The Cedars

The Cedars

The Cedars are a Lebanese rock group active from 1964 to 1968. They begin as The Sea-Ders before shortening their name, and they are known for an approach that replaces electric guitar with saz or oud on much of their material, placing them among the clearer examples of East-meets-West rock from the period.

History and recording

The group first releases a single under the name The Sea-ders, then uses The Cedars for a second single. That second release appears originally in Israel, but many copies are destroyed after the Six-Day War breaks out. The band then moves to London and records two further singles there. After their fourth single, Decca drops them. Financial difficulties follow, and they sell their instruments and equipment, split up, and return to Lebanon.

Reissues and later recognition

One of their singles is reissued by Decca in Turkey in 1969, where it becomes a hit. The song is later covered by Mavi Işiklar, while the B-side, “Hide If You Want To Hide”, is covered in Turkish by Selçuk Alagöz. Both versions appear on the Grey Past compilation Turkish Delights.

Style and significance

The Cedars are associated with Lebanese rock, and their use of saz or oud instead of electric guitar gives their recordings a distinctive sound. Their work is often cited as a strong example of the meeting point between Middle Eastern instrumentation and Western rock forms.