This post features a recording that requires a little patience. This cassette, one of a batch I purchased on my first trip to Niamey, back in 2005, compiles several tracks by Abdou Katche Katche, a Hausa singer from Niger. His group features two talking drummers and the gurimi (a two-string lute). This cassette is likely a dub of radio recordings. The tracks on Side A end abruptly--cutting off at the end of a reel of audiotape? (I have faded the endings on these first three tracks.)
The appeal for me is Abdou Koutche Koutche's expressive voice. Once your ear adjusts to the fuzzy recording, his voice will pull you in. Like many of the recordings I post, this music is all rhythm and melody, there is no distracting harmonic movement.
Download Abdou Katche Katche
I have read that Abdou Katche Katche is no longer of this world. I don't, however, know when he died, when he was born, or where: I don't know anything about his career. The only online trace I have found of him is this delightful--and also fuzzy--YouTube video of a performance from Nigerien television.
Imagine yourself sitting on a small wooden stool in a red-dirt courtyard in Niamey, at 10 pm on a balmy night, listening to this cassette while you are brewing another glass of tea on a small charcoal brazier.
Enjoy!!
The appeal for me is Abdou Koutche Koutche's expressive voice. Once your ear adjusts to the fuzzy recording, his voice will pull you in. Like many of the recordings I post, this music is all rhythm and melody, there is no distracting harmonic movement.
Download Abdou Katche Katche
I have read that Abdou Katche Katche is no longer of this world. I don't, however, know when he died, when he was born, or where: I don't know anything about his career. The only online trace I have found of him is this delightful--and also fuzzy--YouTube video of a performance from Nigerien television.
Imagine yourself sitting on a small wooden stool in a red-dirt courtyard in Niamey, at 10 pm on a balmy night, listening to this cassette while you are brewing another glass of tea on a small charcoal brazier.
Enjoy!!
this is very nostalgic for me as I heard of lot of this style of music when I lived in Kano from 1974 - 1977...if you like this I recommend the music of molo player/ vocalist Haruna Uji
ReplyDeleteLovely, thank you for sharing! The lute is a gurimi, usually with two strings—check out Malam Mamane Barka for more, for starters.
ReplyDeleteThanks. You're right. Looking more closely at the screen shot of the lute in the video you can see that it has two strings. I'll correct the text. I did a few long interviews with the late Malam Mamane Barka, a first back in 2005 and a second probably in 2008. If I can find the recordings, and if there is any interest, I wil lpost links in the comments.
DeleteWould love that! I'm a student of Nigerien music and always eager to learn more about it. Your posts are a treasure!
DeleteJust wonderful plinky plonky drum sounds on this one! Thank you for sharing as always, Nigerien/Sahelian music is always great to hear :) If time allows and you have the rip on hand, could you please post in full this Hadj Hamado Kanazoe tape from here:
ReplyDeletehttps://blogs.voanews.com/music-time-in-africa/2008/09/30/sufi-sounds-volume-three/
Cheers!
Dear Tane, Thanks, as always, for your feedback. I have to fight myself to diversify what I post, the temptation to dive deep into the Sahel is always strong. I haven't yet found the rip of the Hamado Kanazoe cassette that I sampled on the VOA blog, and I don't have the cassette at hand. It is in storage. There are, however, two other Kanazoe cassettes available on some of our favorite blogs.
Deletehttps://www.awesometapes.com/el-hadj-hamado-kanazoe/
https://music-republic-world-traditional.blogspot.com/2017/11/burkina-faso-el-hadji-hamado-kanazoe.html
I suspect you have probably already found these. If you haven't, download them now. They are terrific.
Best
Matthew
I indeed have, yes - it was because of their greatness that I wished to hear more of the great man. There's no rush whatsoever, it was just a thought and you have been posting some fine gems here recently. Also, if you have in your immediate vicinity anything similar to that one Assa Cica tape (traditional music with crazy synthesizers and drum machines), I would absolutely LOVE to hear that. Best regards to you and your loved ones as well!
Delete