Orifxon Xatamov - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan by the great Maqom master

Orifxon Xatamov (born 1924 or 1925) - his name is given sometimes also as Orif or Arif Xatamov, and both versions can appaer in different spellings - belongs to the Maqom tradition of the Ferghana Valley and was a student of the legendary Jurakhan Sultanov (1912-1977), who was also the teacher of Mamurjan Uzakov. 

Theodore Levin devoted a very beautiful chapter to Orifxon Xatamov in his very interesting book "The Hundred Thousand Fools of God - Musical Travels in Central Asia". Some excerpts from this chapter, named "The Avatar of a Master", which is based on talks with the master in the early 1990s, can be read here. Orifxon Xatamov is depicted here as a master musician deeply rooted in the musical and spiritual (Sufi) traditions of his country.

The recordings here - again from the collection of MP3-CDs which our dear friend Danny brought a couple of years ago from Uzbekistan - are probably from the 1960s to the 1980s and were probably published originally on Melodiya LPs during Sowjet times. There is also a second MP3-CD by him which we will post in the future.

We already posted in 2012 some tracks by him. See here. But the tracks there are all included in and probably taken from these two MP3-CDs.

This MP3-CD contains 5 folders named CD 1 to 5. The first two folders are contained in the download part 1 and folders 3 to 5 in part 2.

Download part 1

Download part 2

Only today (2nd of december 2015), when I listened to the complete MP3-CD again, I realized that I forgot to post the last part of this CD. There are two more folders on it named CD 11 and CD 13. Both can be downloaded here as part 3. CD 13 is by other singers in the same tradition: tracks 1 to 7 by Ismoilon & Mukhamadon Xotamovlar and tracks 8 to 16 by Beknazar Dustmurodov. Maybe two sons and a disciple of Orifxon Xatamov.

Download part 3

Ustad Halim Jaffar Khan - His first LP published in 1962 in India

Here the very first, very brilliant LP by Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, the 9th LP (plus a double cassette) by the great artist we posted here. As far as I know only one LP, ECSD 2432 from 1969, is missing in our collection. Perhaps somebody is so kind to come up with a copy to share.

Wave

MP3

Sharan Rani (1929-2008) - The Great Sarod Virtuoso - LP published 1967 in India

Here an early LP by the great Sharan Rani, a disciple of Ustad Allauddin Khan and his son Ali Akbar Khan.

For more infos see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharan_Rani_Backliwal

http://www.itcsra.org/tribute.asp?id=23

http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/?page_id=565

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sharan-rani-backliwal-and-her-uncommon-love-for-music/1/218525.html

WAVE

MP3

Al-Munshid Tawfiq Al-Munajjid - Tafârîd - CD from Syria

We continue here our series of recordings from Syria which our dear friend Danny brought years ago from a trip to Syria. The next couple of recordings will be of Sufi music by some famous Munshidin and their groups. Mostly this "music" is purely vocal, sometimes it is accompanied by frame drums.

The Munshid Tawfiq Al-Munajjid seems to be the most famous and outstanding of the older munshidin. I couldn't find any details about his life or background nor if he is still living. He was one of the two teachers of the famous Hamza Shakkur. His singing is very intense.

wave

mp3

Habil Aliyev (28 May 1927 – 8 September 2015) - In his memory: LP "Kemancha" published in 1990 in Azerbaijan

We only received recently the sad news that Habil Aliyev, the great Kemencheh master from Azerbaijan, past away on september 8th. Here we offer in his memory a LP we bought at a memorable concert in Cologne in 1993 in which he participated. Both me and my wife were very impressed by his stage presence and his very noble, almost regal bearing and of course his exquisite music. I knew him already before from recordings. It might have been that I bought this LP already before in an Iranian shop in Cologne which used to have a whole pile of LPs from Sowjet Azerbaijan. He was probably the greatest Kemencheh player of the 20th century, held in very high esteem in his country and also in Iran, where he performed reguarly, occasionally with Shajarian, and also recorded. I have two Iranian cassettes by him, which a couple of years ago were republished on CD. The CDs can be obtained from info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com.

In the west there was only one CD published in 1992 by Auvidis, no longer available for many many years, and two CDs of the ensemble which I saw in 1993 in Cologne, published in 1994 by Institut du Monde Arabe/Blue Silver, also no longer available for many years and never republished. The ensemble consisted of Habil Aliev, the great tar player Ramiz Gouliev, the two singers Zahid Gouliev and Elza Gaybalieva and the nagara player Ali Amiraslanov. These two CDs contained also a number of solos by the two instrumentalists. It's a pity that they were on the market only for quite a short period. 

