MUḤAMMAD ABŪ NAṢṢĀR / YĀ AHL SANꜤĀ’
PEOPLE OF SANA'A!
BURJ AL-ꜤUŠŠĀQ, no date, 268
This is one of the tapes I got from a friend who spent a few years in Yemen for his studies about the 18th century Yemenite poetry. As usual I can't read the titles; the information above was given by this friend.
Abu Nassar is a singer and ud player who sings in the tradition of the capital Sana'a. This kind of music is performed at home with friends and everybody (meaning here men) chew some qat for hours. The qat is believed to have been imported to Yemen in the 14th century from Eastern Africa and has been cultivated in Yemen ever since. The lyrics are often old poetry. The influence of Eastern Africa or even Indian Ocean might give this music its specificity. Here Abu Nassar is accompanied by the sahn a copper tray and other percussions.
There are seven songs; thanks to Leonidas for providing the titles in his comment.
