Name: Sudanese Sounds from Khartoum & Omdurman by Ostinato Records
Duration: 1 h

الليلة مسافر ، نادر خضر ربنا يرحمو

بين اليقظة والأحلام ، البلابل 💕

شوق لكل جميل في الحي 🇸🇩

قاسي قلبك علي ليه (غلطة) ، وردي

يا قلبي لا تهوى تاني ، سميرة دنيا

يا سلام حنان النيل 🌸🩶

🇸🇩🇸🇩🇸🇩🇸🇩🇩🇯🇩🇯🇩🇯🇩🇯🇩🇯🇩🇯🇪🇷🇪🇷🇪🇷🇪🇷🇪🇷🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴🇲🇷🇲🇷🇲🇷🇲🇷🇲🇷🌍🌍🌍

🇸🇩🇸🇩🇸🇩🇸🇩🇸🇩👏👏👏👏👏👏

الدلال دا كتير 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Pape Nziengui et son groupe
#bwiti #ngombi
LP/CD/Tape/Digital out April 8
https://linktr.ee/PapeNziengui

Kadi Yombo, published in 1989, is the most successful album in the quest for a fusion between tradition and modernity in Bwiti harp music of the Tsogho people of Gabon. Combining beating rattles with a layer of synthesizers, Papé Nziengui blends in a contrapuntal dialogue characteristic of harp playing: male song in appeal and female choir in response, male voice of the musical arc and rhythms of female worship. But above all it’s Tsogho ritual music and modern studio orchestration. The result is an initiatory itinerary of 10 musical pieces which are all milestones likely to be simultaneously listened to, danced, meditated on, and soon acclaimed. In the years since, Nziengui has traveled he world from Lagos to Paris, from Tokyo to Cordoba, from Brussels to Mexico City to become a true icon, the emblem of Gabonese music.   

Like Bob Dylan, "electrifying" folk and Bob Marley mixing rock with reggae, some purists have criticized Nziengui for having distorted the music of harp by imposing a cross with modern instruments. They even went so far as to claim that Nziengui was just an average harpist covering his shortcomings with stunts that were only good for impressing neophytes; like playing a harp placed upside down behind his back or playing two or three harps simultaneously. Sincere convictions or venomous defamations, in any case, Nziengui never gave in to such attacks, imposing himself on the contrary to pay homage to the elders (Yves Mouenga, Jean Honoré Miabé, Vickoss Ekondo) while instructing the maximum of young people. He is thus the promoter of many young talents, the most prominent of which is certainly his nephew Jean Pierre Mingongué.

In a conservative society where the sacred is confused with secrecy, exposing the mysteries of Bwiti in broad daylight can be punished by exclusion or even execution.

Papé Nziengui has always claimed that he faces such risks because he never felt enslaved to a community that governs his life, that regulates his conduct, that has a right of censorship over his activities. Like Ravi Shankar, the famous sitarist, Papé Nziengui is a man of rupture but also of openness, a transmitter of culture. As proof, he has established himself in Libreville, Gabo’s capital, as the main harpist for sessions and concerts, accompanying the greatest national artists (Akendengué, Rompavè, Annie-Flore Batchiellilys, Les Champs sur la Lowé, etc.) as well as foreign artists (Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango, Kassav', Toups Bebey, etc.). In 1988, he was the first harpist to release an album in the form of a cassette produced by the French Cultural Center (Papé Nziengui, Chants et Musiques Tsogho). At the same time, he created his own group (Bovenga), combining traditional music instruments (musical bow, drums, various percussion instruments, etc.) in the framework of a true national orchestra, which gave the first concert and the first tours of a traditional music that was both modern and dynamic, thus "democratizing" the harp, to the dismay of certain purists.