For more info see:
http://habilaliyev.az/eng/diskoqrafiya/plastinka.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habil_Aliyev

Side 1:

1. Dilkesh and Tesnif

2. Chahargah

Side 2:

1. Bayati-Hajar and Tesnif

2. Bayati-Shiraz and Tesnif

accompanied by:

Agagusyn Samed-Zade - Garmon (used here as a drone)

Beyukaga Muradov - Nagara (in the Tesnifs)

wave

mp3

Zhuzhu had posted this LP already in 2011 on her excellent blog, but only in mp3 format. See: http://zhuzhulingo.blogspot.de/2011/08/blog-post_05.html

Turgun Alimatov (1922-2008) & Abror Zufarov - Ustoz va Ustazoda - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan

Here we present the next in our series of MP3-CDs which our dear friend Danny brought a couple of years ago from Uzbekistan. This time an instrumental album by the greatest Uzbek instrumentalist of the second half of the 20th century: Turgun Alimatov, a Sato, Tanbur and Dutar player.

For more infos on the artist see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turgun_Alimatov 

This CD also contains music by his student Abror Zufarov. 

About him see: http://www.classicmusic.uz/Abror.htm

The CD contains six folders, three containing 39 tracks by Turgun Alimatov and three by Abror Zufarov.

Download part 1 (Turgun Alimatov)

Download part 2 (Abror Zufarov)

In 1995 Ocora - Radio France published a CD by him which unfortunately is no longer available:

On her blog Zhuzhu posted a LP by him from 1982:

http://zhuzhulingo.blogspot.de/2011/06/blog-post_24.html

Rasulxon (Rasul Qori) Mamadaliev (1928-1976) - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan

Here the fourth post in our series of MP3-CDs of great singers of the Maqam traditions of Uzbekistan, published years ago in Uzbekistan and brought by our friend Danny from a trip to Uzbekistan. This time the great singer Rasul Qori Mamadaliev (1928-1976). 

Jean During wrote about him in the booklet to the CD "Ouzbekistan - Les Grandes Voix du Passé (1940-1965)", on which he published three tracks by the great singer, the only ones available in the west:

"Rasul Qari Mamadaliev (1928-1976) was another brilliant successor of Jura-khan Sultanov whose repertoire he picked up, listening to him perform at toy. He also studied with Hamraqul Qari and Damla Halim Ibadov from Bukhara. Just as he learnt Khorezm repertoire, listening to Sultanov, he also made his own synthesis of the three great Uzbek-Tajik traditions. He was exceptional in other ways too: blind, he had a phenomenal memory and, if he liked a tune, was able to pick it up after one or two hearings. He put together a repertoire of thousands of songs, just listening to the radio or recordings. Short and very fat, his powerful, chubby hand had trouble reaching the low notes at the bottom of the neck of the tanbu so he held his Instrument vertically and only played in the top register with a tension and a density more akin to Uigur or Azeri lutes than to those of Ferghana. He was in great demand at toy for the extraordinary atmosphere he was able to create, and also for his sense of humour and witty tongue. In this context, his music was much more powerful  and impressive than in his recordings for the radio. Unfortunately the technical quality of his toy recordings was not good enough to be included in this anthology.

For certain connoisseurs, he is the greatest classical bard (hafiz) of this century, especially when one considers the range of his capabilities (an unequalled vocal and instrumental technique serving all genres and traditions), his incredible memory, his humour and wit. What's more, he was generous (he would sing for nearly eight hours a day) and would give his audiences exactly what they wanted, at times even more, with songs in a lighter vein and Russian melodies.
One anecdote reveals the provocating aspect of bis personality, and his respect for tradition. In his village, near Quqand, Rasul Qari had more than a dozen students. One night, at a party they had all been invited to, Jura-khan Sultanov turned up. From 6 p.m. until l a.m., Rasul Qari had each of his students sing the best pieces from Jura-khan's repertoire, taking away tbe latter's chances to demonstrate his superiority. Jura-khan just waited quietly for his turn. When he was finally asked to sing, he rolled up his sleeves, pitched the tanbur up a tone, and performed one of his compositions that nobody knew, to a poem by Nava'i. His interpret­ation was so astounding that he eclipsed everyone else. When he had finished, Rasul Qari came up to him and fell to his feet, begging his pardon. Although not a student of Jura-khan, he had learnt many of his compositions thanks to the radio. Rasul Qari also died singing, from a cerebral stroke, at the age of forty-seven."

Part 1 & Scans

Part 2

Salamat Hussain - The Enchanting Notes of Flute - Asghar Records PIKA-37 - LP published in New York in 1980

Here as promised to my blogger colleague Richard the only LP I have from this "mysterous" Pakistani label based in New York in the 1970s and 1980s. I bought this LP in the early 1980s in Southall near London in a Pakistani record shop. They had at that moment quite a number of LPs by this label, but unfortunately I bought only this one as there were so many of the great EMI Pakistan LPs which I couldn't resist. This Salamat Hussain LP I bought basicly out of nostalgic reasons as my very first Raga LP, the legendary "Pakistani Soul Session", which I posted here as one of my very first posts in june 2011, contained two tracks by him.

