In our first edition of ‘Music Transcends Borders’ we have invited Marc Teare ‘Hive Mind Records‘ boss down to educate us on the wonderful Moroccan Gnawa tradition.
Hive Mind Records brings you an hour of vintage Gnawa trance music lovingly selected from his collection of dusty old cassettes. The Gnawa are a Moroccan spiritual and musical subculture that has survived within society for centuries, preserving something of the culture of the sub-Saharan people who were brought to the country as slaves or along the desert trade routes. The Gnawa songs tell stories of the journey of the slaves, while the galloping rhythms of the heavy iron castanets evoke the sound of the chains the slaves wore throughout that journey.
In this mix you’ll hear the music of famous Maalems such as Mahmoud Gania, who recorded with Pharoah Sanders, Peter Brotzmann and Floating Points, alongside lesser known artists such as Brahim Lagnaoui and Ali El-Mansoum. Each has their own style while remaining respectful and true to the repertoire of songs that each Maalem must learn in order to earn their position as master musician.
We hope you enjoy the mix and that it serves as a point of entry into this fascinating culture.
Tracklist:
Mahmoud Gania
Mustapha Bakbou
Brahim Lagnaoui
Unknown Fassiphone Artist
Mahmoud Gania
Mustapha Bakbou
Ali el-Mansoum
Brahim Lagnaoui