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Portals of Grace | 
 enlarge | Artist: Azam Ali
Label: Narada
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $9.97
You Save: $7.01 (41%)
New (35) Used (13) from $8.34
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 10064
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 11390
UPC: 724381139028
EAN: 0724381139028
ASIN: B000069JJN
Release Date: July 30, 2002
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Lasse Pour Quoi | | • | La Serena | | • | Breton Medley | | • | O Felix | | • | Ben Pode Santa Maria | | • | O Quanta Qualia | | • | Sackpipslat | | • | Aj Ondas | | • | A Chantar M'er | | • | Inna-Malak | | • | El Rey De Francia |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Azam Ali, who was born in Iran and raised in India, also sings lead for Vas. Given her background, her attraction to Western medieval traditions (she cites the German abbess-composer Hildegard von Bingen as a major influence) makes perfect sense. After all, European early music was largely built on the Middle Eastern sounds and instruments brought home by returning crusaders. At times, Ali's vocals recall the great Spanish mezzo Montserrat Figueras, who explored the same connection but in a more earthbound, sensual manner. By comparison, Ali is an ethereal force, soaring white-winged and untouched over pungent period strings and percussion. She is equally at home in Latin, French, Ladino (the lingua franca of the Judeo-Spanish tradition), Galician (from Northern Spain and closely resembling Portuguese), and Arabic. This eclectic set will definitely thrill fans of ambient, new age, and world music, but adventurous classical listeners might also want to give it a try. --Christina Roden
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 A journey back in time... July 18, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a great cd, lost songs from Medieval Europe are resurrected by the genius artist Azam Ali. When I purchased this cd a couple months ago I didn't know it would be one of my favorite cds in my collection. Azam's vocals are perfect - that is the only word I can use to describe them. Her haunting tunes get stuck in your head with only one listen, and beg to be listened to again and again. All the songs are well produced, well recorded, and provocative. My favorite is the haunting "Inna I Malak" an Arabic song from the Byzantine period. I'm glad that someone is recording this music for the general public to listen to. Highly recommended!
An enchanting album December 1, 2006
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I'm relatively new to Azam Ali. I first discovered her through Vas's recent album. Awhile ago I came across her debut solo album "Portals of Grace" at my local library and I immediately picked it out. I immediately fell in love with "Portals of Grace". The comparisons to Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance is obvious. Azam has a powerful voice that is quite similiar to Lisa's especially when she is simply expressing herself via vocalizations. The mix of mediavel and Portugese music is quite lovely. One of my favorite tracks on the album is "Breton Medley" which reminds me quite a bit of Loreena McKennitt minus Loreena McKennitt, with its Celtic melodies. I get the goosebumps when I listen to "O Felix". Azam really gets to showcase her voice on this particular track. Her voice takes front and center while the instruments remain in the background. The only minor flaw I could find with Azam Ali's music is the eerily similiarities to Lisa Gerrard. Azam might want to try to create a more distinct sound of her own but overall I love her music. I'll take Azam Ali than any of pop artist out there today.
 Beautiful July 7, 2006
Beautiful Midiaeval European/Middle Eastern Music and Voice.
If You like this CD I highly recommend "Kingdom of Heaven", which
is definitely as good and maybe slightly better.
Ali shines like never before June 25, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Azam Ali has come along, presenting herself for those of us who longed for something of the same calliber and style as Dead Can Dance or Lisa Gerrard as a solo act. While recording with her bandmate Greg Ellis for Vas, her voice shined through with so much possibility but, alas, the music that backed her just lacked a certain something for me.
Enter "Portals of Grace", and we have found it. This album is a bit more straight forward than anything from Lisa Gerrard, to whom Ali is often compared, but it is stunnng none the less. The stark backdrops of sound that surround Azam Ali on this record support her perfectly. I have to say that the second track, "La Serena" has got to be one of the most beautiful recordings I have heard. The deep orchestral arrangements and rolling percussions that enter the track as Ali begins her wail of despair.... Breathtaking.
Mystical journey through a make-believe land June 21, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Azam Ali is an Iranian born singer and musician who grew up in India and later immigrated to the United States. World music fans know her as the Yin half of the band Vas, which Azam Ali founded with another talented musician - Greg Ellis.
"Portals of Grace" is the solo debut of Azam Ali, although Greg Ellis was heavily involved in the making of this album and is responsible for many musical arrangement featured on "Portals of Grace." On this album Azam Ali reinterprets medieval European melodies, giving them a strong Middle Eastern flavor of her own heritage, and creating surprisingly balanced compositions of exceptional beauty. Azam Ali's super natural voice, a magnificent instrument in its own right, is accompanied by mostly Middle Eastern musical instruments, such as duduk, riq, dumbek, oud, daf and tombac. The material used by Azam Ali ranges from Sephardic songs, to Provencal trobairitz poems, to Swedish and Breton melodies. The final result of this seemingly unnatural combination of Middle Eastern sound and Medieval European compositions is a mystical journey through a medieval make-believe land located somewhere along the borders of Persia, Byzantium, Moorish Spain, and Catholic France. You will not find this place on a map or a history textbook, but this place exists, even if it exists solely in the songs of Azam Ali.
http://musicmaxim.blogspot.com/
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