Music of Islam, Vol. 8: Folkloric Music of Tunisia

Lotfi Jormana Group

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 2, 1997)
• Original Release Date: December 2, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Celestial Harmonies
• ASIN: B0000007Z3
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #389,635 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
Recorded in a house in the medina, the old quarter of the city of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, this volume features the traditional instruments and songs of the folkloric music of Tunisia which thrive as a living testament to the wide spectrum of cultures and practices across the World of Islam.

Performed by the Lotfi Jormana Group, this volume features the melodic mizwid - Tunisian bagpipe played in the central regions of Tunisia accompanied by percussion. The mizwid has two melody pipes and no drone pipes. In instrumental music the long flowing melodies of the mizwid seem to soar above the pulse of the percussion group. In vocal music, the mizwid echoes, punctuates, and connects individual vocal phrases.

The members of the group include: Lotfi Jormana, the group leader and vocalist; Abdessalem Zarga, mizwid player; Fathi Bouguera, tabal (double-headed cylindrical drum); Fathi Dahleb, bendir (circular framedrum); Hichem Sallemi, darabukkah (drum); and Khaled Bekir, tar (tambourine).

Product Description
Ten years in the making, The Music of Islam series recorded in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran and Qatar represents the most comprehensive sound documentation available to Westerners today, of a world religion dating back to 1/622. Although governed by strict rules for fourteen centuries, contact with other cultures has radically affected Islamic music throughout history. As the world enters the XV/21st century the timing of this collection serves an even larger purpose, documenting the traditions that have survived and will continue to survive for centuries to come. Today, one fifth of the world's population, one billion people, are Muslims, occupying a large territory stretching from the Atlantic shore of north and west Africa, through west, central, and south Asia to island southeast Asia, and attracting an increasing following in India, western Europe, north America, east Asia, and southern Africa. This is a global presence which cannot be ignored.

According to producer David Parsons this volume was the most difficult in the series, both technically and information-wise. "It was a classic case of trying to record, with one stereo microphone, a group of singers who also played drums", exclaims Parsons. Yet, however technically challenging it may have been, the end result is nonetheless superb. Two of the most beautiful songs (tracks 2 and 7) on the recording feature the mawwal - a vocal form which usually follows the performance of the layali - vocal improvisations. The form was known as early as the III/9th century where it was described in connection with the working class. Also featured is a modern composition (a rarity in this series) by group leader and vocalist, Lotfi Jormana. As in traditional music, the melodic component of this song is shaped by the concept of maqam - or mode - which governs the construction of melodic phrases, standard melodic formulae, cadential patterns, and vocal range.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Khamsa wa khamesa alaikum!, March 14, 2007

By	NBahri Rhythms "MaleikaB" (USA) - See all my reviews

I would consider this a rare & great find since Tunisian music is not readily available in the US. For tribal & folkloric dancers as well as ethnic music enthusaists, this is a CD you need for your collection. Don't let the title Music of Islam scare you since this is traditional Tunisian music for dance & listening. The tracks are your common songs played at parties & festivities. The mawals are soulful, the drumming will throw you into a trance! Traditional Tunisian bagpipes, called mizwids, give similar feel to the Scottish & for the "new ear", it may take a while to get used to. The sound is distinct, loud & is similar to the Egyptian reed pipe, the mizmar. I use it to perform my traditional Tunisian folkloric dance pieces. The sound quality is good, but is seems like it was not recorded in a studio, but at someone's home, but is really gives you a feel like you were actually sipping tea & enjoying a good time with the musicians...