The Horn of Africa is a peninsula that juts into the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, lying to the south of the Gulf of Aden. The major countries in the Horn include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. And in terms of music, only Ethiopia's rich musical culture is known outside the region, thanks in part to the wonderful Ethiopiques' reissue series, the fame of jazz great Mulatu Astatke and the use of Ethiopian jazz in Hollywood movie soundtracks.
Little is known of the other countries' music, although Eritrea's Asmara All Stars had an international hit with their 2010 reggae-influenced album Eritrea's Got Soul (Outhere Records), which was one of my favourite albums of 2010. Somalia also appeared on the international map with the fascinating compilation of late 1960s and early 1970s hits, Light & Sound of Mogadishu (Afro7 Records), which featured big stars like singer Magool. I often play tracks from this fine album when I am manning the DJ decks.
But the sad fact remains that much of the musical culture of Eritrea and Somali have been lost to the destruction of civil wars, and a hint of what has been lost can be gleaned from the release of an important new compilation of Somalian pop music from the 1970s and 1980s, Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes From The Horn Of Africa (Ostinato Records, USA). And if it had not been for some swift-thinking music lovers, we would not even have this treasure trove of lost musical gems.
Rewind back to 1988 and on the eve of a 20-year civil war, and Radio Hargeisa in then-Somaliland had a collection of some 10,000 cassette tapes of Somali popular music. Fearful that bombing raids would destroy the collection, they dispersed the tapes to Djibouti and Ethiopia; the tapes are now housed at the Red Sea Foundation in Hargeisa. The story is similar to the emergence of Cambodian popular music from stashes of cassettes held in California on the hugely popular Cambodian Rocks CD series.
Compilers Vik Sohonie and Nicolas Sheikholeslami delved into the cassette archive and have selected 15 wonderful tracks that will surely create interest into Somali's little-known musical culture. Interestingly, much of the music in the archive was used in radio broadcasts and never released, so some of the songs are being released for the first time and have never been heard outside the region.
Readers who know Ethiopian music will certainly want to try this album, for there are many similarities between the music of the two countries. There are the same relentless horns, plus lots of dreamy sax, hypnotic percussion and bass, and Somalian musicians of the period were just as influenced by US funk and soul as their counterparts in Ethiopia. Topping off the music are the great singers with their haunting vocals often sung in haunting minor keys.
Standout tracks include the funk-drenched James Brown-inspired Xuduud Ma Leh Xubigaan (This Love Has No Boundaries), which features some powerful singing from Matyan Naasir and Mahmud Abdalla "Jerry" Hussen, Buurha U Dheer (The Highest Mountains) with its gorgeous vocals set to synths that are subtle and not overpowering and one of my favourites by one of the few bands I recognised, the Dur Dur Band's Duruuf Maa Laygu Diidee (Rejected Due To My Circumstance).
But the problem with favourites and this compilation is that with each listen you find a new gem, a personal favourite that runs around your brain. Some tracks feature some interesting snatches from other kinds of music -- disco, funk, soul and even a hint of ska in the bubbling rhythms that are always present in northeastern African music. The producers have also been creative, so little touches and keyboard creations like electronic sounds percolate through the music.
This album is a must for fans of African music, and will be on my list of best hits from 2017. The album is available as a download or two-disc vinyl set and comes with a 15,000 word booklet on popular Somalian music. More information from www.ostinatorecords.com.
This columnist can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com.
