The Pan-Islamic Tradition/3

 

THE PAN-ISLAMIC TRADITION - VOLUME 3

MUSIC OF MOROCCO

Lyrichord, 1975, LLST 7240

Philip Schuyler recorded lots of material in Morocco and Yemen over a 45 year period. He wrote the notes for this album. Most of Lyrichord  production is avalaible on their site (https://lyrichord.com) as downloads but not this LP. 

Side A focuses on the Gnawa tradition with outdoor music played on drum and qarqabus and indoor music with singing, gembri and percussions. Schuyler tells us about Bilal the first muezzin and patron saint of the Gnawa brotherhood. A good musical picture of this style which is now internationally famous.

Side B is about the Jbala people in the north of Morocco between Fes and Tanger. There the music is played on the flute gasba and the drum bendir often played in pair. They support one singer to whom one or several singers respond. Notice the fact that Schuyler gives the names of all the musicians.

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