While their country collapsed into bloodshed and chaos, members of the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music were reunited for one of the most emotional tours of the summer, with concerts at Glastonbury and across Europe. But, as this was an Africa Express production, they were performing at adventurous, free-wheeling events characterised by unexpected collaboration. This live album starts and ends with fine performances from the orchestra, with their sturdy vocal work matched against flutes, strings and percussion.
But on many of the tracks here they act as a classy, sensitive backing band for Damon Albarn, Paul Weller, Rachid Taha, or the Mauritanian star Noura Mint Seymali. It’s an entertaining, impressively varied set, and includes a fine reworking of the Blur song Out of Time. But the Syrian Orchestra surely deserved a full album of their own material, accompanied by a second set of collaborations.
