Sunday, September 29, 2019

TANZANIA Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania – Heartbeat of Africa – Sapra Ltd CMIL 98

TANZANIA
Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania – Heartbeat of Africa – Sapra Ltd CMIL 98, recorded by David Fanshawe (7 in, 33 RPM)

#Tanzania #Tanzanie #Gogo #Wagogo #African music #traditional music #world music #David Fanshawe #trance #dance #ceremony #ritual #magic #possession #spirit world #vinyl
#Tanzania #Tanzanie #Gogo #Wagogo #African music #traditional music #world music #David Fanshawe #trance #dance #ceremony #ritual #magic #possession #spirit world #vinyl
#Tanzania #Tanzanie #Gogo #Wagogo #African music #traditional music #world music #David Fanshawe #trance #dance #ceremony #ritual #magic #possession #spirit world #vinyl
#Tanzania #Tanzanie #Gogo #Wagogo #African music #traditional music #world music #David Fanshawe #trance #dance #ceremony #ritual #magic #possession #spirit world #vinyl

The pastoral Gogo (aka Wagogo) people inhabit the dry, semi-mountainous Dodoma region of central Tanzania. According to Wagogo music specialist Polo Vallejo, “they are famous and admired for their splendid vocal polyphonies. Their instrumental repertoires and dances illustrate the originality, complexity and musical refinement of African music… One of the most striking features of the Wagogo is that drums are played only by women.”*

David Fanshawe’s album Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania is an enthralling aural excursion with multilayered abstract complexity, fluid polyrhythms, and telepathic collective performances: Funeral Dance, to mourn the death of a leader with horns, flutes, percussion, singing and choir (A1); Intoxicating Marimba, with two marimbas whose sound box resonators are “covered by a thin layer of spiderweb to create a vibrating buzz” (A2); Gogo Choirs, with rich vocal polyphony (A3); Kikombo Zeze, with two zeze players (B1); Vipango Orchestra, with seven instruments and two percussions (B2); and Songs of Cultivation, with singing, horns, and percussion (B3).

These distinctive tracks, featuring deep otherworldly sounds that extend beyond the confines of the instruments’ envelopes through harmonics, vibration and distortion, exemplify how traditional African art “is not a means but an end–transmutation from the human into the supernatural.”**

Les Gogo (ou Wagogo) sont un peuple pastoral de la région semi-montagneuse de Dodoma au centre de la Tanzanie. Selon le spécialiste de la musique wagogo Polo Vallejo, « Ils sont réputés et admirés pour leurs splendides polyphonies vocales. Leurs répertoires instrumentaux et leurs danses particulières illustrent l’originalité, la complexité et le raffinement musicaux du continent africain. (…) Une des particularités les plus frappantes des Wagogo c’est que seules les femmes battent le tambour. »*

L’album Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania enregistré par David Fanshawe est un voyage captivant fait de musiques complexes et abstraites, de polyrythmes fluides et de performances collectives télépathiques: Dance funèbre pour pleurer la mort d’un dirigeant, avec trombes, flûtes, percussions, chants et choeur (A1); Marimbas enivrantes, avec deux marimbas dont les caisses de résonance sont « recouvertes d'une fine couche de toile d'araignée pour obtenir un bourdonnement » (A2); Cœurs Wagogo, avec une riche polyphonie vocale (A3); Kikombo Zeze, avec deux joueurs de zeze (B1); Orchestre Vipango, avec sept instruments et deux percussions (B2); et chants agricoles avec voix, trombes et percussions (B3).

Ces morceaux, composés de sonorités profondes avec des harmoniques, des vibrations et des distorsions qui font déborder les instruments de leurs enveloppes, illustrent bien que l’art africain traditionnel « n’est pas un moyen mais une fin – une transmutation de l’humain vers le surnaturel ».**

**Francis Bebey’s African Music – A People’s Art, Laurence Hill Books, 1975.

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David Fanshawe (1942-2010) was an English composer whose most famous work was the album African Sanctus (1972), which combines Western choral harmony with his recordings of traditional African music. Fanshawe passionately explored the great diversity of our dying global traditional musical heritage and painstakingly recorded thousands of hours of indigenous music in Europe, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bahrain, and the Pacific islands. 

