The Sound Of Nineties Nouakchott

"The Sound Of Nineties Nouakchott" may not sound particularly enticing, but I would contend that it is more catchy than "Moorish Music From Mauritania", the title of the album we are featuring today.

"MMFM", as we'll call it for short, was released in 1990 and - if the sleevenotes are to be believed - was the first time the Moorish Music of Mauritania had been captured on a "quality studio recording". The album starred Dimi Mint Abba, arguably the greatest Mauritanian singer ever and rated by no less an authority than Ali Farka Toure as just about the finest singer in all of Africa, ably supported by her husband Khalifa Ould Eide and two daughters.

"Waidalal Waidalal" - Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba

"Nikhtar An Kulelawtan Awtani Mauritan" - Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba

Dimi sadly passed away in 2011, but her legacy lives on through her step-daughter Noura Mint Seymali, who we featured here a few years back. Further exploration of her genealogical line reveals a rather unexpected British connection as well - her distant cousin from Knotty Ash, one Dicky Mint.