Topic: What are we listening to now?

[btasoundsradio]

The clip I posted is of Zeynabou Mint Hembara, daughter of famous Mauritanian vocalist and multi instrumentalist Baba Ould Hembara. The Hembara's are a family of brilliant musicians. I first heard this clip in 2021 when it came out on YouTube via Bellewar Media. I was already somewhat aware of Mauritanian and other African guitar music, but Zeynabou's voice made me really pay attention to the singers. Her voice reminded me of Mavis Staples and then I came to learn about her father Baba Ould Hembara through a recently issued collection of field recordings from the 90's from Mississippi Records called "Wallahi Le Zein". This set features mostly blistering electric guitar instrumentals and some vocals. Many of the tracks feature Baba's guitar and singing and those were the most impressive. The Hembara family musical legacy and close father daughter exchange reminded me alot of the Staple Singers early gospel sides from the 50's and 60's. Baba's killer voice and use of effects on his electric guitar and mixolydian scales reminded me alot of Pop Staples. Zeynabou's slightly lower register and soaring but slightly rough voice is what reminded me of Mavis a bit. Also guitars in Mauritania are refretted to feature microtones to create that psychedelic ambience and lightning fast bare fingered picking style. They did this so as to match the playing style adapted from their instrument called the tidinit, which audibly and visually resembles a small gourd banjo. The instrument called ardin resembles the kora and is solely played by women as also is most of their percussion. Men play the electric guitar. They also have wild sounding micro tonal synthesizers. I've noticed over time how their long form performance style and instrumental arrangements of this classical form resembles alot of aspects of Indian classical performance. I feel like there must be some ancient historical connection.
The most revered vocalist of recent Mauritanian music was Dimi Mint Abba who was called the "Diva of the Desert". She cut 2 studio albums of traditional music with her husband in the 80's and passed away while on tour with her husband in Morrocco in 2011. She was referred to World Circuit records at the recommendation of Ali Farka Toure. Her sister Garmi Mint Abba is also an incredible singer. Some more recent and contemporary sounding Mauritanian singers are Noura Mint Seymali, who is currently touring with a band and a singer Malouma Mint El Meidah also known as Malouma.



https://mississippirecords.bandcamp.com/album/wallahi-le-zein

[lindy]

bta:

If you're not already aware of the sahel sounds label, based in Portland, OR, check them out:

https://sahelsounds.com/

Music from Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, and Tuareg cross-border music.

They do a lot of field recordings with smart phones (compare that with the recorders that the Lomaxes lugged around). They do stuff like record "various artists" on What'sApp and do a short run of vinyl pressings, with no intention of doing new pressings, purposefully keeping the music ephemeral.

https://sahelsoundscompilations.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-saharan-whatsapp?label=3079622170&tab=music

https://sahelsounds.bandcamp.com/

and a sampler: https://sahelsoundscompilations.bandcamp.com/album/sahel-sounds-label-sampler-2

The people who record the music in the field attend a lot of weddings, where musicians can play in front of large crowds. Plenty of vids on youtube for you to find.

Lindy

[lindy]

Here's another label to look at for obscure music from all parts of the globe: Mississippi Records. Hard to decipher where it's located, I think it started as a record store in Portland, Oregon (2,000-plus miles from Mississippi), but I've also seen a PO box number from Brooklyn (1,000 miles away). Whatever, they're all over the map musically, here's a link to their bandcamp transfer of a cassette tape containing acoustic guitar songs from West Kenya. Those familiar with Jean-Bosco Mwenda, Edouard Masengo, and East African acoustic fingerpicking guitar in general will love listening to this. The main player on the tape is Shem Tupe, a name I never heard of 'til today.

https://mississippirecords.bandcamp.com/album/guitar-music-of-western-kenya-45s-from-the-archive-of-shem-tupe   

Catalog:

https://www.mississippirecords.net/

Lindy

[eric]

[eric]

[Rivers]

So anyway, I got a great craigslist deal (steal) on a 2005 American Deluxe Strat with a great setup and all the switching and electronics in perfect working condition. As a result most of what I listen to are guitar tutorials on music theory & improv on YouTube.

I gotta tell ya, it's fed back into my acoustic fingerpicking in a good way. Wife and I have always jammed-out acoustically regularly. Practice your scales people, they are complimentary to our understanding of why stuff works, particularly in the ear training department for improving one's hearing of intervals before landing on them.

[Old Man Ned]

[Johnm]

Thanks so much, Ned, for posting this. What a perfectly beautiful tune and playing by Abdullah Ibrahim. I have this on his wonderful CD "African Marketplace".

[Rivers]

Watchhouse, previously known as Mandolin Orange

[btasoundsradio]

more Mauritanian music: Ooleya Mint Amartichitt and family:


Audio in this clip is Adja Mint Aali from a French 78 rpm from the 20's (Excavated Shellac, Dust To Digital):

[Forgetful Jones]

Hello All-
A podcast I've recently found is Andrew Hickey's "A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs." It's a very interesting & entertaining podcast. There are tons of references and backstories in each episode, and I've learned a lot about the many connections and collaborations with the musicians involved.
He's been going for a few years, and he's a little bit more than a third of the way through the 500 songs. His starting point song-wise is 1938, but some there are mentions of some of our favorite Pre-War & Post-War Blues musicians along the way.

https://500songs.com/

Cheers!