On the other hand, in modern music, dominated by the logic of profit or even commercialism, artistic creation must often be adjusted for a specific audience based on reason rather than heart. But instead of allowing himself to be distorted, Papé Nziengui has always tried to produce music that is not a caricature, worthy in its expression as in its content, of the sacredness and transcendence of the music of the Origins. This is what makes Nziengui—not only the musician, but the man—someone whose age hasn’t altered any of his freshness or authenticity.

Papé Nziengui — Gho Boka Nzambé

THE OFFICIAL version.
Dub plate by Adrian Sherwood, Album : compilation women reggae "Dub No Frontiers" on "On-U-Sound" Records.
حرب

إلى أن نرى الفكر الذي يضع عرقا كأعلى و آخر كأقلّ شأنا، 
أخيرا يُنبَذ و أبدا يُهجَر، في كلّ مكان حرب، أقول الحرب 

و إلى أن لا نرى مواطنا أوّل و آخرثاني في أية أمّة 
و إلى أن يصبح لون أيّ كان لا يزيد أهمّية عن لون العيون، 
أقول الحرب

إن حتّى حقوق الإنسان الأساسيّة تُكفَل بالتّساوي للجميع، 
بغضّ النّظر عن العرق، أقول الحرب

إلى أن نرى ذاك اليوم، حلم السّلام الدّائم، 
إنسان آبن العالم، و سيادة الأخلاق الدولية 
سيضل وهما خاطفا يُنَشد أبدا يُدرَك
الحرب ،أقول الحرب

و حتّى نرى الأنظمة الخسيسة المستبدّة بإخواننا 
في زمبابوي، في فلسطين، في العراق، 
لا إنسانيّة العبوديّة و قد أطيح بها و دُمِّرَت كلّيا، 
في كل مكان حرب، أقول الحرب

حرب في الشرق، حرب في الغرب، 
حرب في الشمال، حرب في الجنوب، 
حرب حرب، شائعات الحرب

و حتّى نرى ذاك اليوم، نحن العالم الثالث
سنحارب، لا من حياد، سنحارب، 
و نحن واثقن من النّصر، نصر الخير على الشرّ، 
واثقون من النّصر. 

هايله سـِلاسي

حرب (War, Bob Marley cover)

We recorded our latest B2B at @Beirutelectroparade 🌶💥 from After Raï and Mezoued to Lubnani Dabke and Mizrahi style, two hours of Middle Eastern and North African bangers live recorded at the Bellevilloise (Paris).

#liverecorded #b2b #beirutelectroparade #lubnan #middleeast #northafrica #arabicmusiclovers

Cheb Gero B2B Sharouh - Live at Beirut Electro Parade (02.25.2023)

Ibrahim Hesnawi crafts restless grooves with evident buttressing from a reggae foundation. Highlighted across the LP is how Hesnawi essentially pioneered such an effortless synthesis between traditional Libyan music and Jamaican reggae stylings, plus the endlessly disparate funk, jazz, and disco accents which firmly situate Hesnawi in a league of his own. 

In many countries, reggae was a widespread fad before its popularity gradually subsided. In Libya, however, the genre remained popular since its initial introduction in the late 1970s. Reggae’s thematic throughlines like references to Pan-Africanism, liberation, and the end of oppression and exploitation resonated—and continues to resonate—forcefully amongst a Libyan audience. To this day, you will find countless bands playing variations of the genre as are there Facebook groups with predominantly Libyan members sharing old and new reggae tracks with ten-thousands of members. And no matter who you ask, chances are high that the genre’s popularity in Libya will be largely attributed to one man: Ibrahim Hesnawi. 

Born and raised in Tripolis, the capital of Libya, Hesnawi initially was not interested in music, however he credits Bob Marley as foundational to changing his life after having listened to his music in a electronics shop a friend of his was working at. 

