classroom Use:  Abla * Mlebbas * Anwar * Didi * Ill Hilween * Asallia * Oud Taksimia (improvisation) * Hanna Drumzilzia

THE MUSICIANS:  Eddie Kochak (rhythm, tempos, producer) * Hakki Obadia (violin, conductor, arranger) * Freddie Elias (violin) * Ramy Nasser (violin) * Mazin (Saleem) Hamdan (oud) * Hanna Merhige (drums, percussion) * Khaleel Hallal (drums, percussion) * Tewfick Faragallah (ney [Arabic flute]) * Samy Ansary (Farfissa organ) * Angelo Saridis (guitar) * George Melega (bass) * Ibrahim Farrah (finger cymbals, choreography)

EDDIE “THE SHEIK” KOCHAK WITH HAKKI OBADIA
Strictly Belly Dancing Vol. 4
Ameraba Records AM-2501; 1976 (Vol. 3 was released in 1977…?)
Photography: Richard Marx
Cover dancers: Jemala Omar, Phaedra, Soroya Melik, Gloria Rossi

SIDE ONE  Full Dance Routine
SIDE TWO  Full Dance Routine

THE MUSICIANS:  Eddie Kochak (rhythm, tempos, producer) * Hakki Obadia (violin, conductor, arranger) * Freddie Elias (violin) * Mazin (Saleem) Hamdan (oud) * Ronnie Kirby (derbekee, bongoes, percussion) * Hanna Merhige (tambourine, percussion) * Bob (Ibrahim) Farrah (finger cymbals [zils]) * Jihad Racey (flute [ney], mizmar, mijwez) * Samy Ansary (organ) * Rami Nasser (violin) * George Mell (bass)