Our other post of a David Fanshawe recording:
Kenya  Sounds of Masailand  Sapra Ltd here

Photograph below is from Les Civilisations Noires by Jacques Maquet, Marabout Université, 1962:

Wagogo boys during a circumcision ceremony, photographed by George Rodgers (1908-1995), late 1940s.

MusicRepublic TANZANIA Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania – Heartbeat of Africa – Sapra Ltd CMIL 98

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation                                project and share the best finds with you on this blog:




Friday, September 20, 2019

INDIA Zia Mohiuddin Dagar – Raga Todi & Raga Pooriya – His Master's Voice - 7 EPE 1312

INDIA – INDE
Zia Mohiuddin Dagar – Raga Todi & Raga Pooriya – His Master's Voice - 7 EPE 1312, 1967 (7 in, 45 RPM)

#India #Hindustani #Dhrupad #Zia Mohiuddin Dagar #rudra veena #rudra vina #meditative #deep listening #meditation #traditional music #Indian music #world music #vinyl #45 RPM
#India #Hindustani #Dhrupad #Zia Mohiuddin Dagar #rudra veena #rudra vina #meditative #deep listening #meditation #traditional music #Indian music #world music #vinyl #45 RPM
#India #Hindustani #Dhrupad #Zia Mohiuddin Dagar #rudra veena #rudra vina #meditative #deep listening #meditation #traditional music #Indian music #world music #vinyl #45 RPM
#India #Hindustani #Dhrupad #Zia Mohiuddin Dagar #rudra veena #rudra vina #meditative #deep listening #meditation #traditional music #Indian music #world music #vinyl #45 RPM

Born in Rajasthan, where his father Ziauddin Khan Dagar was a court musician for the Maharaja of Udaipur, Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, aka Z.M. Dagar, (1932-1990) was a formidable master of the seldom-played Rudra veena (or bin).

All the
vocalists of the illustrious Dagar family played the Rudra veena as an accompaniment to their singing. But Z.M. was the only Dagar to play the Rudra-veena as a Dhrupad performance instrument instead of focusing on singing.

In order to render the subtleties and nuances of Dhrupad with greater depth and versatility, Dagar enlarged the instrument’s gourds and hollow neck to add bass and resonance for enhanced stage presence and longer sustain times of notes and harmonics.

This rare 45 RPM exemplifies the maestro’s deep, slow, spiritual musings, which create a meditative space and inspired tension of timeless universal value.


Mohi Bahauddin Dagar (b. 1970) is now carrying on his father’s
Rudra veena tradition.

Né au Rajasthan, où son père Ziauddin Khan Dagar officiait en tant que musicien à la cour du maharaja d'Udaipur, Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, alias Z.M. Dagar, (1932-1990) fut le plus grand maître de la rudra vina (ou bin) dans la seconde moitié du XXe siècle.


Tous les chanteurs de l'illustre famille Dagar jouaient de la rudra vina pour s’accompagner au chant. Mais Z.M. était le seul Dagar de sa génération à adopter la rudra-vina comme instrument de concert Dhrupad plutôt que le chant.

Afin de rendre les subtilités et les nuances du Dhrupad avec plus de profondeur et de fluidité, Z.M. Dagar transforma la rudra vina en élargissant la taille des gourdes et du manche creux de l’instrument afin d’ajouter des basses et de la résonance pour une plus grande présence scénique et pour allonger la durée du sustain des notes et des harmoniques.

Ce 45 tours rare illustre les envolées lentes, délicates et méditatives du maestro, qui créent un espace contemplatif avec des tensions inspirées d’une valeur universelle.

Mohi Bahauddin Dagar (né en 1970) perpétue à présent la tradition de son père au rudra vina.


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The cover of this record was designed by South-Indian classical dancer and teacher Amala Devi.

Our other Dhrupad share:
Nasir Aminuddin Dagar (vocal) - HMV EASD 1420 here

Don’t miss Tawfiq's essential Zia Mohiuddin Dagar shares here



Photograph below is from The Mystic Spiral: Journey of the Soul by Jill Purse, Thames & Hudson, 1980:

Sudama approaching the Golden City of Krishna, painting, Punjab Hills, India, c. 1785.
"The pearl being sought by the pilgrim Sudama is the Golden City of Krishna. Like the Buddhist Sudhana, he is the hero whose wanderings in search of the highest wisdom every devotee should emulate. The spiral nature of his quest for enlightenment, the circuitous route on which all such long and difficult journeys lead man, is echoed and affirmed by nature. Like the spiralling of the clouds and water, which enshrouds the Way of the dragons in mystery, the ambiguous forces of nature spiral into great vortices behind him; from their swirls strange natural beasts appear."

