Bellydance Overdrive is the newest CD from Turbo Tabla. It was released on April 13th '04 by Miles Copeland (Sting, R.E.M.) with MondoMelodia/Ark21 (Khaled, Hakim, Cheb Mami, Qantara, DJ Said Mrad, Bellydance Superstars and Oojami) and is distributed by Universal. It was created by drummer/dj/dancer Karim Nagi. Guest performers include Bassam Saba, Mal Barsamian, singers Albert Agha and Hayet Ayad, and the Sharq Ensemble. This CD features 14 songs, 7 original and 7 remakes, in gorgeous multifold CD packaging. It is available at all Virgin Megastores, Tower Records and Borders in their "World" sections.

The music on Bellydance Overdrive exemplifies what Karim Nagi calls "Arabic Music Re-Imagined." Half the album consists of classic songs and instrumentals, some dating as far back as the Andalusian period (822-1492ad). The authentic instrumentation includes the Tabla (goblet drum), Oud (lute), Nay (end-blown bamboo flute), Qanun (96 string lap-harp), Riqq (fish skin tambourine), clarinet and vocals. The difference lies within the arrangements and production. The heavy dancefloor grooves and basslines of modern Techno, Hip Hop and House music bolster the music. Unlike most modern DJ/Producers, Karim did not cut and splice from old recordings but instead re-recorded the songs in their entirety with new musicians. The sonic quality of the CD is comparable to all current dance albums on the market.

TURBO TABLA combines the spontaneity of live Arabic music with the stylistic intensity of a DJ. The best description would be "Arabic Techno". Karim Nagi, a classically trained Egyptian percussionist, performs on his feet with an amplified Tabla (goblet drum) that employs many of the effects and sounds of an electric guitar. Karim dances, spins, jumps and entertains while executing the most rapid and grooveworthy hand percussion possible. The accompaniments are always the remixes and recreations of traditional Arabic and World music, with techno and hip hop beats, created by Karim with his own music studio. Karim is an accomplished performer of traditional Arabic music with the highest caliber of authenticity. It is this classical expertise that allows Karim to make modern Oriental music and Arabic Techno.

KARIM NAGI is a native Egyptian who has lived in the Boston area for over 20 years. Karim performs primarily Arabic, Turkish and Andalusian hand percussion, including the Egyptian Tabla (goblet drum), Riqq (tambourine) and Segat (brass castanets). Karim is a faculty member of the New England Conservatory of Music. Karim leads the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble performing the classical Arabic instrumental and vocal repertoire. Karim travels the country presenting his education program called "Arabic Music, Dance and Culture" to school grades 4 up through the university level. Karim developed and currently performs Turbo Tabla : a music and dance show that combines traditional Arabic and Turkish music with modern Electronica and Techno. Karim dances and teaches Dabka (Arabic Line Dance) and leads the Zaitoun Palestinian Dabka Troupe. Karim also produces the Arabesque Mondays series at Club Passim, bringing Arabic performers from all over the USA to perform at this famous folk club in Harvard Square. Karim is also a visual artist who works in the advertising field, designing CD art and magazine ads, as well as art for its own sake. Karim is presenting his original artwork in the Fall 2003 performances of ReOrientalism, a multimedia play based on the works of the late Edward Said, adressing the societal relations between the Near East and the West.