Sunday at Bob's #21 Do You See Me Sailing?

 
Hello again my dears,

I must apologize for I had completely forgotten to publish last week. In my mind everything was floating safely and today was the day I would post the last playlist on date. Well I was wrong and realized it last monday. However I had taken a few days off to visit my family and friends in my native country and thought: what is Sunday at Bob's really, if it's not on a sunday nor at Bob's? I shall apologize one more time because today's text might be very short for I have fallen sick a couple of hours after landing. Probably due to the fact that the sun rarely visits Amsterdam. Regardless, let's take a look at what we have this week.

We start with a wonderful acapella piece taken from a very well made compilation of Ethiopian love songs. I had planned to give this playlist a general direction that would highlight the outstanding similarities between Ethiopian music and Moroccan berber music (starting with the fact that they use sibling instruments, the masinko being the Ethiopian version of the rbab). It is a phenomenon I can't wrap my head around and that fascinates me more all the time. If you have any clue as to what event could have provoked such result, probably dating back from way earlier than the arab conquests in the VIIth century and the birth of Islam, feel free to contact me.

"Solo song in the bati mode by Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw. A woman who is in love, living in Bati, longs for her lover. She wants him to come join her so that at last they may share their happiness together. The song also describes the beauty of the landscapes of Raya and Tobo, and the kindness of the inhabitants. 

Come, come, why are you leaving?
My eyes are so hungry. (...)
The desire I feel for your body draws me,
draws me out of Bati. (...)
I saw the tracks of his horse,
I hear the sound of his hooves.
Gone...gone... He is really gone

(source)

 After that comes an extremely deep solo violin taksim (which means improvisation if I am not mistaken) by Takis Papageorgiou. I am working on a list of blogs to recommend to our readers, it includes the one where I discovered this masterpiece. We pursue with a jazzy tune from a jazzy album by a wonderful trio composed of Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain and Chris Potter. I very much recommend their album Good Hope.

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices) was released in 1975 by Swiss organist, ethnomusicologist and music producer Marcel Cellier. It is a compilation album of modern arrangements of Bulgarian folk songs featuring, among others, the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir. Talking about deep music, this compilation (the result of a fifteen year long research) puts you in a state not much music can.

We move on but we don't go too far with the Greek/Israeli superstar Aris San and his hommage to Oum Khaltoum's Nta Omri (you are my life). It is followed by a musician I discovered recently and can't get enough of: Abu Obaida Hassan and his tambour. Then we can enjoy an extract from a great compilation straight from Brazil, Jambú e Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia that you can purchase here.

"This revelatory survey of the music of Northern Brazil from the 1970s and ’80s is by turns alien and familiar, sacred and profane, always raw and thrilling." (source)

I don't think the next band needs much introduction as its saxophonist has been featured and praised here more than once. Here are the Sons of Kemet with the chillest song of their magnificent album Your Queen Is A Reptile.

We end with a half hour of jazz played for us by Resavoir and Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band.

I apologize again for the short post and I hope you have a pleasant listen! I see you in two weeks with more surprises.

Check out time is still 10h30

The receptionist

Playlist:

1. Ejigayehu Gigi Shibabaw - Tirut Yebatin Lig
2. Takis Papageorgiou - Taksim In The Makām Hidžazkar
3. Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter - Suvarna
4. Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir - Kalimankou Denkou
5. Aris San - Boumpam
6. Abu Obaida Hassan - La...La (Don‚t Say I Am Betraying You)
7. Grupo da Pesada - Lundun Da Yaya
8. Sons of Kemet - My Queen Is Nanny Of The Maroons
9. Resavoir - Escalator
10. Chick Corea & Steve Gadd Band - Wake-Up Call