Ahl Nana
L'Orchestre National Mauritanien
- 2 x LP
- Label
- Radio Martiko
Lost 70's recordings that defined the modern sound of the Sahara.
As artists like Mdou Moctar, Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré popularise Saharan Desert Rock across the world, this release by Belgium’s Radio Martiko explores the foundational emergence of the genre. Recorded in 1972 at the Boussiphone Studios in Casablanca, Ahl Nana contains the first recordings of modern music from the Saharan region. An essential nugget of history, this album charts the reinvention of traditional Saharan music with the introduction of the electric guitar.
This album contains the first recordings of modern music from the Sahara and mark the birth of the genre that is known in the West as ‘Desert Blues’ or ‘Desert Rock’. L'Orchestre National Mauritanien changed the folk music of the Sahara to modern, cosmopolitan music by using Western instruments like the electric guitar. They paved the way for artists like Ali Farka Touré, Tinariwen, Mdou Moctar or Bombino. Although the group is still active today, they only recorded 2 LPs and a handful of singles. All these recordings took place in 1971 at the Boussiphone studios in Casablanca. The records were never distributed and therefore remained unknown for almost 50 years, until Radio Martiko discovered a batch of unsold factory stock a few years ago. On this album, you will find a selection of these revolutionary recordings.
TRACKLIST:
A1 Adji Kar Teri Miri
A2 Yer Sabou Yerkoy
A3 Emolli Tidwall Eheme
B1 Bayna Daouali
B2 Zeinab Moussa
C1 Ahlane Ouassahlane
C2 Timidawane Hewana
D1 Ya Llali Ya Ouichi
D2 Hob Mene
D3 Nahnou Sigharou El Ouatane