MusicRepublic INDIA Zia Mohiuddin Dagar – Raga Todi & Raga Pooriya – His Master's Voice - 7 EPE 1312, 1967 (7 in, 45 RPM)

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation                                project and share the best finds with you on this blog:



Tuesday, September 10, 2019

BURKINA-FASO Le Larlé-Naaba et sa Troupe Folklorique – Les Trésors du Mogho – Disques CVD 003

BURKINA-FASO
Le Larlé-Naaba et sa Troupe Folklorique – Les Trésors du Mogho – Disques CVD 003, 1975 (LP)
#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic
#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic
#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic
#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic

The Larlé Naaba Abga (1907-1982), born Yamba Tiendrébéogo, played a major role in Burkina Faso's cultural life. This high-ranking nobleman was the minister to the Mogho Naaba, the emperor of the Mossi People, as well as a philosopher, historian, storyteller and musician. The Larlé Naaba perpetuated the Mossi storytelling and musical traditions in the recently independent Burkina Faso of the 1960s and 1970s (then called Upper-Volta), notably through his popular weekly radio show heard throughout the country.

Abga, the "panther," as he was called, led a troupe of some 30 musicians, singers and dancers, whose music was fortunately captured on several LPs released on Frédéric Pacéré Titenga’s great CDV label. This brilliant disc kicks off with an introduction narrated by the Larlé Naaba (protocol prohibited him from actually singing), accompanying himself on the three-string kundé guitar, where he reflects on life and gives advice (A1); masterful kundé guitar playing by Tinga Diallo (A2); a luminous track with the interaction between Youngo's  glorious voice and a haunting duudga fiddle driven by kiéma metal castanets–a ritualized invitation to the chief to step out of his palace (A3). The remaining tracks feature female singers Mariam and Hatto, who were famous in their own right, accompanied by dazzling kunde guitars, backing vocals, and percussion (A4-Side B).

Le Larlé Naaba Abga (1907-1982), de son vrai nom Yamba Tiendrébéogo, a marqué la vie culturelle du Burkina Faso. Noble de très haut rang, ministre de l’empereur des Mossi, le Mogho Naaba, il était aussi philosophe, historien, conteur et musicien. Il a perpétué la tradition des contes et de la musique mossi dans le Burkina indépendant des années 60-70 (alors nommé Haute-Volta), notamment à travers des émissions radiodiffusées sur l’ensemble du territoire national.

Abga, 'la panthère,' comme on le surnommait, était à la tête d’une troupe d'une trentaine de personnes composée de musiciens, de chanteuses, de chanteurs et de danseurs, dont la musique a fort heureusement été diffusée sur plusieurs albums du label CDV crée par Frédéric Pacéré Titenga dans les années 1970. Ce disque d’une qualité musicale exceptionnelle commence par une introduction contée du Larlé Naaba (le protocole interdit au Larlé Naaba de chanter) qui s’accompagne à la guitare à trois cordes kundé, où il réfléchit sur le sens de la vie et prodigue des conseils (A1); la virtuosité de Tinga Diallo à la guitare kundé (A2); un morceau avec des interactions lumineuses entre la voix imposante de Youngo et une vièle duudga lancinante portées par des castagnettes de métal kiéma – une invitation ritualisée qui demande au chef de sortir de son palais (A3). Les autres titres présentent les célèbres " femmes à la voix d'or " Mariam et Hatto soutenues par de superbes jeux de guitares kundé, des choeurs, et des percussions (A4-Face B).

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Our many thanks to our friend João for sharing this wonderful record!

Also thanks to E, R and Monsieur S. in Ouaga for their insight into the Larlé Naaba and Mossi culture, as well as Nuno’s expert contribution with the visuals.

Our other Mossi music posts:

Le Larlé-Naaba et sa Troupe Folklorique – Les Trésors du Mogho – Disques CVD 007 here

Compil du Salou Traditionnel Burkinabé Vol. 1 - KA 00134 here

El Hadji Hamado Kanazoe - Maitre Coranique Secteur 19 Vol. 1 here

El Hadji Hamado Kanazoe - Maitre Coranique Secteur 19 Vol. 6 here

 

Our other music posts from Burkina-Faso:

Les Trésors du Faso – Musique Traditionnelle Vol. 1 here

Haute Volta – Ocora – SOR 10 here

 




#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic


#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic


#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic


#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic


#Burkina-Faso #Mossi #Moré #Larlé-Naaba #Frédéric Pacéré Titenga  #label #CDV #African music #musique Africaine #traditional music #world music #kunde guitar #Tinga Diallo #African violin #fiddle #duudga #vinyl #MusicRepublic


Photograph below is from The Dance, Art and Ritual of Africa by Michel Huet, Pantheon Books, New York, 1978:

‘Red horsemen’ dancing, Koudougou, Burkina-Faso.
This society of men formerly served the Moro Naaba, the king of the Mossi People, as caretakers of the royal stables. Their traditional dances embody the movements of a running horse, flyswatter in hand. In Mossi esoteric lore, a seeker must symbolically mount a horse to reach the invisible world.

MusicRepublic – BURKINA-FASO Le Larlé-Naaba et sa Troupe Folklorique – Les Trésors du Mogho – Disques CVD 003

Please help me purchase important traditional records 

to pursue my global curation project and share the 

best finds with you on this blog:




Friday, September 6, 2019

BULGARIA Village Music of Bulgaria - A Harvest, a Shepherd, a Bride – Nonesuch H 7234

BULGARIA
Village Music of Bulgaria - A Harvest, a Shepherd, a Bride – Nonesuch H 7234, recorded in Bulgaria by Martin Koenig and Ethel Raim in 1968 (LP)


The essential LP recorded by Ethel Raim and Martin Koenig in the Summer of 1968 presents a panorama of Bulgarian village song and dance from the regions of the Mid-Western Shope (A1 A5, A6), Southwestern Pirm-Macedonia (A3, A4), Southeastern Thrace (A2) and Southern Rhodope (Side B). Despite Bulgaria’s four-century Ottoman occupation, this distinctive music is a powerful affirmation of Bulgarian culture.


These stately tracks, featuring a cappella or accompanied female vocals (A1, A3, A5, A6, B1, B2, B3, B5), male vocals (B4), the 7-hole kaval flute (A2, A4), goat-skin gaida bagpipes (A4, B1, B4, B6), gadulka bowed fiddles (A4, A6) and two-sided tapan drum (A4), weave rich sonorities, complex rhythms and fascinating harmonies.

Ce vinyl essentiel enregistré en 1968 par Ethel Raim et Martin Koenig présente un panorama de chants et de danses dans des villages bulgares situés dans les régions du Shopluk à l’ouest (A1-A5, A6), de la Pirm-Macédoine au sud-ouest (A3, A4), de la Thrace au sud-est (A2) et du Rhodope au sud (Face B). En dépit de l'occupation ottomane du pays pendant quatre siècles, ces musiques intenses s’entendent comme une affirmation de l’identité bulgare.


Les rythmes complexes et les harmonies fascinantes de ces musiques s’expriment à travers des voix de femmes a cappella ou accompagnées (A1, A3, A5, A6, B1, B2, B3, B5), des voix d’hommes (B4), des flûtes kaval à 7 trous (A2, A4), des cornemuses gaida en peau de chèvre (A4, B1, B4, B6), des violons à archet gadulka (A4, A6) et du tambour tapan à deux faces (A4).    


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About Ethel Raim and Martin Koenig:
http://www.socalfolkdance.org/master_teachers/koenig_m.htm
http://balkanechoes.com

I just received an exciting Folkways notification for the new two-CD Sound Portraits from Bulgaria – featuring some 37 tracks recorded by Martin Koenig in Bulgaria between 1966 and 1979, plus a 144-page book with photographs by Koenig – scheduled for release on November 1:
https://folkways.si.edu/sound-portraits-from-bulgaria

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global curation project and share the best finds with you on this blog: