NIGERIA – NIGÉRIA Bisiriyu Atunrase & His Apala Band – Star Records SRPS 45

NIGERIA – NIGÉRIA
Bisiriyu Atunrase & His Apala Band – Star Records SRPS 45 (LP)

Heartfelt thanks to our friend João, who discovered this ultra-rare disc of music by Bisiriyu Atunrase, a forgotten Apala master. Except for two 7-inch recordings from the early 1960s posted on Youtube (1), I could find nothing out about him (if anyone has information, please let me know!). Judging from the album cover, this bandleader and vocalist also played the gangan talking drum. This disc was recorded on the label Star Records—the same label that released over 20 LPs by Haruna Isahola, the King of Apala—sometime in the 1970s. On this record, Atunrase and his group craft the kind of deep, raw, and mellifluous Apala music that expresses the heart of Yoruba culture and identity.

Un grand merci à notre ami João qui a découvert ce disque d’une grande rareté de Bisiriyu Atunrase, un maître oublié de la musique Apala. À l'exception de deux 45 tours datant du début des années 1960 publiés sur Youtube (1), je n'ai rien trouvé sur l’artiste. À en juger par la pochette de l'album, ce chanteur jouait également du tambour parlant gangan. Sur ce disque enregistré dans les années 1970 sur le label Star Records – le même label sur lequel le roi de l'Apala Haruna Ishola publia plus de 20 albums – Bisiriyu Atunrase et son groupe tissent une musique Apala profonde, brute et mélodieuse qui va au cœur même de la culture et de l’identité yorouba.

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(1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ-epbMKUnY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwR6EJvLxis

Many thanks to Nuno for his help with the visuals.

Our other Yoruba Apala shares:

Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group – Star Records SRPS 31 here
Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group – Star Records SRPS 32 here
Haruna Ishola & His Apala Group – RPS 16 here

Ayinla Owomura & His Apala Group –  25 x 40 – Africa Song Ltd NEMI 0515 here

Ayinla Omowura & His Apala Group – His Master's Voice Vol. 2 – HNLX 5085 here

Moufa Laif – Yoruba Apala Music from Porto Novo, Benin here

Photograph below is from Arts du Nigéria: Collection du Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie - Paris exhibition April-August 1997, RMN, 1997:

The Onalemole, the Ifa priest of Alaafin of Oyo, with other babalawo diviners, during a divination session.

The Ifa divination system was inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

“The Ifa divination system, which makes use of an extensive corpus of texts and mathematical formulas, is practiced among Yoruba communities and by the African diaspora in the Americas and the Caribbean. The word Ifa refers to the mystical figure Ifa or Orunmila, regarded by the Yoruba as the deity of wisdom and intellectual development.

In contrast to other forms of divination in the region that employ spirit mediumship, Ifa divination does not rely on a person having oracular powers but rather on a system of signs that are interpreted by a diviner, the Ifa priest or babalawo, literally 'the priest’s father.' The Ifa divination system is applied whenever an important individual or collective decision has to be made.

The Ifa literary corpus, called odu, consists of 256 parts subdivided into verses called ese, whose exact number is unknown as they are constantly increasing (there are around 800 ese per odu). Each of the 256 odu has its specific divination signature, which is determined by the babalawo using sacred palm-nuts and a divination chain. The ese, considered the most important part of Ifa divination, are chanted by the priests in poetic language. The ese reflect Yoruba history, language, beliefs, cosmovision and contemporary social issues. The knowledge of Ifa has been preserved within Yoruba communities and transmitted among Ifa priests.”*

*Unesco here

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INDIA – Lalgudi Jayaraman – Compositions by Thyagaragi and L. Jayaraman – Melodiya C80-27225-004

INDIA – INDE
Lalgudi Jayaraman – Compositions by Thyagaragi and L. Jayaraman – Melodiya C80-27225-004, recorded 1987 (LP)

After presenting albums of the incomparable Carnatic violin master Lalgudi Jarayaman (1930-2013) from 1961 and 1971, we now showcase an exquisite, totally brilliant later recording from 1987 on the Russian Melodiya label, where he plays his own compositions (tracks A1, A2, B2) as well as those by the highly-influential Carnatic composer Tyagaraja (1767-1847) (tracks A3, B1). It’s important to note that Jarayaman’s father, the famous violinist Lalgudi Gopal Iyer (1900-1970), was the grandson of Lalgudi Rama Iyer (1807-1867), a direct disciple of Saint Tyagaraja. As the violin was first introduced in Carnatic music in the beginning of the 19th century, Valadi Radhakrishna Iyer (1849-1908) was actually the first violinist in the family.

