Taken under the wing of ARC's wunderkind Hossam Ramzy for a return album, former Syrian singing prodigy Zein al-Jundi here provides a nice span of Syrian song styles. Her accent may have diminished a bit thanks to 20-plus-years in the U.S., but her delivery is quite good nonetheless. The songs chosen come from the Muwashshah format, the Qadds of various substyles, Dawrs, folk songs, and more. Always, there is a beautiful poem underlying the song, with lush strings in the arrangement courtesy of Ramzy and his cohort. This is a nice album for an introduction to Syrian music, with some emphasis placed on the diversity of song, but with a consistently sultry voice to deliver it. Worth a listen for those already acquainted with Middle Eastern rhythms but with more knowledge of the Persian systems. Worth a little more for newcomers to the region's music. ~ Adam Greenberg|

Rovi