ETHIOPIA – ÉTHIOPIE Musica dell' / Music of Etiopia – Albatros – VPA 8230

ETHIOPIA – ÉTHIOPIE

Musica dell' / Music of Etiopia – Albatros – VPA 8230, recorded by Chet A. Wollner and Lin Lerner in 1973 (LP)

I’m delighted to present this reissue of a terrific Ethnic Folkways album on the Italian Albatros label, featuring rare recordings of various ethnic/cultural groups from southwestern Ethiopia, including the Wollamo, Hanafa, Gernu, Tigray, Adjuran, Gidole, Falasha, Borana, Burgi and Konso peoples. These fluid and sensuous abstract sonorities, performed during collective rituals and daily activities, showcase enthralling, stately sounds with male and female vocals, flutes and panpipes, horns, krar lyres, masinKo, or masenqo single-stringed lutes, percussion, clapping and exclamations.

Je suis ravi de présenter cette réédition d'un formidable album Ethnic Folkways sur le label italien Albatros, avec des enregistrements rares de divers groupes ethniques/culturels du sud-ouest de l'Éthiopie, notamment les peuples Wollamo, Hanafa, Gernu, Tigray, Adjuran, Gidole, Falasha, Borana, Burgi et Konso. Ces sonorités abstraites fluides et sensuelles, jouées lors de rituels collectifs ou d'activités quotidiennes, présentent des sons captivants et majestueux comprenant des voix masculines et féminines, diverses flûtes, des cors, des lyres krar, des vièles à archet monocorde masinKo, ou masenqo, des percussions, des battements de mains et des exclamations.

Wollamo people

A1 – Kammba drum solo by Malko Bokie;

A2 – Ten-foot-long woyisha bamboo cow horn;

 

Hanafa people

A3 – Faro;

 

Gernu people

A4 – Borquekka (ox song);

A5 – Ox song & chant;

 

Tigray people

A6 – Washint instrumental with three flute players;

A7 – Gojjam Endenesh (a place with plenty of honey) with krar lyres, masenqo single-stringed lutes and shephard’s flute;

 

Adjuran people

A8 – Formal introduction of a man to a woman;

 

Gidole people

B1a – Hanafa horn;

B1b – Filla flute;

B1c – Mira pan pipes;

B1d – Filla flute;

B1e – Ioiata horn;

B2 – Flute ensemble;

 

Falasha people

B3 – Sabbath service;

 

Borana people

B4 – Hermana (bringing the cattle to the water);

 

Burgi people

B5 – Siyawe (wedding song);

 

Konso people

B6 – Guretta (greeting song).

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Our other Ethiopian music posts:

Azmari Music of the Amharas – Anthology AST 6000, 1967 here

Polyphonies des Dorzé – Le Chant du Monde, 1975 here

Amharas & Nouer – Alpha 1019, 1969 here

Check out the essential Smithsonian Folkways catalogue with well over 100 albums of authentic African traditional music albums and much, much more here

Vintage postcard of Ethiopian Orthodox Tawehedo priest, 1920s:

Vintage postcard of Mursi girl with tusk headdress:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

PORTUGAL Visages du Portugal – Le Chant du Monde – LDX 4337

PORTUGAL
Visages du Portugal – Le Chant du Monde – LDX 4337, recorded by Michel Giacometti (LP)

This excellent panorama of authentic traditional Portuguese village music recorded by the eminent French ethnomusicologist Michel Giacometti presents field recordings collected in the Southern regions of Alentejo and Algarve and the northern regions of Minho and Trás Os Montes. This album, featuring a sonic pallet including male and female vocals, various flutes, bagpipes, drums, tambourines, triangles, offers rare inspired glimpses into a bygone world.

Michel Giacometti (1929–1990), hailing from the French island of Corsica, was instrumental in mapping out and preserving Portugal’s vanishing traditional folk music. After settling in Portugal in 1959, he devoted his life to recording and studying folk traditions across the country. Giacometti also built an impressive collection of Portuguese musical instruments, currently on display at the Museu da Música Portuguesa in Estoril.

Cet excellent panorama de musiques rurales traditionnelles portugaises enregistrées par l'éminent ethnomusicologue français Michel Giacometti (1929-1990) présente des enregistrements réalisés dans les régions méridionales de l'Alentejo et de l'Algarve et dans les régions septentrionales du Minho et du Trás Os Montes. Cette palette sonore, comprenant des voix masculines et féminines, diverses flûtes, des cornemuses, des tambours, des tambourins et des triangles, offre un aperçu rare et inspiré d'un monde révolu.

Michel Giacometti, originaire de la Corse, joua un rôle déterminant dans l’étude et la préservation de la musique folklorique traditionnelle portugaise en voie de disparition. Après s'être installé au Portugal en 1959, il consacra sa vie à l'enregistrement et à l'étude des traditions folkloriques du pays. Giacometti assembla également une impressionnante collection d'instruments de musique portugais, actuellement exposée au Museu da Música Portuguesa à Estoril.

Alentejo

A1 – Tralhoada

Tralhoada refers to a six-oxen drawn cart or plow. This work song is a call-response between two men to encourage the animals.

