Apocalypse Across The Sky

Master Musicians Of Jajouka

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 17, 1992)
• Original Release Date: 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Axiom
• ASIN: B000000GAO
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,257 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Africa > Morocco

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Although they'd recorded for the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones and played with jazz supremo Ornette Coleman, Morocco's Master Musicians had never really been caught in true sonic clarity until producer Bill Laswell visited them in their village of Jajouka to document their music. And clear it is; the interplay of instruments, drums, and voices is captured with stunning fidelity, bringing their particular brand of trance music right into your living room. The musicians, under the leadership of Bachir Attar, are in superb form, doing what's been done for almost as long as history itself. They feel the music, making for a natural flow on Attar's compositions, which sound as old as the Rif Mountains where they're performed. If you want to hear the Master Musicians as they really are, this is the record to buy. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Endurance Music, May 17, 1998

By A Customer

This music requires strength. The musicians must have the stamina to maintain extended notes and rhythms that can last for hours in their native performances. Using simple drums, pipes, and strings, the Master Musicians of Jajouka are legendary for their trance-induction ceremonies of wild abandon. These tracks are but tiny samples of their wares; still, they are rich, complex, and other-worldly.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, panic-stricken sounds from the mountains of Morrocco, July 15, 2000

By	"killerclown" (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews

I first heard this music in my friend's basement surrounded by a thick cloud of pot smoke. My God! Since then I've had the privilege to see them live at the Montreal Jazz Festival and now I'm hooked.

The people of Jajouka perform this incredible music in reverance to the Horned God Pan. The tracks range from mellow to manic, but always with a dark tinge. They use a type of horn that they play with sustained notes, nice and eerie sounding. And of course, rhythms to danse yourself into a frenzy.

This is some of the finest ritualistic music I've ever heard. Check out their other CDs as well.

5.0 out of 5 stars True power, February 6, 2005

By	Dawoud Kringle "Renegade Sufi" (New York City) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

The first time I heard this, I was blown away! The music has a quality unlike anything else in any genre or time. There is simply nothing to compare it to; it's in a class all by itself.

Not long after I bought this on cassette, I attended a live solo performance of Bashir Attar, the group's leader. Within seconds, I was transported to another place; oceans, the full moon rising over the desert, wind blowing between two worlds. I attended a performance of the Master Musicians once when they performed outdoors. It rained, and the intensity of the rain and wind responded perfectly to their music!

Very few other groups have this kind of power.

I also had the honor of meeting and having dinner with Bashir Attar. He is a really friendly and engaging person, and full of fascinating stories. I will always treasure that meeting.

If you are interested in music that reaches beyond the norm, that affects the listener body, mind, and soul, and gives you a guided tour of worlds you never thought existed, the Master Musicians of Jajouka are for you.