Music in Nouakchott, Hassani at Fondation Malouma

Mohamed O Hambare et Lale avec l'ardine

Make O Dendeni avec le tidinit

Sedoum O Beybou O Eide et sa soeur qui répare la corde de l'ardine

musicians at Fondation Malouma

Ghady et Dilite N'gdhey et Lale Teneykmiche

Malouma et l'ambassadeur

What a delight to hear to some bits of live music by these extraordinary musicians from the old schools of 'Trarza', 'Tagant' and the 'deux Hodhs'.

The 'Fondation Malouma produced this double CD with traditional songs from the Hassani culture.

 Having been transmitted from generation to generation orally for centuries is now the work of the Fondation to put that knowledge in written. They have been having the Financial support of the AFAC and of musiciens like Mike Harting.

music

Hamadi Dia and his instrument  built by him.

Diego del Morao, flamenco

Malouma Meidah et Diego del Morao

Malouma Meidah et Macke Dendeni

Tidinit, Macke Dendeni. Ardine Malouma Meidah

Je suis à l'intérieur d'un petit studio d'enregistrement à la Fondation Malouma. Merci à Malouma, Mike Herting et Macke pour cet opportunité de les dessiner et les écouter au même temps.
Malouma joue l'ardine et Macke le tidinît.
Découvrir la musique de chacun en clickant sur les liens.

writing down the music, Malouma et Mike Herting

Malouma mint Meidah

  Moorish music is passed on orally, parents teach their children who in turn will teach theirs.
Mike Herting, composer, orchestra conducter and jazz pianist from Germany is in Mauritania at the moment working with Malouma mint Meidah trying to write down all the ways, modes and notes of the traditionnal music.

Lalla

 I went sketching twice at the Fondation Malouma. Yesterday they were recording the different modes. There was Lalla mint Teikmich, drum and voice, Malouma ardin (harp-like stringed instrument) and voice and Malouma's brother Lemrabott playing the tidinit (a small hourglass-shaped, four-stringed lute)

Malouma et Mike Herting

Today Mike was writing down the musical notes. Apparently apart of the notes we'll know ie DO RE MI...

there are demi notes for piano and in Moorish music there are even quarter of notes, meaning within the Do and the RE you can find two extra notes - explanation given by Mike and that I suppose its legible to musicians

Mike Herting listening to the musical notes

It was a priviledge to be able to listen to those great musicians playing while recording and note taking went on You can learn more about Mike and this project sponsered by the Goethe Institut of Dakar here. You an also listen to one of Malouma's music here.

Mike herting writing the musical note

Festival Paroles d'écrits

Mr X

Marie Huot

sécurité

chamelier

Mariem Mint Derwich

Abdelvetah Ould Mohamed

Malouma Mint Meidah

In the middle of the dunes, just outside Noakchott, poetry by men and women, young and old.
Fresh camels milk was served, tea was served. The sun went down behind a dune and the moon came up over another one.  The magic place was Dunes Soukouk.
Rencontres / lectures
Un après-midi magique surles dunes, sous une khaima, ponctué de discussions et de lectures de poèmes des auteurs invités afin de découvrir leur textes, leurs intentions, leurs attentions, leur rêves aussi. Les poètes seront lá pour parler de La Poésie et des poésis  qui les ont nourri. Il y aura des voix qui vous feront entendre poémes d'ici et d'ailleurs, d'aujourd'hui et d'hier.

Soirée at the Fondation Malouma

Malouma mint Meidah, the poet Abdelkader from Boutilimit and Mr...

griots from every region of Mauritania

griots from the Southern regions

Qadi

Malouma mint Meidah

I was extremely pleased to have been invited to the Malouma's event at her foundation.
She brought a musician from each region of the country from all the different groups ( moors and African ethnies) and together they played a mode called "Karr", you can read here in french a good explanation about the traditional music from Mauritania each musician interpreting it in a different way influenced by their regional area.
Malouma's music mixes other rythmes like blues but she wanted to show the traditional musicians how her way of interpreting comes from the same roots.
 I specialy enjoyed the voices of  Lalla mint Tenarmich and of Qadi, being a bit older they cover their mouths with their veils when singing. If you're enjoying the music don't miss this old recording with great singing by Jeich ould Sedoum ould Abba and the great dances of the two teenager girls.

demonstration for the people of Gaza

Small demonstration today in Nouakchott in support of the people of Gaza. Tomorrow an official one will take place after Friday prayers and thousands are expected to attend.

I met during the march the Mauritanian diva Malouma Mint Meidah and walked a part of it with her.
More sketches and the full story at urbansketchers