Global A Go-Go presents:
Hamdi Benani was dubbed “l’ange blanc du malouf” (the white angel of malouf) for his white violin and matching suit, and for bringing Arab-Andalusian malouf music around the world. Supposedly he was given the nickname in 1972 by Kim Il Sung; we all know how North Korean maximal leaders feel about nicknames (see “Dotard”).
Benani died from COVID in September. One of his last sessions was a decidedly untraditional approach to the malouf tradition alongside electric oud player Mehdi Haddab and his band Speed Caravan. That session, under the title Nuba Nova, will be released on July 2 and it is just fabulous: soulful, radical, stirring, just the kind of album Rachid Taha would be making if he were still with us.
This week on Global A Go-Go (Monday June 28, 3:00-5:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards on the wrir.org archive player, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) you’ll hear two tracks from Nuba Nova and a whole lot more from North Africa: Moroccan gnawa, Egyptian and Sudanese thinking (and dancing) person’s pop, music of North Africa’s indigenous Amazigh people (you might know them as Berbers), even Swahili taarab bearing unmistakable North African influence. And we’ll finish with some Chicano rock and soul from 1949 to today, just because.
Podcast: radio4all.net/index.php/program/109139
All the podcasts: radio4all.net/index.php/series/Global+A+Go-Go
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, “Global a Go-Go”
from Global a Go-Go
BMG Rights Management (US) LLC - 2001
England UK
Aziz Sahmaoui & University of Gnawa, “Sotanbi”
from Poetic Trance
Zahora SASU - 2019
Morocco-Senegal-France
Natik Awayez, “Al Manafi (The Land of the Exiles)”
from Manbarani
Sublime Frequencies - 2021
Iraq-Yemen-Egypt
Abu Obaida Hassan, “Nas Fi Nas (People on People)”
from Abu Obaida Hassan & His Tambour: The Shaigiya Sound of Sudan
Ostinato Records LLC - 2018
Sudan, 1970s
Hamdi Benani, Mehdi Haddab & Speed Caravan, “Ya Nas Jaratli Gharab”
from Nuba Nova
Buda Musique - 2021
Algeria-France
Hamdi Benani, Mehdi Haddab & Speed Caravan, “Hosn El Habibi”
from Nuba Nova
Buda Musique - 2021
Algeria-France
Moh Alileche, “Ben Khaldun”
from Humanity Is Falling Apart
Flag Of Freedom Productions - 2021
Algeria-USA
Alsarah & The Nubatones, “Wad Alnuba (feat. Sounds of Taraab)”
from Silt
Wonderwheel Recordings - 2014
Sudan-Yemen-Armenia-France-Togo-USA
Shakila & Black Star Musical Club, “Macho Yanacheka”
from Zanzibara, Vol. 10 (First Modern: Taarab Vibes from Mombasa & Tanga, 1970-1990)
Buda musique - 2021
Tanzania, 1970s
Bill Lupoletti Global A Go-Go June 28th, 2021
Posted In: Music Shows