Ensemble Gabusi Des Iles - Les Comores (1984)

This beautiful record is another of the treasures sent by Joachim from Germany.  Thanks Joachim!

The Comoros islands sit in the Indian Ocean off the North Western coast of Madagascar and have long been an important stop on the trading routes of African and Arabic sailors.  The music of the islands reflect the diverse cultural influences of the islands visitors, settlers and colonial powers.  Traders, Hadhrami sailors and Malagasy pirates came to the islands and found precious corals, ylang-ylang, spices and gold and among the things they left were rhythms, sounds and songs.

The gabusi is a small lute played in the Comoros isles that has its origins in the Yemen but which can be found (with a variety of names) across East Africa, the Arab peninsula and the islands of the Indian Ocean - a testament to the travels of the Hadhrami traders.



Tracklist:

01         Tari        
02         Gabusi        
03         Sambé        
04         Ndzédzé        
05         Dedé        
06         Firimbi        
07         Ndzédzé        
08         Danse Biyaya        
09         Chigoma        
10         Yimbiyo        
11         N'Kandza

Get it HERE.