Tuesday, March 6, 2018

ABU DHABI / BAHRAIN – BAHREÏN Sur la Côte des Pirates – Les Émirats du Golfe Arabique – Disques Alvarès C 471

ABU DHABI / BAHRAIN – BAHREÏN
Sur la Côte des Pirates – Les Émirats du Golfe Arabique  – Disques Alvarès C 471, recorded by Karen and Alain Saint-Hilaire (LP)
Emirates Emirati arab traditional music musique traditionnelle الموسيقى العربية التقليدية

Emirates Emirati arab traditional music musique traditionnelle الموسيقى العربية التقليدية

Emirates Emirati arab traditional music musique traditionnelle الموسيقى العربية التقليدية

Emirates Emirati arab traditional music musique traditionnelle الموسيقى العربية التقليدية

According to Marco Polo's writings, the islands around Bahrain were home to the Abd-ul-Kais pirate tribe in the 7th century. Some two centuries later, Chinese ships navigating the Persian Gulf required the protection of 500 armed men to ward off these marauders. From the late 18th century to the mid-19th century these waters were called "the Pirate Coast." 

This LP offers a rare glimpse into the region’s excellent traditional music, featuring ‘ud (arab luth), ney (flute), quanun (zither), jirba and habban (reeds and bagpipes), tabl (drums), tar (frame drum) and the ancient tanbura (lyre), whose sounds are reminiscent of the acoustic bass. 

Selon les écrits de Marco Polo, à partir du VIIe siècle, les îles autour de Bahreïn abritaient l'Abd-ul-Kais, une tribu pirate. Deux siècles plus tard, les navires chinois naviguant dans le golfe Persique étaient gardés par des centaines d'hommes en armes pour protéger leurs précieuses cargaisons. De la fin du XVIIIe siècle au milieu du XIXe siècle, ces eaux étaient appelées « la côte des pirates ». 

Ce LP offre un aperçu de l'excellente musique traditionnelle de la région, avec le 'ud (luth arabe), le ney (flûte), le kanun (cithare), le jerba et le haban (instrument à anche et cornemuse), le tambour, le tar (tambourin) et l'antique tamboura (lyre), dont les sonorités rappellent la basse acoustique.

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10 comments:

  1. Thank you!!! what a lovely record

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    1. Dear Obay,
      Thanks for your comment, it is indeed an excellent LP probably recorded in the early 1960's. I have a few more rare recordings of the region which I will share in future posts. Bless

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  2. Thank you! Do you have any recordings from Saudi Arabia?

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    1. You're very welcome. I have a few CDs, but no analog documents (cassettes, records) of Saudi music, except for a Mohammed Abdu cassette. If you ever find traditional and folk musical gems from your country, I would be delighted to feature them on my blog.

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  3. Great!This was on my wishlist,i only found it 3 weeks ago on discogs,but too expensive...

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    1. The musical quality of nearly all the little-known Disques Alvarès albums is incredible.

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  4. WOW! One of those rare gems (though somehow you seem to find many) that are not only musically dazzling, but also carry this exotic feel to it. This album smells of sea and desert and spices and lovers escaping to freedom in the middle of the night. Thank you so much for all the magic you share.

    Twice a week i have to drive in the middle of the night through empty dirt roads, and "your" albums turn every trip into a journey of discovery and bliss. Bless you and all these precious musicians that left such a priceless legacy behind.

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    1. You are describing the absolute best setting to enjoy and discover great music from far-away lands! Even better than the adolescent locked room with incense and low colored lights ...

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  5. Unfortunately the links don't work for me.

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    1. I'm re-uploading all my links and the download links for this post now work again.

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