 

A2 – Ó Baleizão Baleizão

Male vocal group.

 

A3 – Já Lá Gritam No Calvário

A liturgical monodic song recorded in Monsaraz. It is sung during the traditional annual feast of the finding of the Holy Cross on May 3rd. 

A4 – Auto Da Criação Do Mundo

The Creation of the  World, is a traveling puppet show performed by the Talhinhas family wandering in various villages. It includes dances and music – here an instrumental guitar track is followed by a female singer accompanied by a guitar.

 

A5 – Toque Do Peditório
A flute and drum.

 

A6 – O Vos Omnes
The Lamentations of Holy Week are traditionally sung on Good Friday during the procession. Solo female vocalist.

A7 – Pastores Do Verde Prado
Monophonic Christmas carol recorded in Alpalhao (Portalegre). 

A8 – O Meu Menino Jesus
Christmas carol recorded in Campo Major on Christmas Eve, accompanied by a quirky rhythmic-drone like ronca (or zabumba) bass membraphone instrument.

Trás Os Montes

A9 – O Conde Ninho
Song performed during the harvest.

A10 – Murinheira
One of the region’s typical dance accompanied by bagpipes, a tambourine and a triangle.

A11 – Galandum
Dance from the Miranda do Douro region.

A12 – Valdevinos
Song performed during the harvest.

A13 – Vinte-Cinco
A polyrhythmic stick dance. A large drum calls 16 dancers with sticks making their own percussive sounds, a bagpipe, snare drum, bass drum and castanets.

A14 – Carvalhesa
A typical dance from the Vinhais region with a bagpipe and a triangle.

Minho 

B1 – Cantilena De Pedreiro
Worksong.

B2 – Senhora Do Sameiro
Pilgrimage song. Fascinating polyphony with quirky dissonance.

B3 – Solo De Harmónio
An old accordion, castanets, a tambourine and a triangle.

B4 – Aboio
Plowing song to encourage the oxen.

B5 – Rosinha
Worksong. A rare example of polyphony specific to the region of Minho

B6 – Flute solo

Algarve

B7 – Canto De Reis 
Three-female polyphonic vocaI ensemble.

B8 – Leva Leva!
Worksong for fishermen lifting their nets recorded on board the sardine boat Le Nicete, 10 miles off the coast of Portimao.

B9 – As Excelências Da Virgem
Religious song accompanying the recitation of the rosary during Lent which is also sometimes performed for a person’s last rites.

B10 – Baile Mandado
One of the most famous dance tunes in Algarve, performed here by a small gaita flute. 

B11 – Dona Mariana
Famous medieval ballad. 

B12 – Oração Das Almas
Two singers perform this prayer for the souls of the departed around the New Year. 

B13 – Faça Ai Ai Meu Menino
Lullaby recorded in Alvor.

B14 – Salve-Rainha
A canticle to the Virgin sung by Algarve fishermen on tuna boats upon leaving the coast.

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Many thanks to João for sharing this seminal record!

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

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INDIA – INDE Amjad Ali Khan – Live at Teen Murti House – Raga Shyam Shree – His Master's Voice – ECLP 2887

INDIA – INDE
Amjad Ali Khan – Live at Teen Murti House – Raga Shyam Shree – His Master's Voice – ECLP 2887, 1981 (LP)

Here’s another totally brilliant album by the great sarod master Amjad Ali Khan (b. 1945), the son of the eminent Gwalior court musician Hafiz Ali Khan (1888-1972).

 

Khan’s remarkable rendering of Raga Shyam Shree recorded at Teen Murti House – the official residence of India's first Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru (1889-1964) – features Khan’s sheer outpouring of ideas and dynamic, clear ringing sarod, achieved through his innovative use of fingernails instead of fingertips.

 

He is accompanied here by his disciple Gurudev Singh (b. 1948) on the sarod, Kale Ram (b. 1946) on tabla and Awatar Singh on the tanpura drone.

 

Voici un nouvel album brillantissime du grand maître du sarod Amjad Ali Khan (né en 1945), le fils de l’éminent musicien de la cour de Gwalior Hafiz Ali Khan (1888-1972).

 

Cette interprétation exquise de Raga Shyam Shree par Amjad Ali Khan enregistrée au Teen Murti House – la résidence officielle du premier Premier ministre indien, Jawahar Lal Nehru (1889-1964) – met en avant son éblouissante inventivité et les sonorités limpides et dynamiques de son instrument obtenues par l’utilisation novatrice des ongles au lieu des doigts.

 

Il est accompagné ici par son disciple Gurudev Singh (né en 1948) au sarod, Kale Ram (né en 1946) aux tablas et Awatar Singh au bourdon tanpura.

