This is a wonderful new jazz/Algerian chaâbi fusion album
called Koum Tara: Chaâbi, Jazz and Strings.
The band’s name, Koum Tara, means “stand up and admire.” It is based on a popular traditional Algerian folk song and poem about beauty, nature, and life.
Chaâbi is a form of popular music in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt) that emerged in the first half of the 20th century. The word chaâbi refers to its folk origins, meaning “of the people” or “λαϊκό, popular,” and it’s a celebratory music often played at weddings and festivals.
Algerian chaâbi is associated with Casbah (the citadel of Algiers) and the city of Oran. Its sound incorporates elements of Arab-Andalusian classical music, which goes back to the 9th century.
The father of Algerian chaâbi, El Hadj M’Hamed El Anka (1907-1978), was considered a master of both chaâbi and Andalusian classical music.
Algerian singer Sid Ahmed Belksier is a soulful vocalist who wrote most of the repertoire of original chaâbi poetry and love songs, and plays the mandole (Algerian mandolin).
Koum Tara’s music once again shows us that music binds people together regardless of religion or language barriers.
