In Sudan, the political and cultural are inseparable.
In 1989, a coup brought a hardline religious government to
power. Music was violently condemned. Many musicians and artists were
persecuted, tortured, forced to flee into exile — and even murdered, ending one
of the most beloved music eras in all of Africa and largely denying Sudan’s
gifted instrumentalists, singers, and poets, from strutting their creative
heritage on the global stage.
What came before in a special era that protected and
promoted the arts was one of the richest music scenes anywhere in the world.
Although Sudanese styles are endlessly diverse, this compilation celebrates the
golden sound of the capital, Khartoum. Each chapter of the cosmopolitan city’s
tumultuous musical story is covered through 16 tracks: from the hypnotic violin
and accordion-driven orchestral music of the 1970s that captured the ears and
hearts of Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, to the synthesizer and drum
machine music of the 1980s, and the music produced in exile in the 1990s. The
deep kicks of tum tum and Nubian rhythms keep the sound infectious.
Sudan of old had music everywhere: roving sound systems and
ubiquitous bands and orchestras kept Khartoum’s sharply dressed youth on their
feet. Live music was integral to cultural life, producing a catalog of concert
recordings. In small arenas and large outdoor venues, musical royalty of the
day built Khartoum’s reputation as ground zero for innovation and technique
that inspired a continent.
Musicians in Ethiopia and Somalia frequently point to
Sudan’s biggest golden era stars as idols. Mention Mohammed Wardi — a legendary
Sudanese singer and activist akin to Fela Kuti in stature and impact in his
music and politics — and they often look to the heavens.
Such is the reputation of Sudanese music, particularly in
the “Sudanic Belt,” a cultural zone that stretches from Djibouti all the way
west to Mauritania, covering much of the Sahara and the Sahel, lands where
Sudanese artists are household names and Sudanese poems are regularly used as
lyrics until today to produce the latest hits. Sudanese cassettes often sold
more in Cameroon and Nigeria than at home.
But years of anti-music sentiment have made recordings in
Sudan difficult to source. Ostinato’s team traveled to Ethiopia, Somalia,
Djibouti, and Egypt in search of the timeless cultural artifacts that hold the
story of Africa’s most mesmerizing cultures. That these cassette tape and vinyl
recordings were mainly found in Sudan’s neighbors is a testament to Sudanese
music’s widespread appeal.
With our Sudanese partner and co-compiler Tamador Sheikh
Eldin Gibreel, a once famous poet and actress in ’70s Khartoum, Ostinato’s
fifth album, following our Grammy-nominated “Sweet As Broken Dates,” revives
the enchanting harmonies, haunting melodies, and relentless rhythms of Sudan’s
brightest years, fully restored, remastered and packaged luxuriously in a
triple LP gatefold and double CD bookcase to match the regal repute of Sudanese
music. A 20,000-word liner note booklet gives voice to the singers silenced by
an oppressive regime.
Take a sail down the Blue and White Nile as they pass
through Khartoum, carrying with them an ancient history and a never-ending
stream of poems and songs. It takes two Niles to sing a melody.
Release date: Septe,ber 14, 2018
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