Bouchaib Ziyani: Moroccan Honky Tonk Songs

No Marriage, No Work, No Home.  That's the album title listed on this cassette from Bouchaib Ziyani, singing violist from Casablanca working in the chaâbi - âita continuum. This is some well-produced chaâbi with an insistent but not mechanical percussive drive. Bouchaib's scratchy viola blends nicely with the various synth zither, lute, flute or banjo settings.

These songs are soaked in beer, tobacco, and regret, and Ziyani's singing sounds like he's been there (or is still there). "She drank only half a beer, and started a battle between us" (Track 1). "Give the blonde a drink" (Track 2). "I drank the first beer, I drank the second one. The third one reminded me of my beloved" (Track 5). "Mama, what did I do? I sought my fortune, but in my life achieved nothing. No marriage did I marry, and no work did I find. The evil eye is upon me, but I don't who cast it." (Track 3). The songs mainly stay to the chaâbi end of the continuum, but the long Track 2 moves into âita territory with some nice interplay with a female vocalist and stretches into some extended versifying and riffing, ending up in saken/trance territory.

Ournia.com relates that Mr. Ziyani is from Casablanca but made his career in Oujda. Ournia's biography also states that the currently active Bouchaib Ziyani recorded with Khaddouj Zroukia, which would make him the same artist as featured on these 45s in Settatbladi's collection:


However, the 45 pictured above is credited to "The Late Bouchaib Ziani". And although his hair is greying, the artist on our cassette does not appear to be quite old enough to have recorded those 45s. At any rate, enjoy!

Bouchaib Ziyani - بوشعيب الزياني
La Zwaj La Khedma La Dar - لا زواج لا خدمة لا دار
Meftah Music cassette 23/10/2011 (2011)

1) Shrebt Ghir Ness Birra - شربت غير نص بيرة

2) A3ti Lesh'hiba Tshreb - اعطي الشيهبة تشرب
    Moulat Lâyoun Kbar - مولات لعيون كبار
    Htta Wahed Maiâqel 3lik - حتى واحد ما يعقل عليک
    Galt lik Mmuk 3a Toukel Allah - گالت لک امک توکل عائلة
    Jini Nhar Tnine - جيني نهار اثنين
    3lash Tebki Ya Litima - علاش تبكي يا ليتيمة
3) Lemwima Wash Dert Ana - المويمة واش درت انا
4) Wach Qdaw Ila Berku Biya - واش اقضاو الى بركو بيا
5) Fekkeretni Fi Hbibi - فکرتني في احبيبتي
6) Dwaw Fiya 3la Rejliya - دواو فيا على رجليا
7) Dat al Mal Ou Zadet Essa7a - دات المال او زادت الصحة
    Dir Lkhamiya 3a Lbab - ديري الخامية عا لباب
    Alghadi B3id - الغادي بعيد

Get it all here.
Yala has more Ziyani here.

PS, yes I know I'm a complete hypocrite calling these "honky tonk" songs, when a few weeks ago I was ranting about the use of Anglo-American popular music analogies to describe Moroccan artists.

It's Oumguil Time

What time is it? Make no mistake - the watch on the left wrist, the drawing on the cassette shell, the festive star- and comet-shaped holes in the shell, all of them leave you no doubt that it's Oumguil time!

When is Oumguil time? When that Middle Atlas bendir-driven groove kicks it off, when Mustapha calls out the name of your town, be it Ouled Youssef, Fkih Ben Salah, Khouribga, Tangier, or even Milano, when he calls out "Aji nqessrou, rah ellil tawil / Wa khuya nnsaou fih lmachakil (Come on let's stay up, the night is long / Brother, we'll forget our troubles in it)" - yep, it's Oumguil o'clock!

Add this one to the previous Oumguil twofer we served up - You've got yourself a good night's worth of shimmying and derdeg-ing. Enjoy!

Mustapha Oumguil - Âmmer Daoud Ma Iâoud (Tassjilat El Hajeb cassette 28/10, 2010)
1) Elli Ma Jal Ma Âref Bhaqq Errjal
2) Khrejti Âliha ya Ellil
3) Awah Awah Ktab Âliya
4) Âmmer Daoud Ma Iâoud
5) Aji Nqessrou Rah Ellil Tawil

6) Zaêri

Get it all here.

Houssa Ahbar 97

Here's some late '90s Middle Atlas Amazigh viola-driven pop music. On the spectrum between the two Amazigh viola tapes I shared on this post last year, this falls closer to the earlier, folkier, acoustic end.

I couldn't find out much online about Houssa Ahbar (or Ahbbar, not to be confused with the prolific Houssa 46). This tape predates anything of his I found online. The j-card bills him as "The Star of Khenifra", implying that he comes from the same city as Rouicha.

Houssa appears to remain active via recordings and live performances. You can find some recent albums of his over at izlanzik.org. Interesting to compare the sound of these newer albums to the one offered here. Production values for Middle Atlas popular music have sure changed since the late '90s. No autotune, no keyboard, no lotar. Just the viola, bendir, men's and women's voices, and what sounds like a darbuka added to the percussion section.

Iconographic query: Here is the logo for the label Ain Asserdoun Disque. "Ain Asserdoun" is the name of the lovely spring up the mountain above Beni Mellal. The word "Asserdoun" means "mule" in Tamazight, and "Ain" means "spring" or, literally, "eye". So Ain Asserdoun could be translated as The Mule Spring or the Mule's Eye. So can anyone explain to me what is depicted in this logo?

Houssa Ahbar - New 97 (Ain Asserdoun Disque cassette 51)

Excerpt from Track 4 (of 6)

Get it all here.