Ofra Haza, Sinead O'Connor, and Level 42 (Midge Ure)

[Lazlo Nibble <cs2532bj@ARIEL.UNM.EDU>]

Andrew Elliott writes:

> I am very interested to find out if any other Love-hounds have heard
> of Efra Haza.  She is an israeli singer who puts old yemenite poety to
> music.  Her music is really very different than anything else I have
> ever heard.  It would go in the category with Sinead O'connor,
> Danielle Dax, and or course Kate.

It's *O*fra Haza.

Well of course I don't think we'll ever hear any of Kate's stuff
remixed by Emilio Pasquez or Full Force (though hey, anything's
possible, for all we know at this point KBVI could be a full-blown
House album :-) but if you listen to Haza'a album "Yemenite Songs" the
Kate comparison becomes a little more valid.  Ofra has a marvelous
voice and uses it to good effect.

> I would really like to know how to find out more about her music and
> WHERE I can obtain more.

Well, there's the aforementioned LP "Yemenite Songs" which came out in
'85 and which has just been released on CD in the US . . . that's the
easiest place to start.  Be warned, though, what I've heard of it is a
little calmer than her remixes.  There's also a 12" of "Galbi"
(different dance mix) that came out at the time of the album, and as
the JUST SAY YO booklet says, she has another single out for "Im
Nin'Alu".

(JUST SAY YO *is* a great sampler.  The Ofra Haza, k.d.lang and A
House tracks make it worth the eight bucks all by themselves.)

Re: Midge Ure -- being a Level 42 fan of rapidly increasing
fanaticism, I must ask what all you Midge Ure fans think of Mark
King's bass-work on Ure's two solo LPs.  Does he do a respectable job?
I'm probably going to pick up "Answers" for the Kate duet but I'm open
to a little arm-twisting on "The Gift" if King's contribution is
spectacular enough.

By the way, the new Level 42 album "Staring At The Sun" should be in
stores by the time you read this.  The leadoff single "Heaven In My
Hands" is pretty good, though they seem be trundling towards a little
more "epic" pop sound.  I'm more than a tad nervous about the lyrics
with Phil Gould gone . . . he painted some really great pictures on
the last two albums.

-- 
Lazlo Nibble (nobody%xochitl@charon.unm.edu)
                                        "I should brush my teeth more." --KaTe