Spellbound (Ahmed Abdul-Malik album)

Spellbound is the sixth and final album by double bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik featuring performances recorded in 1964 and originally released on the Status label.

Reception

Thom Jurek of Allmusic says, "Spellbound isn't as groundbreaking as some of Abdul-Malik's earlier work, but it doesn't need to be: by this point, he had successfully melded jazz with Middle Eastern sounds into a seamless -- if somewhat exotically textural -- whole. The band fires on all cylinders under his inspired direction, making this a fitting sendoff to him as a bandleader. Musically, he saved one of his best for last.".

Track listing

"Spellbound" (Miklós Rózsa) – 4:57

"Never On Sunday" (Manos Hatzidakis) – 5:13

"Body and Soul" (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton) – 7:14

"Song of Delilah" (Victor Young, Ray Evans) – 7:02

"Cinema Blues" (Ahmed Abdul-Malik) – 8:15

Personnel

Ahmed Abdul-Malik – bass

Ray Nance – cornet, violin

Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone, flute

Paul Neves – piano

Hamza Aldeen – oud

Walter Perkins – drums

References

Prestige Records albums

Ahmed Abdul-Malik albums

1964 albums

Albums recorded at Van Gelder Studio

Albums produced by Don Schlitten