Last year I posted about the staggering amount of liturgical
and festival music released by North African Jewish musicians on major record
labels from the earliest days of the recording industry through at least the
1970s. "These musicians," I wrote, "while mastering and
pioneering secular, popular Arabic music were also deeply Jewish and recorded
religious music, much like their Jewish musical counterparts around the
globe." Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating freedom from bondage,
resonated loudly with singers and songwriters from across the Maghreb. While relegating themselves to a single benediction or portions of the Pessah
haftarah (a selection of Bible chanted in synagogue on the holiday) on the 78
rpm format, the move to the LP allowed these artists to record the Passover
seder in its entirety, complete with instructions on how to lead the ritual service!
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| Nathan Cohen. Undated photograph. |
What I’ve done essentially is cut, spliced, and remixed portions
of these two LPs together to make what I hope is an enjoyable aural experience.
You will hear French instructions and an entertaining play by play of what the
holiday is about at the beginning of the track and then back-to-back versions
of the Passover classic Dayenu. Dayenu, meaning it would have been enough for
us, is a fifteen-stanza piece about gratefulness to God (If He had only brought
us out of Egypt…Dayenu. If He had only given us Shabbat…Dayenu). The track ends
with Samy appropriately imbibing the fourth cup of wine.
Listen here to a North African Passover Remix:
Listen here to a North African Passover Remix:
Please do make sure to pass this one around but not over ;) Wishing everyone a meaningful Passover holiday. Hag Pessah Sameah.
Finally, here are a couple of extra goodies. You can find my
post from last year here:
Here is Nathan Cohen’s version of Had Gadya:
And a Jo Amar Passover LP:
