INDONESIA Sunda – Gamelan Degung directed by Enip Sukanda (suling) – Collection Musique du Monde 5 – Galloway Records GB 600 524 B

INDONESIA – INDONÉSIE
Sunda – Gamelan Degung directed by Enip Sukanda (suling) – Collection Musique du Monde 5 – Galloway Records GB 600 524 B, recorded by Jacques Brunet in 1972 (LP).

After our presentation of gamelan court music from Central Java, we now showcase the distinctive Sundanese Gamelan Degung, created in West Java at the end of the 18th century to accompany court dances and perform at marriages.

This excellent LP from the impressive Galloway Records gamelan music series – many recorded by Jacques Brunet – features the Damas Gamelan Degung ensemble directed and accompanied by Enip Sukanda on the suling flute. Despite having four-holes only, this bamboo flute is highly versatile and expressive through the mastery of tone-changing airflow speeds and a variety of effects, such as puruluk, a sound resembling the cooing of a dove, and circular breathing techniques to ensure a regular, uninterrupted lyrical flow, even in moments of percussive climax.

The suling master’s delicate, contemplative flights interweaving with poised, ethereal gongs and percussion generate a deep, soft, and poetic tension that lingers on.

Suite à notre présentation du gamelan de cour du Java central, nous partageons maintenant du gamelan degung soundanais créé dans l’ouest de Java à la fin du XVIIIe siècle pour accompagner les danses de cour et jouer lors de mariages.

Cet excellent album tiré de l’imposante série de gamelans indonésiens sur le label Galloway Records, dont de nombreux enregistrements de Jacques Brunet, est joué par l’ensemble Damas gamelan degung dirigé et accompagné par Enip Sukanda à la flûte suling en bambou. Bien qu’il n’ait que quatre trous, le suling est un instrument extrêmement souple, nuancé et expressif à condition de parfaitement maîtriser notamment la vitesse de circulation de l’air qui modifie la hauteur et les techniques de respiration circulaire pour assurer un flux lyrique régulier et constant, même lors de phases percussives intenses.

Les envolées délicates et contemplatives du maître du suling qui s’entremêlent aux gongs et aux percussions solennels et éthérés produisent une tension à la fois profonde, douce et poétique qui reste comme suspendue dans l’air.

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Our Central Java gamelan posts:
Gamelan Garland - Gamelan Kjai Kanjut Mesem/Mangkunagaran Surakarta (1968) here
Gamelan Kjahi Kaduk, Manis Rengga - Gamelan Music from Java (1963) here
Musique de Java - L'Ecole de Loka Wangi (1971) here

KAZAKHSTAN – KYRGYZSTAN Voyage en URSS – n° 7 Kazakhstan & Kirghizistan – Anthologie de la Musique Instrumentale et Vocale des Peuples de l'URSS – Melodiya C90-23259 006

KAZAKHSTAN – KYRGYZSTAN
Voyage en URSS – n° 7 Kazakhstan & Kirghizistan – Anthologie de la Musique Instrumentale et Vocale des Peuples de l'URSS – Melodiya C90-23259 006 (LP)

Following music from Siberia (vol. 10), from the 10-LP Anthology of Instrumental and Vocal Music collection published during the Soviet era (1922-1991) on the Russian Melodiya label, we now share this excellent anthology of music from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (vol. 7).

The Kazakhs and Kyrgyz are mostly nomadic-shepherd Turkic people who created kingdoms in the 16th century following the fall of the Mongol Golden Horde empire. They have similar musics and cultures, notably an animist-chamanic heritage, the influence of Islam, and large communities of Russians, Uzbeks, and Ukrainians.

Side A showcases Kazakh music: the long-necked dombra lute, either played solo (A1, A2, A8) or to accompany epic songs (A5, A9), two heartfelt tastauika flute tracks, solo and accompanied by a shankobyz Jew’s harp (A3, A4), sybyzgys flute (A6), a bowed kobyz (A7, see above photograph), and a forgettable orchestral track (A10).

Side B presents Kyrgyz music: komuz lute (B1, B3), choör flute (B2), temir ooz komuz Jew's harp (A4, B8), kil-kiyak strings (B5), voice and komuz lute (B6), surnaï (zurna) (B7), ending again with an incongrous orchestral track (B10).

Après la musique sibérienne (vol. 10), nous partageons ici l'excellente anthologie de musique du Kazakhstan et du Kirghizistan (vol. 7) tirée de l’Anthologie de la Musique Instrumentale et Vocale des Peuples de l'URSS composée de 10 albums publiés à l'époque de l'Union soviétique (1922-1991) sur le label russe Melodiya.

Les Kazakhs et les Kirghizes sont majoritairement des peuples turcs éleveurs-nomades qui ont créé des royaumes au XVIe siècle après la chute de l'empire mongol de la Horde d'Or. Les deux pays ont des musiques et des cultures similaires, notamment un passé animiste et chamanique, l’influence de l’Islam, et la présence d’importantes communautés russes, ouzbeks et ukrainiennes.

La face A présente de la musique kazakhe : le luth dombra à long manche, joué en solo (A1, A2, A8) ou pour accompagner des chants épiques (A5, A9), deux étonnants morceaux de flûte tastauika, en solo puis accompagné d’une guimbarde shankobyz (A3, A4), une flûte sybyzgys (A6), un kobyz à archet (A7, voir photo ci-dessus) et une piste orchestrale hors propos (A10).

La face B présente de la musique kirghize : un luth komuz (B1, B3), une flûte choör (B2), une guimbarde temir ooh komuz (A4, B8), des cordes kil-kiyak (B5), un chant épique accompagné d'un luth komuz (B6), du hautbois surnaï (zurna) (B7), qui se termine une nouvelle fois par une piste orchestrale incongrue (B10).

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The above photograph is from Kazakhstan: Hommes, Bêtes et Dieux de la Steppe by Marie-Catherine Rey, ART LYS, 2010:

Kazakh baqsy musician-shaman, known for his healing and supernatural powers, playing the kobyz. 

The photograph below is from Sowjetistan. Eine Reise Durch Turkmenistan, Kasachstan, Tadschikistan, Kirgisistan und Usbekistan by Erika Fatland, Suhrkamp, 2017:

Talgarbek and his golden eagle Tumara (Kyrgyzstan).

CHAD – TCHAD Chad (Kanem) – Unesco Collection – An Anthology of African Music – BM 30 L 2309

CHAD – TCHAD
Chad (Kanem) – Unesco Collection – An Anthology of African Music – BM 30 L 2309 – recorded by Monique Brandily, photographs by Max-Yves Brandily, 1963 (LP)

The Kanem region, which spans from Lake Chad to the gates of the Sahara, is home to the Kanembu people, who converted to Islam in the 11th century, alongside other nomadic shepherd cultures like the Dazas, Peuls, Tuaregs, and Arabs.

This rare LP recorded in 1963 on the great Bärenreiter-Musicaphon label, features drumming (A1, A5, B1), oboe (A3, B5), reed clarinet (A7), trumpet (B3), a song accompanied by a lute (B4), a song by Tuareg women (A9), an ensemble of musicians (B7), a young girl accompanied by handclaps (B6), a festival for the end of Ramadan (B8).

La région du Kanem, qui s'étend du lac Tchad aux portes du Sahara, abrite le peuple Kanembou, qui s'est converti à l'islam au 11ème siècle, aux côtés d'autres peuples nomades pastoraux comme les Dazas, les Peuls, les Touaregs et les Arabes.

Ce disque rare enregistré en 1963 sur le formidable label Bärenreiter-Musicaphon présente notamment des percussions (A1, A5, B1), du hautbois (A3, B5), de la clarinette en roseau (A7), de la trompette (B3), une chanson accompagnée au luth (B4), le chant de femmes touaregs (A9), un ensemble de musiciens (B7), le chant d'une fille accompagnée de mains frappées (B6), la fête marquant la fin du Ramadan (B8).

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The photographs below are from La Mort est le Masque du Roi  – La Royauté Sacrée des Moundang du Tchad by Alfred Adler, Payot, 1982:

The Moundang people in Southwest Chad, bordering the tip of northern Cameroon, have a very different civilization compared with the Kanembu people, in a culturally diverse country which features over 100 languages and dialects. They had long maintained their ancestral rituals and political organization around a "divine" king, with powers over nature (rain, harvest), despite many incursions by the Fulani-Peul and French colonial rule. With the King's blessing, author Alfred Adler lived for more than three years among the Moudang, between 1967 and 1976, to study their social organization and customs. 

The Mundere mask, a dance of Yungu warriors, and the King of Moundang riding a horse with his guards in Léré. 

BURKINA-FASO Les Trésors du Faso – Musique Traditionnelle Vol. 1 – Ministère de la Culture et des Arts / Seydoni Production

BURKINA-FASO
Les Trésors du Faso – Musique Traditionnelle Vol. 1 – Ministère de la Culture et des Arts / Seydoni Production (Cassette)

This superb compilation showcases the great diversity of traditional musics from Burkina Faso performed by 14 different cultural/ethnic groups, all with their distinctive languages and musical styles: the Mossi, Fulani-Peul, Bissa, Gourmantché, Yadéga, Tuareg, Leylé, Dioula, Turka, Lobi, Kassena, Bwaba and Sambo peoples.

Cette superbe compilation présente la grande diversité des musiques traditionnelles du Burkina Faso interprétées par 14 groupes ethniques / culturels différents, tous avec leurs langues et leurs styles musicaux propres: les Mossis, les Peuls, les Bissas, les Gourmantchés, les Yadégas, les Touaregs, les Leylés, les Dioulas, les Turkas, les Lobis, les Kassenas, les Bwabas et les Sambos.

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...We finally reached the village located in the Tapoa province in Eastern Burkina Faso at nightfall after a long, bumpy and dusty journey. We first went to pay our respects to the Gourmantché Chief (pictured here with his “Prime Minister” and sacred drum), who is the traditional guardian of relations with the ancestors. The chief was much loved by the villagers for his wisdom, dignity and deep sense of noblesse oblige.

We had come here to attend the funeral service for a friend’s mother that night in the village, who had passed away exactly one year ago. The Gourmantché believe that the spirit of a deceased person continues to roam the village during that time. A nighttime ceremony, in which the entire village participated, was held to send the departed from the world of the living into the realm of the ancestors.

The funeral ceremony was an all-night affair, with singing, storytelling, laughter, music and dance. At around 10:30 pm a troupe of musicians and dancers took center stage. Mr. P, the region’s most famous traditional dancer, instantly electrified the audience. He seemed to glide through space, with occasional rolling somersaults, unfurling huge "wings" with his long arms and hands. At one point, an ancient gentleman who could barely walk began a frantic dance to the sound of excited cheers and encouragement. On subsequent trips to the region, Mr. P told me that his dances imitated wild animals to embody their symbolic characteristics, but that nobody understood these things anymore. I saw him perform twice more in ceremonies in the early 2000s, and he retired shortly after, well into his 60s.

" L’homme a besoin de chanter et de danser pour se mettre en harmonie avec les vibrations premières de la création. "

“Human beings need to sing and dance to put themselves in harmony with the primal vibrations of creation.”

Amadou Hampâté Bâ (1901-1991)

in Les Archives sonores de la littérature noire n°4 et 5, CLEF/Radio France, 1973 (double LP)

Our other Burkina Faso music posts:

Compil du Salou Traditionnel Burkinabé
El Hadji Hamado Kanazoe

INDIA Amjad Ali Khan – Raag Bageshree, Raag Khama & Folk Music of Bengal and Assam – The Maestro's Musings – CBS IND 1149

INDIA – INDE
Amjad Ali Khan – Raag Bageshree, Raag Khama & Folk Music of Bengal and Assam – The Maestro's Musings – CBS IND 1149, 1986 (LP)
(b. 1945)

Let’s kick off 2019 with this excellent live album by sarod genius Amjad Ali Khan. These brilliant performances by the son of Gwalior court musician Hafiz Ali Khan (1888-1972) feature Khan’s sheer outpouring of ideas and dynamic, clear ringing sarod, achieved through his innovative use of fingernails instead of finger tips. Khan is accompanied here on tabla by Rashid Mustafa Thirakwa on side A and Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari on Side B.

Nous démarrons la nouvelle année 2019 avec cet excellent album live du génie du sarod Amjad Ali Khan. Ces performances éblouissantes du fils du musicien de la cour de Gwalior Hafiz Ali Khan (1888-1972) montrent l'incroyable inventivité du maître et les sonorités claires et dynamiques de son intrument, obtenues par l’utilisation novatrice des ongles au lieu des doigts. Khan est accompagné aux tablas par Rashid Mustafa Thirakwa sur la Face A et Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari sur la Face B.

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Many thanks to our friend Scott for sharing this gem.

Our other Amjad Ali Khan post: Raga Darbari – EASD 2824 – 1975

The photographs below are from Visions of Mughal India - The Collection of Howard Hodgkin by Andrew Topsfield, Ashmolean Museum, 2012, and The Art of India and Pakistan by Leigh Ashton, Faber & Faber, 1950:

Brahma, Creator of the Universe, Mankot, Punjab Hills, c.1720, and A Troup of Trumpeters, Guler, Himachal Pradesh, c.1735-1740.