The Night : World, with Tinariwen | Oiseaux-Tempête | Etran Finatawa | Bitori | Bob Dylan | Aziza Brahim. Produced by Cobie Ivens.
1- Tinariwen.
This 7th album by Tinariwen also shows their unique sound. All the familiar elements are there: the spiky, bluesy guitar licks supported by the gruff voices, tanned by the sand and the desert wind, that tell about the tumultuous history of the Tuareg. Due to the ongoing unrest in the Sahara, this album was also recorded outside Tinariwen’s native soil. A Moroccan desert town brought out the best in the group, because the album Elwan – just like the group’s previous albums – does not disappoint.
CD. Elwan – Tinariwen. LABEL: Wedge (2017), code: CD00117. VIDEO
2- Oiseaux-Tempête.
Storm birds is the translation of the band name Oiseaux-Tempête and a very appropriate name for this French group. And just as storm birds also like to soar over the sea, the Mediterranean Sea is the source of inspiration for this group. With local musicians from the Middle East, the group recorded hours of improvised instrumental music. Oiseaux-Tempête are masters in building up tension and use influences from post-rock, ambient and jazz.
CD. Al-‘an! (And your night is your shadow – A fairy-tale piece of land to make our dreams) van Oiseaux-Tempête. LABEL: Sub Rosa (2017), code: SR440. VIDEO
3- Etran Finatawa
The group consists of musicians from two nomadic tribes: the Wodaabe are herders of brown cattle and the veiled Tuaregs are camel herders. Traditionally, both tribes live in the Sahara, but their traditional culture and way of life are increasingly being oppressed by artificially placed land borders, political situations and terrorist groups. Especially in this period of unrest and insecurity, it is important to let a positive counter-voice be heard. The multicultural band advocates cultural tolerance, solidarity and unity. This fourth album was literally recorded in the Sahara in a large animal skin tent covered with carpets. The characteristic hospitality was also reflected musically: a traveling percussionist on a motorbike stopped and accompanied a few songs.
CD. The Sahara sessions – Etran Finatawa. LABEL: World Music Network (2013), code: TUGCD1071. VIDEO
4- Bitori.
When talking about Cape Verdean music, the morna is usually mentioned. These melancholic songs became known worldwide through the work of Cesaria Evora. However, Cape Verde has more musical flavors. For example, there is the funaná, dance music in which the accordion plays a leading role. Through his performances, the accordion virtuoso Bitori managed to work his way up to the king of the funaná. In 1997, he recorded the album in Rotterdam that many still consider the best funaná album ever. The 78-year-old Bitori brought his funaná to the Lowlands Festival in 2016.
CD. Legend of funaná: The forbidden music of the Cape Verde Islands – Bitori. LABEL: Analog Africa, code: AACD 081. VIDEO
5- Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan and The Band toured Europe in 1966, where audiences reacted mixed to his new electric music. It led to some embarrassing moments: heard on a live recording from Manchester that was released in 1998 as The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert. That title was deliberately incorrect, because years earlier people thought that those recordings came from the Royal Albert Hall. Recordings were indeed made there, and they were released in 2016. The setlist is exactly the same as the previously released Manchester show and here too you can hear the audience grumbling between songs. The band plays exasperated and with fire in their fingers. That is clearly audible 50 years later thanks to the fantastic sound quality.
CD. The real Royal Albert Hall 1966 concert – Bob Dylan. LABEL: Columbia Records (2016), code: 88985374342. VIDEO
6- Aziza Brahim.
Exile is the main theme in Aziza Brahim’s work. The singer grew up in a refugee camp in Algeria after her hometown of Laayoune was occupied by the Moroccan army in 1975. Aziza Brahim belongs to the Sahrawi: a desert people who, like the Moroccans, lay claim to the Western Sahara. The music of the Sahrawi is reminiscent of that of the Tuareg. Aziza studied in Cuba for a while during her teenage years and now lives in Spain. Influences from flamenco and Cuban music sometimes give her music a Latin touch. However, it is mainly the electric guitar and Aziza’s bluesy voice that color this beautiful album.
CD. Abbar el Hamada – Aziza Brahim. LABEL: Glitterbeat Records (2016), code: GBCD 031. VIDEO
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