Lili Boniche, “Tresors de la musique judéo-arabe” (World Village, 2014)
Reviewed by Abu Ramses

Lili Boniche (1922-2008), born in Algiers to a Spanish-Jewish family, sings in Arabic & French & plays oud, accompanied by piano, accordion, clarinet & violin. A cult album in world music circles first released in 2004. This reissue has 3 previously unreleased tracks. Musical fusion at its best - North African folk, French chanson, tango & rumba. He called it "francarabe." These poetic ballads are a variant of Algerian chaabi (popular) music that emerged between the 2 world wars & flourished until Algerian independence in 1962. Boniche moved to France in 1947 & became a fixture at the prestigious Le Soleil d'Algérie cabaret, where he was a favorite of future President François Mitterand. He returned to Algeria but like most Jews, left in 1962. From the late 1990s he (& Enrico Macias) led the revival Algerian chaabi in France.

Try 1, 2, 9, 12

Tracks
1. Ana El Owerka – mid-tempo ballad - 5:47
2. Mazalat Fi Bali - (You’re still on my mind) – Violin improv, vocal solo in Jewish cantorial style, then upbeat 6/8 - 6:01
3. Ma Bine Eih (What’s with us?) - Latin beat with clarinet break - 5:05
4. Guitarra – tango style ensemble - 3:03
5. Inchallah Terbah - (God willing, you’ll win) - Piano & bongo lead Latin-Arab tune - 2:57
6. Golo Le Fene – solo piano, violin, vocal improv, lot of embellishment - 5:46
7. Ana Fil Houb (I’m in love) – slow violin & clarinet solos, then mid-tempo blend of Arab/Latin beat - 5:37
8. Bambino – All Latin beat - 2:45
9. Alger Alger – his signature tune, slow love ballad to his home town - 5:17
10. Ya Taleb – deceptively slow violin intro to md-tempo arabesque -5:36
11. Le Mariage – (The wedding) – Mid-tempo, Judeo-Spansih traditional /Franco-Algerian wedding dance music - 6:52
12. Elli Ghir – Perhaps the most “Arab” sound on the CD, chaabi style - 8:59
13. Elli Hebna – Andalusian piano riff intro, French chanson style - 3:10