Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Blond Blond Sings Samy Elmaghribi + Upcoming Gigs

Lady, Your Robe is Open!

I'm heading out of town for the holidays but didn't want to leave everyone hanging. I just digitized the B side of the Blond Blond EP I posted for Hanukkah. This is Blond Blond performing Samy Elmaghribi's scandalous classic - Kouftanek Mahloul (your robe is open in Maghrebi Arabic). In this song, the singer flirts with a woman (Ya lalla - as you will hear throughout) who clearly belongs to someone else. This song has mythic origins and according to this article in Ha'aretz was rumored to be a response by Samy Elmaghribi to accusations that he was having an affair with a member of Morocco's royal family. He vehemently denied this and said that in fact almost the opposite was true - it was he who was being pursued! Whatever the truth is, this was his comeback and it packs a punch. Many a North African musician has performed this song but there is something about Blond Blond's delivery that just makes you want to dance. Go for it.

Blond Blond - Kouftanek Mahloul - Dounia 1278 (1970s) by CBSilver

Upcoming Shows

January 14 and 15 at Limmud NY
  • January 14: Sheikh it Baby: Arabic Music, Jewish Musicians
  • January 15: Israel's Arabic Singing Jewish Musicians
January 26 and February 2 at JCC Manhattan
  • January 26: Jewish Musicians in North Africa at 78 RPM: 1904–1956 
  • February 2: The Untold Story of Israel's Arabic Singing Jewish Musicians

Finally, I will be in Los Angeles from January 18 - 22. If you have ideas for venues where I can spin this music, let me know / email me.

4 comments:

  1. any chance you'll be stopping by Atlanta sometime soon for a spinning session?

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  2. I would love to stop by. No plans as of right now but let's see if we can think of something. Send me an email when you get a chance.

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  3. I assume you know the version of "Kaftenak" on the Sacred Music of the Moroccan Jews (from the Paul Bowles collection) CD, "El hay ram gedol"?

    Great blog, can't believe I only just found it.

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  4. Thanks Ted! Yes, I'm familiar with that version. Binyamin Bouzaglo also does a great rendition here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoKBZ4uNlRY

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