The Shaigiya Sound of Sudan
Ostinato Records (50 mins)
The Shaigiya people claim lineage from the Arabian Peninsula but grew as a culture in Nubia. The music of the Shaigiya thus has its roots in both places: the melodies use the five-note scales of the south alongside melismas and ornaments of the north, and the rhythms come from all over north-east Africa.
Ostinato Records, fresh from their Grammy-nominated Somali compilation Sweet as Broken Dates, journeyed to Sudan to dig out recordings from Shaigiya master musician Abu Obaida Hassan. He’d become a legend. His music had filled dancefloors in the 1970s but lately was assumed long-dead. Actually, he was just living quietly on the outskirts of Omdurman, and was so enthused by this project that he helped curate this collection personally.
It’s easy to hear how his music captured hearts and bodies in the clubs. With Hassan’s traditional Shaigiya tambour (lyre) – updated by his own hand with extra strings and electronics – backing his voice and only accompanied by drums and chorus, it’s amazing how funky it can be. Catchy, too: the stand-out track ‘La…La’ will have you la’ing along for days after.