Cheikh Raymond, Anthologie, 1937-1961, 3CD box set
(Universal Classics & Jazz France, 2011)
ALL TRACKS FCC CLEAN Reviewed by Abu Ramses

CD I, 1937-54

Raymond Leyris was born in Constantine (1912), then French Algeria, the son of a Jewish father and French mother who had an affair. He was abandoned & raised by a Jewish family after his father died in WW I. Until the 1950s Muslims & Jews, especially the poorer classes, lived harmoniously in North African cities, sharing the same Arab culture. Raymond received the title Cheikh (sheikh) due to his mastery of the oud & Malûf style – music of the Arab-Andalusian tradition, of which he was the greatest 20th century performer. His assassination on June 22, 1961 by a National Liberation Front militant was one of the reasons Jews began to leave Algeria on the eve of its independence. Raymond’s music has been hard to find. Two CDs of live recordings were released in 1993. This CD, the first of 3 in the set, consists of remastered 78s (so they are 6 minutes max – 3 per side).
Produced by Bertrand Dicale, Michel Mercier & Raymond’s son, Jacques Leyris. Raymond on vocals & oud; backup vocalists & instrumentalists Sylvain Ghrenassia (violin); Nathan Bentari (derbuka drum); M’Boreck Ben Nathan (tar drum); Abdelhamid Benkartoussa (djouak and zhorna flutes).

For variety try 2, 3, 9, 12

Tracks
1. Malahbibi Malou (My friends can take no more) – Lyrics about a disagreement between 2 youths, one of the few in the box not about love. Short nay intro; plaintive vocal, full ensemble on breaks - 5:17
2. Sabh El Khir Alik (Good morning to you) – long violin intro. Lyrics complement a woman about her “beautiful ankle” – traditionally all you can see - 5:47
3. Kolto La Hbi (To kill one’s love) – Lyrics describe a beautiful woman met in the street. Highly ornamented pizzicato violin and djouak at end – 5:57
4. El Heb Maatani Fatra (Love has not forgiven me) – Late 18th-early 19th cent, in the rare djerka nouba (mode). Lyrics about an endless search for love – 5:39
5. Douah El Ghram (Marriage with passion) – A wedding celebration song with the zhorna flute used almost exclusively in the mahdjouz nouba (mode) - 5:58
6. Men Sabmni Maa Mleh Lilia (Who noticed how extraordinary this night is?) – Intro of guitar-like chords high on the neck of the oud; Ghrenassia joins vocal in 2nd part - 5:55
7. Bah El DJamal (Queen of beauty) - Celebrates beauty. In zidane nouba - 5:53
8. Had Ezaman – (That time) – The narrator, rejected by his beloved, tells his friends not to criticize her as God determined he was not worthy of her - 5:57
9. El Boghi (The desired one) – An 18th century classic with a Romeo & Juliette –like them, except the lovers are both married - 6:04
10. Hanini Hanini (Console me) - A meditation in suffering caused by unrequited love – 5:59
11. Hen DJak Erabi (Springtime is upon us) – Nay intro; in dheil nouba; celebrates springtime & courtship - 5:33
12. Guelbi Yawa Meich (My heart likes to live with you) – Raymond’s very first recording (1937) at age 25 – Introduced mentioning Diamophone, the first pan-Arab label & “God bless you Benkartoussa.” Sound quality is what you would expect of an oldie. Condition of the 78 allows reproduction of only side 2 - 2.59