More Mileage From Raiss Hmad Amentague

Here's another cassette of amarg souss from Raiss Hmad Amentague. Unlike the cassette we shared last week, this one does not sound like it has been sourced from a vinyl recording. 

From what I could gather from online sources, Raiss Hmad Amentague excelled in his adherence to poetic meter, and love poetry was his specialty. However, like other rwayes, his themes also ran to the social and topical. "Qsidat L'Essence" (The Gasoline Poem) would appear to be an example of this. I don't understand Tachelhit, but I did recognize a bunch of automobile-related words in the song that are also found in darija (Moroccan Arabic), which anyway mainly came from French. Then again, there are plenty of songs around the world where cars and driving are metaphors for something else, so this could be a love poem after all...

Raiss Lhaj Hmad Amentague الرَّايَس الحَاج احْمَاد أمَنْتَاݣ
Min Rawaiî Raiss Lhaj Hmad Amentague  مِن رَوائِع الرَّايَس الحَاج احْمَاد أمَنْتَاݣ
[From the Masterpieces of Raiss Lhaj Hmad Amentague]
Tichkaphone cassette TCK 701 تشكافون

A1 Yaouzou Lward  يَاوْزو الوَرد
A2 Rwah Darnkh ْرْواحْ دَارْنْخ
B1 Qsidat L'Essence ْقَصيدَة لِصَانْص
B2 Arabbi Ljannat Rzmd Amawan أَرَبِّي الْجَنَّةْ ررْمدْ أَمَاوَنْ

FLAC | 320

Get It While You Can - Vintage Moroccan Cassette Audio at Hive Mind

If you aren't already following Hive Mind Records, clicky over to Bandcamp, Instagram, or Facebook and get on that list. In addition to fantastic new music releases, Marc has been doing limited releases of some great audio from vintage Moroccan cassettes. 

Out today (and for one month only) is this killer album from Maalem Abderrazak al Moustakim, who I believe is from Rabat or thereabouts. The album includes an unhurried 17-minute suite of songs related to Sidi Mimoun L-Gnawi. The sequence follows the Rabat tradition, leading from L-Gnawi eventually into Mberkiriya and Fofo Denba, but with some additional melodies along the way. It's wonderful stuff. 

Make sure you get it quick - the public link will disappear after one month. Pay what you like - the proceeds always go to good and timely causes. And get on the mailing list so you find out when he offers something old and new!

Raiss Hmad Amentague - Bisma Nksham Dakh Salqasariya

Here's a nice collection of sides from the rrbab player, singer, and composer Raiss Hmad Amentague (1927-2015). Amentag learned the craft of the Soussi rwais in the traditional way - backing up masters as they traveled from town to town performing. The most comprehensive biographical note I found on Amentag is in this post on the YouTube channel of Amarg Amazigh.

Amentag's recording career stretches back to shellac records beginning in 1953. From the sound of it, this cassette appears to be a compilation of recordings originally issued on vinyl.

Amentag was feted by artists, scholars, and an appreciative live audience in an episode of the Moroccan TV program Masar in 2010. He also performed a song with support from Rais Aboubker:

And here is a fantastic live performance from 1996 highlighting Amentag's rrbab and singing:

Raiss Hmad Amentague الرّايس احماد امنتاݣ
Tichkaphone cassette TCK 604 تشكافون

A1 Bisma Nksham Dakh Salqasariya بسم نكْشَمْ دَاخ سَلقَاسَريَّة
A2 Aya Sayyad Ikhtamdit Ioudad أَيا صَيّاد إِخْتَمْديتْ إِوْدَادٌ
B1 Addarsat Iytbirn ْالدَّرْسَتْ إيتْبِرْن
B2 Mrahba Tayamouzounayn مرَحْبَا تَيَمُوزُونَينْ
B3 Mrahba Iyouyad Aghras Lhbab ْمْرَحْبَا إِيويَّد أغْرَاسْ الْحْبَاب 

FLAC | 320