Richard had posted on his wonderful blog "Flat, Black and Classical: Indian Classical Music on Vinyl and Cassette" two LPs from this label, which also goes under the name Oscar Records:

Kabir Khan - Mellow Moment on Sitar [Oscar Records PIKA-23] (1978)

and:

Idd Mohd. Ajmeri - Tabla Solos [Oscar PIKA-28] LP pressed in U.S. (1978)

Side 1:

1. Raag Chandar Kauns (Chandrakauns)

2. Raag Gujrri Torri (Gujri Todi)

Side 2:

1. Raag Aimen (Yaman)

2. Thummarri Tez (Thumri Desh, I suppose)

flac

mp3

The artist has a website: http://www.salamathussain.com.pk/articl/biography.htm

Our blogger colleague Hans posted in 2011 a cassette by Salamat Hussain and added a track by one of his teachers, Debu Bhattacharya. In this post Hans also posted a number of other recordings by very little known Bansuri players from Pakistan.
See: http://lalogiqueinterne.blogspot.de/2011/01/roseaux.html

Adib Dayikh (1938 - 2001) - Sa'altak Ya Jabbar - Cassette from Syria

Here one of the many cassettes by the great singer from Aleppo. This one has quite good sound quality, though there are some disturbences occasionally. We saw him live at WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) in Cologne, Germany in the 1990s. Unbelievably beautiful and still very much alive in my memory.

flac

mp3

Many thanks again to Danny.

ADIB DAYIKH

1938 - 2001

Adib DayIkh : Born in Aleppo in 1938, belongs to a highly reputated line of cantors (munshid). Highly valued from Middle East to Maghreb, this native aleppian has rarely travelled abroad, but music lovers made copies of the cassettes and passed them around like a treasure. They transmitted a new style of expression that was broadly imitated by Arab singers. He is quoted as a real musical monument : altogether vocal phenomenon and a fount of knowledge in maqâmat, his art of modulation from one maqâm to another and his perfect mastership of an immeasurable classical repertoire. He might be the only contemporary singer whose voice reminds of the arab singers from the beginning of the century. The high-pitched and youthful tessitura of his voice is called al-farkha (the cheeping of baby birds) and applies to men and women alike. Capable of going from the lowest to the the highest notes with great ease, his ambitus covers three octaves.

from: http://www.alkindi.org/anglais/artists/artists_adib.htm

For more information on the artist see the booklet to his first CD published in France:
http://www.alsur.fr/assets/files/pdf/alcd143.pdf

For infos regarding the classical music of Aleppo:
http://www.aleppoart.com/Musique.html

Sabri Moudallal (1918-2006) - Qudud wa Muwashahat - MP3-CD from Syria

The media are full of the unbelievable human catastrophe taking place in Syria since years and getting worse and worse. What a desaster, what a horror! Amid all this desaster we hardly know anything about the destiny of musicians and if and how they are able to maintain their great traditions of classical and religious (Sufi) music. In order to keep up the memory of Syria's great musical heritage and as there are only very few CDs available we post here over the next months some cassettes and MP3-CDs which our dear friend Danny brought 5 years ago from a trip to Syria. 

We start here with a MP3-CD containing three concert recordings by Sabri Moudallal (1918-2006), the great master of the classical music of Aleppo, accompanied by a Takht ensemble consisting of Ney, Ud, Qanun, Violin and Riqq players. We had already before posted two recordings by him: one a Mouled an-Nabi as it is performed especially in Sufi circles and the second a programme of Classical Arab Music from Aleppo recorded by the WDR in Cologne in Germany.

Download part 1

Download part 2

Orif Alimakhsumov - So'lim - MP3-CD from Uzbekistan

Here the next MP3-CD from Uzbekistan. This time we present Orif Alimakhsumov (also transcribed as Orif Alimaxsumov), another well-known Shashmaqam singer. He was one of the singers in the legendary complete Shashmaqam of Bukhara under the direction of Yunus Rajabi, recorded between 1960 and 1962. See our post: Shashmaqam of Bukhara - Box of 16 LPs.

He is also considered to be a master of the Maqom of the Ferghana Valley. For more information see below the links to two articles about the history of these musical traditions.
On this MP3-CD are contained three folders called CD 1 etc. We keep this division into 3 CDs and they can be downloaded separately.

Download CD 1

Download CD 2 

Download CD 3

Many thanks again to Danny for sharing these recordings.

About the background of the artist see:

http://ich.uz/en/ich-of-uzbekistan/national-list/domain-2/262-shashmaqom

http://ich.uz/en/ich-of-uzbekistan/national-list/domain-2/264-ferghana-tashkent-maqoms

Vinayakrao Patwardhan (22 July 1898 – 23 August 1975) - 40th anniversary of his death - Part II: Ragas Malgunji & Nayaki Kanada

Here two other beautiful recordings by the great master. 

CD 1 - flac

CD 2 - flac

CD 1 - mp3

CD 2 - mp3

Many thanks to KF for the recordings and the nice booklet.