Search - Ahallil De Gourara :: Sacred Songs From the Sahara

Beautiful and deep

nadav haber | jerusalem Israel | 02/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What should expect from this CD ? The performers are Muslim nomads from the Sahara, of the black Touareg tribes.
The form is simple. Each track starts with a few seconds of quiet. Then an instrument starts playing softly. On the "Ahllil" track it is a wooden flute, on the "Tarragabt" tracks it is a low pitched, plucked stringed instrument. Then the voice of the leader begins to sing religious inspired verses, in what seems to be an ancient North African singing style. The group answers his phrases. After a few minutes the leader and the group join, the rhythm picks up, and the track is finished with a sign from the leader.
This is a treasure of what is almost a lost form of art. It has a lot of beauty and is deeper than any modern western pop-art. The CD is a must for collectors of North African music, and may be appreciated by others who are interested in musical traditions of Asia and/or Africa."