Reggae is instantly recognizable from the counterpoint between the bass and drum downbeat and the offbeat rhythm section. This very particular rhythm is part of the story of why the genre became so popular in Libya as Hesnawi explains: 

"The Libyans are inclined to Reggae for a reason, I think due to our traditional musical rhythm known as Darbuka “Libyan Drum” or Kaska, its rhythm is very similar to the one of Reggae therefore the society got closer to this music and the the nation loved the reggae style and embraced it“ 

There is a handful songs Ibrahim Hesnawi sings in English but the 95% of his output is sung in Libyan Arabic. A conscious choice as this is not only the language that came natural to him but also it allowed him to convey the message of his songs that is so close to his heart in the best way to the young generations of Libya listening to his music. 

The album was licensed from Ibrahim Hesnawi. We pay 50% of the profits of this release. Only project related costs are deductible from the gross income, research and travel costs come out of our own share. Publishing rights were not included in our agreement.

The Father of Libyan Reggae

Habibi Funk 024: Ibrahim Hesnawi - Never Understand

we came across this great mix by caykh recordings of the golden days of somali music. sounds from before the war, songs from before the beautiful city of mogadishu became a battle ground for 2 decades. 

"This Mix of 70's and 80's Somali sound is a rich blend of traditional Somali folk music infused with Western funk, rock and reggae and a touch of Indian, Arabic and African flavors.

There are hardly any proper releases of this soulful sound of guitar, synthesizer and drums. I spent some months finding, compiling and editing rips of TV and live recordings on old VHS tapes and radio broadcasts to cassette tapes and here is what I got. Enjoy! With love from Mogadishu."

https://soundcloud.com/caykhrecordings

buy a cassette copy:
http://staalplaat.com/recording/au-revoir-mogadishu-volume-1-songs-from-before-the-war

Jakarta Radio 009: Somali Disco Mix - "Au Revoir, Mogadishu"

Alwan, original music from Morocco recorded by Daraa Tribes at Salamat Studio in Tagounite

Alwan

Koumbani (Demo)

A selection of lost sounds from a Somali archive, a teaser for the upcoming compilation "Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa." Out Now! 

Travel with us to the Al Curuuba hotel in Mogadishu, the dusty streets of Hargeisa, and the shores of the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti. 

We hope you enjoy!

Get it here: https://ostinato-records.lnk.to/sweetasbrokendates

★★★★ 
-- The Guardian

"A mega mixtape of Somali classics."
-- BBC

"Sparkles with superior voices, superb musicians and both familiar & refreshingly new sounds." 
-- Wall Street Journal

"This record is a miracle. A legacy of the past that blurs the trauma of the present." 
-- Le Monde

"Perhaps the most beautiful music in the world, finally rediscovered."
-- Radio Nova Paris

Read/Listen more here: 

— BBC bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05btd5h
— Wall Street Journal on.wsj.com/2wTYAzQ 
— Al Jazeera http://bit.ly/2vfgc4g
— Yahoo / AFP https://yhoo.it/2w2ofFe
— OkayAfrica http://bit.ly/2uNaGsn | http://bit.ly/2f0kaLB
— Music in Africa http://bit.ly/2hfMx9n
— Quartz Africa http://bit.ly/2hfWTpC
— Radio Nova Paris http://bit.ly/2ubY3U7
— Thump Germany http://bit.ly/2vkS708

Watch the TED talk about the project: http://bit.ly/2vleB1g

BUY NOW!

Somali Sounds from Mogadishu to Djibouti (Selected by Nicolas Sheikholeslami & Vik Sohonie)

http://www.okayafrica.com/sudan-sounds-mixtape-ostinato-records/

Take a sail down the Blue and White Nile as they pass through Khartoum, carrying with them an ancient history and a never-ending stream of poems and songs. Immerse in the endlessly gorgeous violin and accordion driven orchestral music of 1970’s Khartoum, and the synthesizer music of the late 1980s and early 1990s. 

We’re going to bring the enchanting violin harmonies, haunting synthesizer melodies, and relentless tum-tum rhythms of Khartoum’s golden cultural era, which captured the hearts and minds of post-colonial Africa and the Middle East, to the world later this year, fully remastered and licensed. 

