Sani de Inro, Nigeria

In the two and a half years this blog has been online, I have featured recordings from thirty countries.  The most downloaded recording, by a considerable margin, I was surprised to see, is this lovely radio recording of the Hausa artist Usaini Jikan Boka.  The most visited post, again by a considerable margin, is this post devoted to Sheikh Khalifa Suleiman Lwanga and his Mataali songs from Uganda.  I didn't expect this post to be so popular either.  My warmest greetings to all of you reading this in Uganda.  I will feature another cassette of Mataali songs soon (the next one is from Luwero). 

There are also a couple of posts that I feel have been unjustly neglected, in particular this one featuring some fantastic early radio recordings of the late Jean Bikoko Aladin.  I also think this post merits more attention, it features one of my favorite cassettes of Senegalese Sufi songs.  When I was last in Dakar, I was disappointed to discover that the once vibrant market for Senegalese Sufi religious praise songs has shriveled.  I don't think Senegalese are any less committed to their faith than they were twenty years ago, when this cassette was released, but rather that the Senegalese cassette and CD industry, for all genres, from Mbalax to Khassaides, has been replaced by YouTube and mp3 sharing.  I have a lot more Senegalese Sufi cassettes to share. 

Inspired by the enthusiasm for Usaini Jikan Boka, I thought I would share another recording from Hausaland.  I, frustratingly, know as little about this recording as I do about Usaini Jikan.  All I know is written on the yellow cassette shell in marker. Sani de Inro, Nigeria, which suggests that the singer is called Sani and is from Inro, Nigeria.  I can't find any town, village, or city, named Inro on the map of Nigeria, and Sani isn't much to go on to identify an artist.  The group features two singers, a kontigi (one-string lute), a kalangu (talking drum), and a steady timeline beat on a bottle or metal rod.  I don't know if this is a cassette dub of a commercial LP or a compilation of radio recordings.  My best guess is that this is a dub of radio recordings.  If you know more about these artists, please share! 

Download Sani de Inro, Nigeria

Thank you for your encouraging comments.  I don't have as much time as I would like to devote to this blog. I will make an effort to more actively engage with your comments, questions, and requests. 

Enjoy!!