Saturday 4 May 2013

Mohammed El Asri - Marrakech Chaabi


I would first like to thank Joachim for donating this amazing cassette.
This is more wonderful, vintage Moroccan chaâbi - party music for weddings and festivals performed by Mohammed El Asri's Orchestra.  The music on this old tape is even better than the last El Asri tape I posted so if you enjoyed that one, I'm sure you will love this one. This is again a live recording, the audience is enthusiastic and the music is high energy from start to finish, with frantic percussion, beautiful vocals and some amazing guitar/violin/keyboard interplay.
I have joined the two sides so what you get is 45 minutes of uninterrupted pleasure.
Treat yo' self!

Get it HERE.

7 comments:

Hammer said...

You are making it overflow here with wonderful cassette after another from Morocco, Mr. T. so much, that I am sure Tim Abdellah should be really proud and jolly. T'barkallah.

This new one by L'Orchestre Si Mohammed El-Asri is just amazing. In fact, verything about Sidi Mohammed El-Asri is amazing: he played almost all different styles of popular Moroccan music: from Andalusian, to the mundane chaâbi and l'malhoun; and he sang songs of happiness, joy, and national pride.

Mohammed Al-Asri (sometimes written as Esri, or in Arabizi '3sri') is a living legend who was never covered by the media (media-missed). His early starts were in his birthplace Fes. His debonair musical presence, among that of his constituent band (L'Orchestre), has made them a stable of the Moroccan household and the life of the party.

He was credited for popularising Âissawiya into the mainstream. Also, he sang a lot of religious-themed Amdah songs where he enraptured souls with adulations about the Prophet Mohammed. Straight from the sublime, he went to 'orchestrate' such Arab tarab classicals like Zay El-Hwaa by Abdel-Halim Hafez. He's an artist and a violints without compare.

This Fassi Disques (V-22) CC goes back to 1988 I guess. Only Tim would attest its original date.

Track-List:

Face-A:
1.) Isbart Lazelt N'sbir.
2.) Ata'alili.
3.) Amma, Hayati.

Face-B:
1.) El-Ghaba.
2.) B'nat El-lyce.
3.) Ajani, we Jani.
4.) Fe 'Houmah.

Well, thanks for melding these tracks into one, wholesome trippadelic track.

You rock... We roll.

H.H.

Mr Tear said...

Hey Hammer,
Hope you are well. Thanks, as always, for the insights, the translations, and the cultural context you provide for the music.
I've got some smokin' cassettes from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya that I'll be posting over the coming months (Thanks Joachim!) so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Stay well,
Mr T

tim abdellah said...

Fantastic! I'd never heard any of the OOOOLD Âsri tapes - loving the live ambiance!

I'd guess this is at least as old as 1988, and perhaps older, but I really don't know. And yeah, Âsri is definitely associated with Fes.

Thanks again Mr. T, and I'm looking forward to what else you've got coming!

Mr Tear said...

Thanks Tim, hope all's well with you.

Nik said...

Any chance of a reupload here? Would love to hear this one!

_ said...

Please re-upload!

Mr Tear said...

Hey! The link should work now.
Enjoy.