Gnawa Music of Marrakesh: Night Spirit Masters

by Night Spirit Masters

Overview

As Paul Bowles states in his liner notes, the music of the Gnawa (Malinese slaves brought to Morocco in the 16th century) is very different than most of what's heard in Morocco. Indeed, there's a healthy strain of the kind of vocal and percussion styles heard in the Gnawa's West African homeland on this fine collection. And even though the Middle Eastern darbouka drum is occasionally used and the language sung in is Arabic, the predominant sound comes from large, deep-toned drums called the tbola (akin to the talking drum of Ghana) and from the chorus of singers heard on half the cuts (the harmonies produced being similar to those in both traditional and popular West African song). Sounding like a cross between the oud (the Middle Eastern predecessor to the lute) and the West African kora, the upright string instrument the sentir musically fuses the two cultures. Musicology aside, this Bill Laswell-produced recording is a must for fans of both African and Middle Eastern music. Half the pieces feature lead and group singers in call and response mode buoyed by a full compliment of sentirs, drums, hand clapping, and qrakechs (finger cymbals made from sheet metal). The other portion includes both drum features and sentir and vocal pieces. A great collection. ~ Stephen Cook

Product Details

Release Date:	08/19/2022
Label:	Axiom / Zehra
UPC:	5050580775718
Rank:	69785

Tracks

1. Baba L'Rouami
2. Mimoun Mamrba
3. Tramin
4. Chabako
5. Moulay Abdellah Ben Hassaine/Moulay Brahim
6. Toura Toura Tour Kelilah
7. Baniya
8. Jillala
9. Said Fafy Drum Solo
10. Toura Toura Tour Kelilah #
11. Hamouda

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Night Spirit Masters   Primary Artist
Gnawa Music Of Marrakesh   Primary Artist
Brahim el Belkani   Drums,Sintir,Vocals
Mustapha Baqbou   Sintir,Vocals
Abdenbi Binizi   Vocals,Handclapping
Ahmed Mamzaoi   Shaker
Abdelqador Oughassal   Drums,Sintir,Vocals
Mohammed Qrifli   Vocals
Mahjoub Jaffer   Drums
Mahjoub el Khalmouss   Vocals
Abbes Larfaoui   Drums
Abelmar Bou Naam   Drums
Aziz Radi   Vocals,Handclapping
Abdel Kmir Msolom   Vocals,Qrakech,Handclapping
Ahmed Hamzaoui   Vocals
Samir Zougari   Handclapping
Hassan Zougari   Vocals,Handclapping
Mahjoub Methoum   Vocals,Qrakech
Abdel Kbir Mershan   Vocals
Said Fafy   Drums
Abdellatif Oughassal   Qrakech
Mbarrek Ben Othane   Vocals
Abdelhak Bou Naam   Darbouka
Said Aoughassal   Sintir,Vocals,Drums,Oud
Mohammed Mslomi   Vocals,Handclapping

Technical Credits

R. Horowitz   Producer
Richard Horowitz   Producer
Nicky Skopelitis   Coordination,Assistant Producer
Michael Fossenkemper   Assistant Engineer
Bruce Calder   Mixing
Patrick Roques   Design
Howie Weinberg   Mastering
Bill Laswell   Producer
Billy Youdelman   Engineer
Paul Bowles   Liner Notes