 

Jarayaman is accompanied here by his son G. J. R. Krishnan and daughter Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi on violin, Vellore Ramabhadran (1929-2012) on the mridangam double-faced drum, V. Natarajan on the kanjira tambourine, and H. K. Venkatramana on the tanpura drone.

Après avoir présenté des albums de l'incomparable maître du violon Carnatic Lalgudi Jarayaman (1930-2013) de 1961 et 1971, nous présentons maintenant un enregistrement exquis d’une brillante virtuosité de 1987 sur le label russe Melodiya, où il joue ses propres compositions (pistes A1, A2, B2) ainsi que celles du très influent compositeur Carnatic Tyagaraja (1767-1847) (pistes A3, B1). Il convient de noter que le père de Lalgudi Jarayaman, le célèbre violoniste Lalgudi Gopal Iyer (1900-1970), était le petit-fils de Lalgudi Rama Iyer (1807-1867), un disciple direct de Saint Tyagaraja. Le violon ayant été introduit dans la musique Carnatic au début du XIXe siècle, Valadi Radhakrishna Iyer (1849-1908) fut le premier violoniste dans cette famille de musiciens distingués.

 

Jarayaman est accompagné par son fils G. J. R. Krishnan et de sa fille Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi au violon, par Vellore Ramabhadran (1929-2012) au tambour à double face mridangam, par V. Natarajan au tambourin kanjira et par H. K. Venkatramana au bourdon tanpura.

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https://lalgudivijayalakshmi.com/lalgudi-bani/

Our other Carnatic violin posts:

Lalgudi Jayaraman – HMV ECSD 2494, 1971 here
Lalgudi Jayaraman – HMV 7 EPE 1614, 1962 here

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu – HMV EALP 1375 here

T.N. Krishnan – SEDE 3609 Columbia, 1965 here
T.N. Krishnan & Kumari Viji Krishnan – Inreco 2401 - 5050 A, 1978 here

The photographs below are from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Open Access initiative, which gives access to more than 400,000 images of public-domain artworks from The Met collection available for free and unrestricted use (www.metmuseum.org):

 

Celestial dancer (Devata), Madhya Pradesh, 11th century:

“The Hindu temple is conceived as a heavenly abode for the presiding deity. The building's stepped, indented, and towering exterior evokes the mountains of Indra's heavens, home to the assembly of gods as well as celestial beauties, dancers, and musicians. This life-size sandstone sculpture is an extraordinary rending of a heavenly celebrant performing in honor of the gods. The dancer's face and body are treated according to prescribed canons of beauty. Her body is contorted in an improbably pose, her legs projecting to her right while her upper torso and head turn sharply left. The extreme flexion reflects dance positions (karunas and sthanas) described in the Natyasastra, an ancient dramatic arts treatise. It is understood in Indian aesthetics that such positions enhance the appreciation of beauty.”

Mahadevi, the Great Goddess, Bikaner, Rajasthan, c. 1725:

“In this twenty-armed form, Mahadevi holds an array of weapons, affiliating her with all the male gods. This iconography also associates her with Durga, the slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha. Ultimately powerful and creative, Mahadevi is understood by her devotees as the true reality in the universe.” 

