For today, I wanted to share with you “Trouble“, an uplifting Rock Soul Synth Twist Pop track, taken from the 1st album recorded in 1983 on K7 tape format by the morrocon band “Les Freres Bouchenak” a band of 4 brothers (Hamid, Omar, Mohamed and Reda Bouchenak) from the city of Oujda (Morocco), nicknamed “The Raï Knights“.
Quite obscure & hard to find unusual sounds for this country & era, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !
Les Frères Bouchenak – Trouble (Maroc, 1983, Edition Hassania)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Sid Houari Ya Mlah“, an insane groovy Electronic Synth Raï Funk Soul Boogie track taken from an obscure K7 tape recorded in France in the 80s & that is apparently the only album from the Algerian singer, horsewoman, theater actress and ex-academic scholar Chaba Malika Meddah.
This cassette was released on the mythical French tape label MCPE (or “Edition Production M.C.P.E.“) which brought together in the country the best productions of this style from this era.
Super obscure, hard to find and dancefloor tool here, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !
For today, I wanted to share with you “Paris Dans Mon Sac“, an incredibly beautiful Soul Jazz ballad sung in French with Oriental flavors, recorded in 1965 by the Algerian singer & actress Fatima Zohra Badji (better known as “Noura”) on the French record label “Pathé“.
This song is backed by a beautiful orchestration by Larbi Zeggane (Kamal Hamadi on his artist’s name), a Kabyle Algerian songwriter and composer who was also Noura’s husband, and Roland Richard Vincent.
Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art – Enjoy !
Noura (Fatima Zohra Badji) – Paris Dans Mon Sac (Algeria, 1965, Pathé)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nadim (Je Regrette)“, an instant catchy Disco Soul Synth track from Maghreb, taken from the 2nd album recorded in 1978 in Paris by the musician (saxophone player) & composer Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja.
Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja was born in Sidi-Bel-Abbes (Algeria), on the 1st of January 1949.
At the age of fifteen, he began musical studies, entered the Conservatory, where he opted for the saxophone. Two years later, he began playing at open air dances, banquets, etc.
In March 1968, he travelled to France, and worked in different jobs to earn his living, including grill man in a restaurant. Then, he joined his brothers in Lyon, where he became a semi-professional performer at the city’s Winter Palace, and met his first band with whom he played Soul music.
Back in Paris, he and his group gradually appeared as stars at the “Bus Palladium” concert hall. After several tours in clubs, Freh abandoned Soul music for varieties, and left France for the United States, to Greenwich Village, to play in one of the most sumptuous establishments in the region. It was there that, by chance, improvising on his guitar & backed by his musicians, he sang for the first time in Arabic, which was instantly a big success.
Thus, was born an idyll : merging Arabic and pop influences in his music.
From that moment on, he made a point of honor to defend during all his musical career the promotion and acknowledgement of Arabic language in Western pop songs.
(Yes, this album features the legendary Cameroonian keyboardist Eko Roosevelt, whom we reissued a few years earlier a vinyl compilation on Nubiphone, one of the record labels I run !)
One of my personal favorite track in the genre, that always set the dance floor on fire when I play it during my DJ sets – Enjoy !
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nabghik Nabghik Chkoune Yedik“, a dope powerful Proto Raï Folk Soul track, take from an ultra hard to find single recorded in the 70s by the Algerian singer & composer Boussouar El Maghnaoui on the mythical Parisian record label “Sawt Hilali“.
One of my personal favorite track in the genre, that always set the dance floor on fire when I play it during my DJ sets – Enjoy !
For today, I wanted to share with you “De L’Orient À Orion“, a bewitching Oriental Jazz Funk Soul track from Maghreb with French dreamy lyrics, recorded in the early 70s in Tunisia by the musician & composer Kamel Raouf Nagati on the legendary Tunisian record label “𝐄𝐧’𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦” – Enjoy !
Kamel Raouf Nagati – De L’Orient À Orion (Tunisia, 1970s, En’Nagham)
Following to this previous article, I wanted to share with you for today “Njoo El Leyl” (“نجو الليل“, what could be translated by “the night survived” in arabic), a killer downtempo dance floor Arabic Synth Funk Boogie track with Reggae flavors, catchy guitar riffs & deep flute parts, recorded in 1973 at Tommy Vance Studios (London, Great Britain) by the Libyan musician Ahmed Fakroun from Benghazi, during one of his European trips between the 1970s and 1980s where he used to compose his albums & singles, and released in Italy in 1977 on the mythical label “Polydor” – Enjoy !
Ahmed Fakrun – Njoo El Leyl (Libya, 1977, Polydor)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Soleil Soleil“, an instant catchy Arabic Boogie Synth Funk track recorded in Paris in 1983 by the Libyan musician Ahmed Fakroun from Benghazi, during one of his European trips to France between the 1970s and 1980s where he used to compose his albums & singles – Enjoy !
Ahmed Fakroun – Soleil Soleil (Libya, 1983, Paris Disques)
Following this former post, I wanted to share with you for today “Bini Ou Binik” (“بيني و بينك” or “Between you & I” in Arabic), a refreshing uptempo Surf Jerk Rock Mod track, taken from one of the 2 singles recorded in the 60 by the legendary composer & singer “Bob” Jalil Bennis, a huge fan of the French “Yéyé” Sound of the 60s who managed to merge it with the Moroccon sound of that era with an outstanding result – Enjoy !
This post is dedicated to Jalil Bennis’ memory, who sadly passed away on December 2022.
Bob Jalil (Jalil Bennis) & L’Orchestre Star-Melody – Bini Ou Binik (Morocco, 1967, Polydor)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Wahdi” (“Alone” in Arabic), a bewitching deep Psychedelic Arabic Jazz Soul Rock track from Algeria with nice electric guitar & organ parts, recorded in 1978 on the mythical Algerian vinyl record label “Oasis Disques” by the composer & musician Abdelkrim “Krikri” Zouaoui native of the city of Constantine, former leader of the band “The Blue Jeans” that was tragically murdered a few years later in 1985.
