Any suggestions for middle eastern music

Any cd's by oud player Rabih Abou-Khalil sound great. Search amazon and allmusic. They're on the Enja label, and most covers are even beautiful.

Good stuff guys looks like I have some new stuff to buy

Hamza el Din, John Berberian... for M-E starters... lots of fantastic stuff out there.

And get into some Mali Music... Habib Koite for starters

I love the Gladiator Soundtrack also, so I know where you're coming from.

If you like Zimmer, check out his amazing soundtracks for Blackhawk Down and Thin Red Line. I couldn't get enuf of Gladiator, so I also got his "More Music from Gladiator" which is also very good.

If you're into the Middle Eastern sound I would second Rabih Abouh Khalil and also Kayhan Kalhor's Silent City album, esp "Beloved do not let me discouraged". He plays the kamancheh which is an Iranian spiked fiddle. Check out his video on youtube, it starts slowly but really gets going near the end.

Listen, the UNdisputed master of Persian classical singing is Mohammad Reza Shajarian. There is an album called "Without you" that has gems of Sufi poetry and exquisite instrumental improvisation. Don't buy no stinking sountrack. Get this!!!!!