For today, I wanted to share with you “Sobhi Al Jiz” (صبحي الجيز, in arabic), a dreamy mellow 70s Soul Jazz track from Lebanon driven with classy a piano, taken from the 1st LP of the Lebanese composer, singer & poet Khaled El Haber (خالد الهبر), who sings and plays the drums & guitar on that album.

Composed & arranged by the legendary Lebanese composer & musician Ziad Rahbani (“زياد الرحباني”), eldest son of the Diva Fairuz (فيروز), who plays the piano on it, this song is a tribute to Sobhi El Jeez, a sweeper who died during the Lebanese civil war (from 1975 to 1990) and, through him, to all the people who were killed only because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Fairuz also recorded a cover of this track in 2002 (but this one remains my favorite).

This album was released in 1978 on the mythical 70s Lebanese record label “Zida“, label co-founded by Ziad Rahbani and the Lebanese-Armenian producer Khatchik Mardirian, on which where released albums that have became mythical in the Lebanese musical history, such as Fairuz’s “Wahdon” or Ferkat Al Ard “Oghneya”.

Cherry on the cake : this really beautiful painted gatefold cover – Enjoy !

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦-𝘌𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘳 & 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱.

Khaled El Haber – Sobhi Al Jiz (Lebanon, 1978, Zida) / خالد الهبر – صبحي الجيز

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/jLp6MzKO-9g

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau