Hamza El Din
Songs of the Nile
Victor (Japan) 1982
SGS-32 (LP) w/obi, insert.
sleeve : EX-(slightly dirts)
media : EX/EX(some slightly noise)
Released in 1982 as part of Victor Japan’s Digital Chōzetsu no Sound series, this album is by oud player Hamza El Din, a musician who carried forward the traditional music of Nubia, the region extending from around Aswan in southern Egypt into Sudan. Alongside the oud, El Din incorporates the tar—a large frame drum traditional to the region and similar in form to a tambourine—as well as handclaps and vocals. Rooted in Arabic music, he sings poetry in the Nubian language while expressing the distinct cultural identity of Sudan, a country located along the upper Nile that developed its own traditions despite the strong influence of Egyptian culture. hA superb recording that allows the listener to experience the profound depth of El Din’s Arab and Nubian music in exceptionally fine sound quality. The endlessly recurring oud phrases and tar rhythms are strikingly minimal, vibrating through the air in waves.
A1: Oud Duo
B1: Hamayala
B4: El Hilwatu