Credits:

Houria Aichi

Description:

Located on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Algeria is a country that has been known as one of the centers of Arab Andalusian music. The music of the Shaoui people, the indigenous people of that region, has been modernized and given a fresh sound that no one had ever heard before in "Cavaliers of Aures" (Rice HMR-792), released in 2008 by the female singer Fria Aissi. Fria Aissi was born in Aures, a town in the Atlas Mountains of northeastern Algeria that was once known as the starting point of the War of Independence. She is a Chaoui of indigenous (so-called Berber) descent living in this region, not of mainstream Arab descent, and she learned such traditional music, which is her own roots, from her grandmother. However, she did not always aim to be a professional musician; she studied psychology in Paris when she was young and even taught there, but her passion for music did not stop, and in the mid-1980s she became active in music, making her CD debut on a French folk music label in 1990.After moving from one label to another, he ended up at Accords Croises, a popular French label to which he still belongs today, and his first release on the label was the aforementioned "Aures Riders". Then, in 2013, she released "Renayate - Songs of Algerian Women" (HMR-7045) on the same label, in which she covered the repertoire of various traditional female singers who have been active in the country. Her latest album was released at the end of 2017. While she had previously focused on numbers from her hometown of Aures, this time she has chosen a wide range of repertoire from all over Algeria to showcase the country's geographical vastness and cultural breadth. The sound of the album is a traditional and dynamic ensemble that includes the mandor, a uniquely Algerian instrument, stringed instruments such as the gumbri and oud, reed flute, and percussion instruments such as the bendir, which Fouria herself plays while singing.In addition, the friars, who sometimes sing solo with their traditional cobblers, showcase a variety of musical styles, and provide plenty of enjoyment for the wonderful voices rooted in the traditions of the region. This is the first work in a long time that makes us feel the splendor and depth of Arab Andalusian music. This is a pleasant album recommended for those who truly love world music.

Tracklisting:

1. IMPOSSIBLE OUBLI
2. ALLAH NOTRE SEIGNEUR
3. LES PELERINS
4. SIDI RACHED
5. CHANT RITUEL DU GOURARA
6. MOHAMED. PERE DE KACEM
7. MOHAMED L'AIME
8. SIDI SLIMANE
9. ZIARA