Perceptive Travel,
CD Review
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Living in southern Egypt and northern Sudan, Nubians tend have a more relaxed take on things than their cousins to the north in the cities of the Nile Delta. With a culture that bridges sub–Saharan Africa and the Arab world, Nubia, the "Egypt Noir" of this recording, is a meeting place where different worlds—African and Arab, nomad and pastoralist—merge together. The music reflects this to some extent. With simple melodies and straight–ahead rhythms, it tends to be more accessible to Western ears than most Arab music.
The claim of "soul treasures" is not so far–fetched: this varied anthology has some surprisingly funky bass playing on several tracks, and in one instance I swear that I can even detect a Duran Duran riff (although surely the words "funky" and "Duran Duran" do not usually coexist as neighbors in the same sentence). Most of the selections lope along in a relaxed, good–natured sort of way and, as well as the standard funky bass/darbouka partnership, there are lots of flute and accordion flourishes, circus band saxophones, and tooting trumpets too.
Although some of the male voices like Ali Hassan Kuban ("The Godfather of Nubian music") sound a little strained, to these ears at least, the female vocals tend to be far more on the money. The third track, "Salma" by Yanas Baridouh, which sounds much more Black African than either of its predecessors, has a female chorus that might hail from Mali plus Ethiopique–tinged guitar and organ. It's not all modern instruments and contemporary groove though: Salawa Abou Greisha's long and slowly unfolding love song "Galbi el Atouf," co–written by the ambassador of Cairo cool, Mahmoud Fadl, is deliciously minimalist and none the worse for that, with simple accompaniment from hand drum and oud joined by a sporadic and distant electric guitar. Consequently, the musical freedom and languid pace allows Greisha's beautiful voice to soar.
It is true to say that most of the songs on this recording are none too hurried in terms of pace. Essentially, this is wedding music, and you've got to last the whole evening—in fact, if you are a wedding guest you have probably got to survive a full three–day event.
04/01/10
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