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As history has so often shown us, tales of uprooting and suffering can lead to amazing cultural crossover (I’m thinking of blues and hence jazz, rap…; candomblé and son to mention but a few). The story behind the Nubian soul treasures rocking the clubs of Cairo is similar. When they flooded the Aswan dam in the upper region of the Nile, which used to be the Kingdom of Nubia, the Nubian people living there fled to Egypt’s cities, taking their rural culture, stories and music with them. Contact with more urban styles led to what we now know as Nubian soul – a melting pot of village rhythms and instruments, funky brass, bass and keyboards. The compilation album just released by Berlin-based Piranha records “Egypt Noir, Nubian Soul Treasures” provides a good introduction to the genre, with tracks by artists ranging from the godfather of Nubian soul, the late Ali Hassan Kuban, to the younger generation represented by the Alnubia Band and Salma. Plus a bonus slideshow of the 19th century “Orientalist” paintings. 04/20/10
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