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Title: Yemeni Trio: From Mountains to Coast
Review: Originally issued by Lyrichord Records in 1975 and now available on Rounder, this album of Yemeni songs performed by the Kawabani brothers features oud and riqq tambourine and sometimes qanan zither and bongo-like double drums. Call-and-response with oud is featured with the steady treble of the drums and clangling cymbals of the riqq. In contrast to some other Yemeni albums that feature dances of heavy drumming, this recording is only vocal. The simple melodies and rhythms are straightforward and largely consistent throughout the album. One track is a quat-chewing song and was recorded in a room dedicated to the herb; indeed, the singer in this instance has a wad of the leaf within a cheek. Although the selections come from various regions of Yemen, any distinctions are not obvious. To my ears, the music here is more Arabian than what one expect from an ancient trade crossroads.
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