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ROMANIA – ROUMANIE Anthology of Romanian Folk Music / Antologia Muzicii Populare Românești Vol. I – record 1 – Electrecord EPD 78

ROMANIA – ROUMANIE
Anthology of Romanian Folk Music / Antologia Muzicii Populare Românești Vol. I, record 1 – Electrecord EPD 78, released 1959 (Vinyl 10 inch, 33 RPM)

We now present the first record of a three-album 10-inch box set, on the Electrecord label, of instrumental folk music from the various regions of Romania, ranging from traditional village music to more modern orchestrated virtuoso dance ensembles. This record features recordings of alphorns (A1), bagpipes (A2b), flutes (A3a, A3b, A4a, A4b, A4c, A4d, A5a, A5b, B5), panpipes (B1), violins (B2a, B3a), cobzăs (B2a, B2b), clarinets (B4a), taragots (B4b), accordions (B4c), cimbaloms (B3a, B3b), and other instruments.

 

Nous présentons maintenant le premier disque d’un coffret de trois disques 25 cm d’une anthologie de musique folklorique roumaine de diverses régions, allant de musiques instrumentales traditionnelles de villages à des orchestres de danse virtuoses plus modernes, avec notamment des cors des Alpes (A1), des cornemuses (A2b), des flûtes (A3a, A3b, A4a, A4b, A4c, A4d, A5a, A5b, B5), des flûtes de Pan (B1), des violons (B2a, B3a), des cobzăs (B2a, B2b), des clarinettes (B4a), des taragots (B4b), des accordéons (B4c), et des cimbaloms (ou tambals) (B3a, B3b).

Instrumente Muzicale Românești / Folk Music Instruments:

A1a – Shepherd's Signal

Alex Puică: Bucium alphorn.

 

A1b – Spring Song

Iosana Bud: Tulnic alphorn.

 

A2a – Doină

Marin Toma: Solz de pește (fish-scale).

 

A2b – Murgulețul

Ilie Orlanda: Cimpoi bagpipes.

 

A3a – Bătuta

Mihai Lăcătuș: Tilincă flute.

 

A3b – Joc Din Deleni

Ion Găină: Moldavian fluier flute. 

 

A4a – Horă

Gheorghe Bălteanu: Kaval.

 

A4b – Ciocîrlia / The Lark

Petre Popescu: Fluier flute.

 

A4c – Brîu

Iovan Moza: Gemănat Fluier twin-flute. 

 

A4d – Hora Miresei

Gheorghe Ciontea: Piccolo flute. 

 

A5a – Cîntec Și Învîrtită Ruptă

Ansamblul de Fluiere din Jina (flute ensemble). 

 

A5b – Doină Și Joc Moroșănesc

Grațian Marica, Larion Marica: Moldavian fluier flutes. 

 

B1 – Doina Oltului 

Fănică Luca: Nai panpipes.

 

B2a – Brîul Pe Șapte

Vasile Bursuc: Cobză; Nicolae Dobrică: Vioară violin.

B2b – Hora de la Gîștești

Ion Păturică: Cobză.

 

B3a – Țînțărașul

Stan Păun: small Cimbalom; Gheorghe Stănică: Vioară violin.

 

B3b – Cîntecul Lui Corbea / Corbea's Ballad

Nicolae Vișan: large Cimbalom.

 

B4a – Ardeleana Și Poșovaica

Traian Lăscuț-Făgărășanu: Clarinet.

 

B4b – De Doi

Iosif Milu: Torogoată.

 

B4c – Brîul Muscelean

Ilie Udilă: Accordion.

 

B5 –Bugeacul

Florea Netcu: Fluier flute; Orchestra Populară a Radioteleviziunii.

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Many thanks to João for sharing this album.

Listen to The Tulnic Ensemble of Avram Iancu's (see A1b) fascinating live performance with Milan W:

Photographs below are from Rumänische Ikonen by Nicolescu Corina, Berlin Union Verlag, 1976:

Saint Nicholas, Church in Poiana Marului, 1743:

Saint Nicholas, Church in Turnu Rosu, Sibiu, 1754:

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

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TANZANIA – ZIMBABWE – UGANDA – KENYA – CONGO – MALAWI – MOZAMBIQUE – ZAMBIA – LESOTHO British East Africa – Columbia Masterworks Volume X – SL 213

TANZANIA – ZIMBABWE – UGANDA – KENYA – CONGO – MALAWI – MOZAMBIQUE – ZAMBIA – LESOTHO
British East Africa – Columbia Masterworks Volume X – SL 213, collected and edited by Alan Lomax and Hugh Tracey, 1955 (LP)

We now present an excellent panorama of East African music from the early 1950s recorded by the great American ethnomusicologist and folklorist Alan Lomax (1915-2002), whose many recordings helped preserve folk musics and was central in the American and British folk revival between the 1940s and 1960s. These recordings were edited by the distinguished English ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey (1903-1977), who for five decades tirelessly traveled to Southern and Central Africa, where he made 35,000 recordings of disappearing traditional and folk musics.

