The Master Musicians of Jajouka Featuring Bachir Attar

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The Master Musicians of Joujouka

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Already public knowledge via people as diverse as William S. Burroughs, The Rolling Stones, Ornette Coleman, and Bill Laswell, the "master musicians" of Jajouka are now entering the new millenium via Asian Underground star Talvin Singh. It should be kept in mind that this CD belongs to the Morroccan musicians (if mediated by headman/promoter Bachir Attar), NOT to Talvin Singh. The alternation of Talvin-style grooves with more straight-ahead music of Jajouka--from raw field recordings to a female chorus and even a taksim (improvisation)--seem to propel Jajouka into the future without producing yet another ethnic remix album. Sure, the Talvin-produced tracks aren't nearly as hard-hitting as many on "OK," and the field tracks are pretty decontextualized. This is an album best heard in the whole, and I can't help but think visually when I listen to it, like some sort of futurist/Morroccan "Latcho Drom," with all the immediate rewards and dangers. It is not a perfect album, but it does well to keep the long-visible musicians of Jajouka a part of the contemporary scene.

This disc offers up a palate of unique sounds concocted by the Master Musicians of the Jajouka, a group of monks from the mountains of Morocco. It is produced by Talvin Singh. He was born in England but matured as a musician in a classical tabla academy in India. Later he would make dance music that fused what he had learned through his experiences with Indian music with contemporary dance music. It makes sense that the Master Musicians of the Jajouka would choose him to produce an album for them. Bachir Attar states in the cd insert that the sound of the album was from a new generation of musicians of the Jajouka. This contrasts with the prior work by the Master Musicians that had been with classic rock stars. Rock and Roll dinosaurs Mick Jagger and Keith Richards both get thank you's in the cd insert. Talvin Singh's earlier work under the Future Sound of India moniker was mostly drum-and-bass music with his signature speedy tabla play. Later Talvin Singh would play tabla on albums by The Future Sound of London, Bjork, and others. He has recently remixed Madonna's "Nothing Really Matters" and collaborated with the material girl on "Cyberragga" the b-side to her single "Music". It contrasts with the previous work of Talvin Singh in its approach. There is much more organic instrumentation of indigeonous instruments. About half of the tracks on this disc are recordings from the jam sessions with Master Musicians and Bachir Attar with some input on the tabla from Talvin Singh. These tracks succeed in acheiving an authentic third world timbre, but little else. Many ethnic or indideonous instruments from the bendir to the conch shell are present here. Each is more or less comprised of a repeated horn, vocal, or other instrument melody and complicated percussion work. This is shown on the ten minute track "The Truth Forever" and on "The Blessing for the World from God Only". The other tracks have Talvin Singh adding a synthetic studio touch to the organic music of the monks. Talvin Singh adds synthesizers, vocoders, and programmed drums into a potent mix. " You Can Find the Feeling" and "The Magic of Peace" fit into this mold. These tracks are easier for me to listen to and nearly resemble Talvin's earlier work. This work, however, does not stand up to Talvin Singh's earlier albums "Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground" or "OK", which had more vocals and faster beats. This album seems content to settle for the type of world music that can be heard at a local farmers market. In conclusion I would suggest this album for older people who want some eclectic music to play in the backgound of an office.