25 June 2013

Somalia




Don’t get the idea that West Africa was the only place that was obsessed with American-style R&B. Every African country had its own practitioners, some of them quite original. Ethiopia in particular created its own fusion of soul & traditional music that has drawn international acclaim.Well, Somalia had some of its own Funkateer groups, one of the finest being Iftin.


Iftin (meaning sunshine) was a great funk band of the 70s & 80s based in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, from where most of the band members originated. Initially, they made theaters & schools unsafe with their brand of slow dance music. The most well known Iftin lead singers were the late Axmed Rabsha Cawad, Abdullahi Sulfa, Bashir Ali Hussein & Shimaali.


Keep in mind that this cassette was produced in the do-it-yourself spirit that is common throughout Africa. It was no doubt duplicated on a boom box, so the sound quality isn't terrific. I think you'll agree, though, that the quality of the music outweighs this technical drawback.

 Iftin – Gabar ii Noqee& Other Tastes, self-recorded cassette. 1970-80??? 
decryption code in comments

Side A –
Gabar ii Noqee (Be my Wife) aka Ohiyee Ohiyee (Yeah, Yeah)
Codkeennii Kala Halow (Our Voices Have Lost Each Other)
Haka Yeelin Nacabkeenna (Don't Heed Our Enemies [or those who are against our love])
Lamahuraan (Love is Indespensible) aka Sida Laba Walaalaa (Like Two Siblings)
                                                           akaQays & Layla (Romeo & Juliet)
Weynoow (My Great Love) aka Ciil Kaambi (Sorrow & Bitterness [due to frustrated love])

Side B –
Jacayl Iima Roona (Love is Not Right for Me [now])
Hir Aanii Dhowyen ma Halabsado (Longing to Bridge the Big Distance)
                                                         aka Ruuney (Oh, Ruun [a Somali female name])
Caashaqa Maxay Baray? (Why Get Acquainted With Love?) 
                                          note: Sahra Dawo of the Dur Dur Band is the singer here.
Baddaa Doon Baa Maraysoo (A [fragile] Boat is Rocking on that Ocean)
Toban Weeye Shaqalladu (The Ten Vowels)

We got the Funk,

4 comments:

  1. TccaKStXnHa9sZhqzZZq90enWJ9PefNBuwWXFd983A0

    ReplyDelete
  2. One of my favorite albums. Nice pic.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're doing a great job here. HOWEVER, you may not be aware that this post was lifted from my own blog, http://likembe.blogspot.com/. The "cassette cover" is an elaborate hoax. The picture on the front is taken from an album by Orlando Owoh from Nigeria, also taken from my blog! No problem if you want to pass on stuff from my blog, just give credit and a link.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See comment on Chad post addressing credit. & yes, I did use the photoshopped cassette cover, not as an 'elaborate hoax' but just as an example & as artwork if someone so desired. I have tried whenever possible to include original artwork, covers, booklets, etc. but when not possible, I have many times included artwork that either I created or found in Google images.

      Delete