Search - Various Artists :: Rough Guide to the Music of Morocco

Excellent, compelling music

George Banjo | Seattle, WA USA | 07/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the best of the Rough Guides, this is all excellent music. Moroccan music turns out to be more than just Arabic music. Here we have two Arabic/Andalusian tracks, from the Arabic classical melhoun of Mohamed Amenzou to the Moroccan Jewish cantor of Emil Zrihan. There are two Berber tracks; the women's group Bnet Marakesh, who sound almost sub-Saharan African, and Fatna Bent El Houcine; two tracks of the polular chaabi style, the modern chaabi of Najm El Farah Essafi and the entirely acoustic, driving drums and violin of Mustapha Bourgogne. Then there are four tracks or gnawa, including gnawa rap, the beautiful, cosmopolitan sound of Nass Marakesh, the African sound of Hasan Hakmoun, and Nass el Ghinawe, as well as the famous group (aparently), Jila Jilala.



There is a striking variety, especially if you listen to it a few times. Most of the music is very traditional, and most of the tracks rather long (hence the presence of only eleven tracks). If you are a fan of Arabic music, you musat get this. (It is compiled by the same compiler of the rough guides to the Sahara, Rai, and Arabesque.)



One thing annoyed me, though. When looking at the discography, to try and find more Moroccan music, I found that almost no music by any of these artists is available in the US - none of the original albums from which these tracks are taken. Anyone know of any Moroccan music available here?



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