Rabih Abou-Khalil, among the rare Arabic musicians who have recorded and played extensively with jazz musicians, successfully navigates the middle ground between traditional North African sounds and hard bop. Besides the leader's oud and flute, alto saxophonist
Sonny Fortune provides the blues bite; bassist
Glen Moore, the rhythmic connection, and percussionists
Ramesh Shotham and
Nabil Khaiat, provide the African seasoning.