Friday, 9 October 2009
Music from Lebanon (Fairuz)
Fairuz is crazy famous in the middle east. In Syria, she is the only voice you will hear on the radio from 6am until 9am, as people get ready for work. However, the songs they tend to play are more modern than the ones included here. In fact I didn't really like Fairuz at all when I was in Syria - her songs sounded garish, modern and too happy. Luckily I managed to blindly choose the right album (judging a book by its cover is always a good idea, and with this album art, I couldn't resist).
This album is Fairuz singing songs by Abed al-Wahib. They are all haunting and peaceful and just lovely. Perfect listening as I paw through legal documents in Arusha. If my internet was better I would upload the whole album, but for now I hope that these two gems will sate people's appetites.
P.S. I'm slowly learning about East African music from the people here in Tanzania, and will eventually share some great Lingala (Soukous) music from the Congo, and hopefully some good Kenyan stuff too. But as they say here, "pole pole" (slowly).
Monday, 29 June 2009
Music from Senegal (Djaly Ibrahima Seck & Fatou Mbaye Diop)
From Natari: "Another gorgeous album from the popular husband and wife singing duo of Djaly Ibrahima and Fatou. He is known locally as 'Jali Bu Ngul' - or the the 'Black Jali' - as he is rather dark and his wife bleaches her skin and powders herself to accentuate the difference. Percussion comes once again from Alle Nguer Mbaye and talmbatte from El Hadji Ndiaye with help this time from Gora Mbaye and Modou Fall on mbeung mbeung and tama respectively. Dara Guisse as usual tinkles away furiously on the lovely sounding xalam."
These guys are also responsible for the amazing Mberry release - available from awesometapes for free download.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
music from ethiopia #2
All songs very similar. inimitable rhythm. they imitate it every track, but we cannot imitate. Track five has this awesome razor wire synth just shreddin up EVERYTHING.Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Music from Benin (T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou)
This is a cop-out post pulled from the inter-web. damn good though.
This video is from a related compilation "African Scream Contest" released on Analog Africa Records.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
music from ethiopia (mana muuziqaa adil taangoo)
Gav just brought back a bunch of tapes from ethiopia. we had a tape party in a park. the tapes will be featured on y&b in the next few months.
This one is sexy and spooky.
Monday, 6 April 2009
music from thailand #4 (phongsi woranut)
From the maemaiplengthai label. Formulaic thai ballads, sometimes with cotton club horns. the start of track 12 sounds like a wu tang loop.
Peter, would mind giving us some song titles?!
Sunday, 29 March 2009
music from nigeria: popular ishola adepoju and his native blues
This one comes from John B. I was on his case to digitise it from the vinyl as soon as he played it to me. Beautiful Yoruba hand-drumming from Nigeria. Polyrhythms like nobody's business. I'd love to know what he yells at the start of his songs if anyone can translate.
p.s. That signature on the cover seems to have no relation to the artist at all.
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