 

These superb tracks, recorded in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Congo-Kinshasa, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho in the early 1950s, are presented by type of instrument, including drum music, xylophones, the Mbira African thumb piano, musical bows, flutes, zithers, lyres, story songs and country dance songs.

Nous présentons maintenant un excellent panorama de musiques d'Afrique de l'Est enregistrées au début des années 1950 par le grand ethnomusicologue et folkloriste américain Alan Lomax (1915-2002) qui contribua à préserver les musiques folkloriques du monde et joua un rôle déterminant dans le renouveau folk américain et britannique entre les années 1940 et 1960. Ces enregistrements ont été édités par l'éminent ethnomusicologue anglais Hugh Tracey (1903-1977), qui parcouru sans relâche l’Afrique australe et centrale pendant cinq décennies au cours desquelles il réalisa 35 000 enregistrements de musiques traditionnelles et folkloriques en voie de disparition. 

Ces superbes morceaux enregistrés en Ouganda, au Kenya, en Tanzanie, au Zimbabwe, au Congo-Kinshasa, au Mozambique, au Malawi, en Zambie et au Lesotho au début des années 1950 sont présentés par type d'instrument notamment les tambours, les xylophones, le piano à pouce africain mbira, les archets musicaux, les flûtes , les cithares, les lyres, et chansons d'histoire et chansons de danses rurales.

 

Drum Music

A1 – Manyanga Drum Rhythms - Nyamwezi people, Mwanza, Tanzania. 

Drums by Husuni Isike, Ramadhani Knuluwa, and Salumu Athman;
Composed by Kasomangila.

 

A2 – Ntimbo Drum Rhythms - Nyoro people, Kikali, Hoima, Uganda. 

Ntimbo Royal Drummers; Leader and composer: Yohana Nyakayonga.

 

A3 – Nsiriba Ya Munange Katego - Ganda people, Lubiri (Mengo Palace), Kampala, Uganda.

Ensemble: Entenga Royal Drummers.

 

A4 – Mitamba Yalagala Kumchuzi (Madogili dance) - Zaramo people, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 
Drums, rattles by Kitamba, Kilakala, Mashaka, Kawambwa, and Zaramo men.

Xylophones

A5 – Sabata (wedding song) - Luba people, Lubumbashi, Congo-Kinshasa.

Drums, rattles, two Malimba xylophones. 

 

A6 – Musingasinga Yakora Egali (Ntara dance) - Nyoro people, Masindi, Uganda.

Ntara xylophones by Misaki Muswankuli and Ruli men.

 

A7 – Hinganyengisa Masingita (Ngodo orchestral dance) - Chopi people, Zavala, Mozambique.

Timbila Xylophone Orchestra led by Pondekane WaMamzatu;
Composed by Katini WaNyamombe.

Mbira

A8 – Kyenda Ali Mugenyi - Nyoro people, Kigumba, Gombolola H.Q., Masindi, Uganda.

Likembe mbira; 
Composed by Bachumirwa Tugwenderwa.

 

A9 – Shumba (The Lion) hunting song - Zezuru people, Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Huru mbira by James Gwezhe Soko.

 

A10 – Harusi (Wedding Tune) - Nyamwezi people, Tabora, Tanzania. 

Malimba mbira by Ngayamiso Kitunga.

 

A11 – Kasadi Ngandu - Luba people, Lubumbashi, Congo-Kinshasa.

Chisanzhi mbira by Kankolongo Alidor.

 

A12 – Citombe (dance tune) - Shona/Karanga people, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Njari mbira by Mukomondera Moye.