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Our other sarod music posts:

Amjad Ali Khan – Raga Darbari – EASD 2824 here

Amjad Ali Khan – The Maestro's Musings – CBS IND 1149 here

Sharan Rani – HMV 7 EPE 1211 here

Ali Akbar Khan – HMV EALP 1255 here
Ali Akbar Khan – Connoisseur Society CS 462 here

Photographs below are from The Musicians of India (Illustrated) by Harendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, Ramgopalpur, 1929, and Gloire des Princes, Louange des Dieux – catalogue for the March-June 2003 Musée de la Musique exhibition in Paris:

Amjad Ali Khan's father and teacher Hafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior (1888-1972):

The Royal Musicians of Hindustan: Mohammed Ali Khan, Inayat Khan, Musheraff Khan and Maheboob Khan, early 1910s:

Veena player, musicologist, poet, mystic, and philosopher Inayat Khan (1882-1927) was a pioneer of the transmission of Sufism to the West. He toured the United States with his brother Maheboob Khan and cousin Mohammed Ali Khan between 1910 and 1912, and settled in London where he established a Sufi order in 1914 followed by additional centers in the United States and Europe. 

“Now if I do anything, it is to tune souls instead of instruments. To harmonize people instead of notes. If there is anything in my philosophy, it is the law of harmony: that one puts oneself in harmony with oneself and with others.”

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog:

MOROCCO – MAROC Cheikha Tayka / الشيخة الصالحة – Khaldiphone - KH 2042 (Vinyl 7 inch, 45 RPM)

MOROCCO – MAROC

Cheikha Tayka / الشيخة الصالحة – Khaldiphone - KH 2042 (Vinyl 7 inch, 45 RPM)

Cheikha Tayka was born in the 1930s and very early on devoted herself to singing in the Zaouiya of Sidi Ben Hamdoune (a Muslim religious building housing a Sufi brotherhood) near the town of Settat. She was quickly noticed by the singular personality of her deep and intense voice. She sang the praises of her masters, religious figures and King Mohamed V. 

No one seems to know from where Cheikha Tayka took her artist's name. The Arabic dictionary defines "Tayka" as a feminine name that can mean both "wanderer" and "migrant." Tayka enjoyed presenting herself as wandering from one soirée to another and experimenting with different artistic collaborations and experiences.

Tayka's singing was extremely popular and she performed countrywide with such renowned violinists as Said Ould El Aouja or Sahib El Maati, making a name for herself among the great Chikates (or Cheikhates) of Aïta and becoming a luminary in the world of Moroccan traditional/folk music.

Cheikha Tayka recorded more than 50 records on various labels (Mekaouiphone, Boussiphone, Atlassiphone, Alhane Almaghreb, Casaphone, Ifriquiaphone, etc.) in dialogue with violinists Cheikh Abdellah El Assiri, Bouchaib El Fakri, Bouchaib El Wahli. We have the great pleasure of sharing this enthralling recording on the Khaldiphone label of Cheikha Tayka accompanied by violin master Omar Al Medkouri, with whom she recorded four 45 RPMs on the Khaldiphone label, including this one.

Many thanks to Hakim for his presentation of the artist.

 

Cheikha Tayka est née dans les années 1930. Très tôt, la jeune fille s’adonne au chant dans la Zaouiya de Sidi Ben Hamdoune (un édifice religieux musulman abritant une confrérie soufie) près de la ville de Settat. Elle se fait vite remarquer à travers la personnalité singulière de sa voix rauque et intense. Elle chante les louanges de ses maîtres, de religieux ou du Roi Mohamed V.

Personne ne semble savoir d’où Cheikha Tayka tient son nom d’artiste. Le dictionnaire arabe définit «Tayka » comme étant un nom féminin pouvant signifier vagabond ou migrant. Quoi qu’il en soit, Cheikha Tayka aimait à se présenter comme vagabondant d’une fête à l’autre et multipliant les collaborations et expériences artistiques.

Son chant fut très apprécié et elle sillonnera le pays, accompagnée de violonistes de renom, tels Said Ould El Aouja ou Sahib El Maati, se faisant un nom parmi les grandes Cheikhates de la Aïta et devenant une figure de proue dans le milieu de la musique d’antan.

Témoin de sa popularité, elle enregistra pas moins d’une cinquantaine de disques sur différents labels (Mekaouiphone, Boussiphone, Atlassiphone, Alhane Almaghreb, Casaphone, Ifriquiaphone, etc.) en dialogue avec des violonistes comme Cheikh Abdellah El Assiri, Bouchaib El Fakri, Bouchaib El Wahli. Nous avons le grand plaisir de partager ce superbe enregistrement de Cheikha Tayka sur le label Khaldiphone accompagné par le maître du violon Omar Al Medkouri avec lequel elle enregistra quatre 45 tours sur le label Khaldiphone, dont celui-ci.

Grand merci à Hakim pour sa présentation de l’artiste.

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More chikhat singers / D’autres cheikhates :

Cheikha Salha – Khaldiphone - AB 216 here

Cheikha Donna – Khaldiphone - KH 2066 here

Bennasser Ou Khoia & Cheikha Hadda Ouakki – Ifriquiaphone IFK 441 here

Bennacer Ou Khouya & Cheikha Hadda Ouakki – Atlassiphone ATLS 1900 here

Hakim’s Youtube channel l La chaîne Youtube d’Hakim here

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog: