Najat Tazi - Ya Saqi

 

Here's a swell rai album from singer Najat Tazi. This dates to 1992 or '93. Najat hails from the region of Taza in northeastern Morocco. The internet boasts dozens of her albums on international streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, etc. On some she sings in Riffian Tamazight (Tarrifit), and on others she sings in Moroccan Arabic. Despite this prolific output, I can find almost no details of her life or career online.

The one short article I found relates that she was born in the town of Aknoul, north of Taza, began her career singing backup for many artists, gained initial notoriety singing cover versions of songs by rai singers Cheb Khaled and Mimoun al Oujdi, and has subsequently recorded more than 50 albums. The article also links to a 2020 video interview, so if you know Tarrifit and find that she said something noteworthy, please let me know! [1] 

She performed at the big Mawazine festival in Rabat in 2016.

This album has some great early rai grooves and some unusual keyboard sounds. And Najat's voice is powerful. Dig this opening track:

Najat Tazi نجاة التازي
Fassiphone cassette 07/4 فاسيفون
c. 1992-93

A1 Ya Saqi يا ساقي
A2 Tkherrejti Âla Ouladi تخرجتي علی ولادي
A3 Démarrez ديماري
B1 Kounti Ghalia Kifache Rkhesti كنتي غاليا كيفاش رخصتي
B2 Zine Âlah Iseddou Âlia Lbibane الزين علاه يسدو عليه البيبان
B3 Ouelli Lia Ya Lâziz ولي ليا يالعزيز

320 | FLAC

[1] Najim Al-Sabaa (نجيم السبع). "Gzennaya stars around the world: The capable artist Najat Al-Tazi (نجوم اكزناية عبر العالم | الفنانة المقتدرة نجاة التازي)". https://gzennayamedia.blogspot.com/2020/11/blog-post_11.html

Interview excerpt on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdBGdYdcAUc

Full interview on RADAS TV program "Thawra n Rif": https://www.facebook.com/RADASTV1/videos/486435888975880/

Capstan Keep a-Spinning - End The Occupation

I'll have some new old music to share in a few days. For the moment, here's an update to some old music I shared before.

When I first visited Morocco in 1992, Nass el Ghiwane had just released an album whose opening track "Intifada" commemorated the uprising in Palestine. The following year, the Oslo Accords seemed to indicate movement toward justice and reconciliation, but it was not to be. Now here we are thirty years later, seemingly further than ever from justice. 

I shared this album back in 2011. I've added a FLAC link in the original post. And here's the album as a YouTube playlist:

Keep your capstans a-spinning, thanks for visiting, and be well.  ❤️✊❤️🎵❤️

 

Abdelkader Ariaf - Mlih Mlih

Here's a nice album of Riffi pop tracks from singer/songwriter Abdelkader Ariaf. I picked this up in Tangier in 2001. 

Ariaf was born in Nador and lives in Rotterdam [1]. His Facebook page indicates that he performs often in Europe, but I could find little biographical information about him online. There are a couple of video interviews with him on YouTube ([1], [2]), but they were in Tarriffit (which I don't speak) and did not appear to address the beginnings of his career or its trajectory. He first traveled to Europe in the year 2000, but I don't know how long he's been living there. 

Ariaf is active on social media (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), and continues to release new music. In addition to YouTube, much of his music can be found on the international streaming platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon), including albums that date back to 1996. This particular album doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

Enjoy!

Abdelkader Ariaf
Mlih - Mlih
Disco Melilia cassette

A1 Wazzay Adhzouigh وزي أذزويغ
A2 Amsrqigh أمسرقيغ
A3 Adhqsagh Idoudan أذقسغ إضوضان
B1 Thite Inou ثيط إينو
B2 Allah Ihennik الليهنيك
B3 Mlih Mlih مليح مليح

320 | FLAC

[1] "Welcome Thamazight  ويكلوم تمازيغت" Episode 8 الحلقة الثامنة, Directed by Said Azar إخراج سعيد أزار, SNRT 8 Tamazight 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nJ6pItwLjk

[2]  "Abdelkader Ariaf عبد القادر أرياف", Episode of "Rqehwa Akd Unazur قهوة مع فنان", Directed by Mourad Mimouni إخراج مراد ميموني, NadorCity 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4SsWDRkamk