 

A13 – Chirombo Weye Nditerere - Shona/Karanga people, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Kalimba mbira, vocals by Mugadzikwa Mwanagona.

Musical Bows 

A14 – Teera Machangwa - Shona/Karanga people, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Chizambi musical bow by Mukomondera Moyo.

 

A15 – Kwa Ambuya Asina Keriya - Zezuru people, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Chipendane musical bows by Muchabaiwa, Remigion, and Richard.

Flutes 

A16 – Okuzanyira Ku Nyanja - Ganda people, Lubiri (Mengo Palace), Kampala, Uganda. 

Flutes and drums.

                                                  Gourds 

B1 – Manyanda (Muganda dance) - Chewa people, Masula, Lilongwe District, Malawi. 

Malipenga singing gourds; leader Benson Phiri.

Zithers 

B2 – Hehe Song - Hehe people, Iringa, Tanzania.

Ligombo tube-zither by Pancras Mkwawa. 

 

B3 – Dale Wangu - Tonga people, Nkhata Bay, Malawi.

Bangwe raft-zither by Beti Kamanga.

 

B4 – Mugasha - Haya people, Bukoba, Tanzania. 

Nanga trough-zither by Habib Bin Seliman.

                                                 Lyres 

B5 – Naftali Ouko - Luo people, Kisii, Kenya.

Thum eight-string lyre, Gara leg bells by Daudi Otuoma.

 

B6 – Wachonge - Bukusu people, Mumias, Kenya. 

Litunga lyre and Luhungele inverted bowl by Maundo Waliaula.

  Story Songs 

B7 – Pfeni Nengoma - Ndau/Garwe people, Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Vocals by Muchaenna Sigauke and Ndau men.

 

B8 – Teya-Teya - Lozi people, Kitwe, Zambia.

Albert Mulope and the Barotseland Patriotic Society Choir.

 

B9 – Pi Mcinanga - Zezuru people, Penhalonga, Zimbabwe. 

Teacher Training College Choir and rattle.

 

B10 – Kamwezi Sensa Muyaya - Nyamwezi people, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 

Vocals, Drums by Idi Selemani and Nyamwezi men and women.

Work Songs 

B11 – Mong'a Kobo - Sotho people, Roma, Lesotho.

Vocals by Simon Makhetha and Sotho men.

 

B12 – Ali Majengo - Haya people, Bukoba, Tanzania. 

Vocals, Drums by Kyomile Kabanyolekile and Haya men.

Country Dance Songs

B13 – Samandoza - Shona/Ndau/Garwe people, Mutare, Zimbabwe. 

Vocals and handclaps by Muchaenda Sigauke  and Ndau men.

 

B14 – Safari Ya Msanga-Tifu - Giriyama people, Majengo, Mombasa, Kenya.

Vocals, rattle, handclaps by Kanga Mayele and Giriyama men.

 

B15 – Ufalume Ni Jambo Bora (Vugo Dance) - Swahili people, Kenya.

Horn rattles, drums, Zumali oboe by Mwana Bibi and Swahili female vocals.

 

B16 – Lugendo Lwa Halaka (The Hasty Journey) - Nyamwezi people, Mwanza, Tanzania. 

Vocals, drums, anklet bells by Kasomangila Husen Ishla and Wachozaji Wa Manyanga.

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Check out Hugh Tracey’s impressive collection of recordings here

And some of Alan Lomax’s recordings here

Our other East African music posts:
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda – Musical Gems from Lake Victoria – Sapra Ltd here

Tanzania – Fabulous Gogo Music from Tanzania – Sapra Ltd here

Kenya – Sounds of Masailand – Sapra Ltd here

The photographs below are from Sacred Dance – Encounter with the Gods by Marie-Gabrielle Woslen, Thames & Hudson, 1974, and a vintage postcard:

Fertility dance, Wakamba (aka Akamba or Kamba) people, Kenya:

Timbala xylophone and marimba ensemble, Chopi people, Zavala, Mozambique (see A7):

Please help me purchase important traditional records to pursue my global 

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