As always, some of these songs will be included in the final cut. Enjoy!

Selected by Vik Sohonie & Nicolas Sheikholeslami (Caykh) 
Mastered & Mixed by Nicolas Sheikholeslami

Sudanese Sounds from Khartoum & Omdurman

Artwork, Selection & Mix by Nicolas Sheikholeslami
----
In 2017, “Sweet As Broken Dates", our Grammy-nominated compilation of stellar Somali music from before the country’s civil war, captured the entire world's imagination. The songs revived heartwarming memories of a lavish Mogadishu and Hargeisa not known to many non-Somalis, and in many ways allowed the Somali diaspora to reconnect with a time and place ransacked by the wicked fates of history.

All our due diligence and research led us to believe that some of finest music ever made firmly stopped when the war started. Hibo Nuura’s song on the compilation, “If the Artist Lets You Down”, added to this perception, as the widely respected Nuura chastised her fellow musicians for what she saw as a failure of their responsibility to keep the country’s rich music culture alive amid tragedy.

But we were wrong. The music did not stop. Both famous and obscure Somali musicians quietly kept their culture alive in the 1990s and 2000s on drum machines, synthesizers, and laptops. The Somali pentatonic sound melded perfectly with new digital equipment, almost exhibiting an even more authentic sound as analog western instrumentation vacated the repertoire. Most of these recordings were kept private or shared in small circles, never reaching the same audiences in luxurious venues as the music of the 70s and 80s.

This is Chapter 2 in the Somali music story, not Vol. 2. 

At Ostinato Records, we want to reimagine the sequel for music compilations. Too often, “Vol. 2” is filled with the choice cuts that simply did not qualify for the first volume. As storytellers and image-makers, this approach needs a rethink. We have a responsibility to carry the story forward, to not simply rehash what has already been available, and to give agency to the recent past rather than constantly hark back to the 70s and 80s.

“Import/Export Mogadishu” is the side A of a mixtape to announce that we are deeply immersed in producing "Sweet As Broken Dates Chapter 2" and to give fans who relished the first compilation a sneak peak into the direction we’re headed. Side B of the mixtape will be an insight into Chapter 3.

The selection begins with a slow-burning groover by the lively Xabib Shaarabi, a key Somali music figure in the 1990s whose digital disco style was celebrated in a short but viral documentary by The Guardian. We are also proud to announce that Xabib Shaarabi along with lifetime achievement award winner, Cabdinuur Alale, will be performing in Berlin on March 23 as part of the Find the File Festival (https://www.facebook.com/events/1142289929266253/)

These are the next stages in the Somali music revival: the advancement of a story with endless chapters and the resurrection of former greats and live bands, reunited to showcase what no war could vanquish: the resilience and adaptability of the Somali experience.

Import-Export Mogadishu: Up & Down the Pentatonic

Live set recorded on 29th of February, 2020 at Le Mellotron, Paris. Tracks from Baden Powell, Chiwoniso, Mary Afi Usuah, The Scorpions, Saif Abu Bakr, Kamal Keila, Star Band de Dakar, Al Massrieen & more.

Sweet As Broken Dates

Nomad, Tuareg guitarist, singer, and songwriter Omara “Bombino” Moctarin's Nonesuch debut album, was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, who invited the Niger-born artist and his band to Nashville for the recording at Auerbach's studio, Easy Eye Sound. NPR’s Fresh Air has called Bombino “a young performer with the charisma and probing imagination to become the first Tuareg star.” The LP is pressed on 140-gram vinyl. Pre-orders of Nomad on CD and vinyl include an instant download of the album track “Azamane Tiliade.”

http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/nomad

Nomad

11 Tamiditine

Nominated for a Grammy and the German Record Critics Prize. Get BEJA POWER! Now —> https://ostlp.lnk.to/beja

Sudanese Sounds from Khartoum & Omdurman

Ostinato Records

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