I'm back from a Christmas break in northern Morocco. Very nice it was too. I managed to pick up some dodgy bootleg CDs at assorted market stalls in Tangier, Tetouan and Martil. You can look forward to some of the highlights over the next few weeks.
First up we have a couple of tracks from a compilation called 'Rif Hits'. The Rif region stretches across the northern coastal parts of Morocco from Tangier in the west to Berkane in the east, and is framed by the mountain range of the same name.
Judging by the number of times he appears of the compilation, Mo Temsamani seems to be the main man round that way, so he has to feature. And how could we leave DJ Shebsy out?
"Mama Zina" - Mo Temsamani (featuring Laila Chakir)
"Alaoui Dance" - DJ Shebsy
While staying in Tangier I took a pleasant trip on the train down to the delightful little town of Asilah. I thought about honouring the journey in song, but I couldn't find a track called "Regional service to Rabat, change at Kenitra for connections to Fes and Marrakech", so this will have to do.
The Rif Hits available on, I hesitate to write the name, Amazon, does not seem to be the one you acquired.
ReplyDeleteThe one I got seems to have copied most of the cover from the compilation of the same name on Amazon - I'll send you the evidence - but has only one track in common as far as I can see. As mine is a CDR with "Hit Rif" written on it in felt pen, I suspect the Amazon version is probably the official release.
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