Into The Mystic
Following in the footsteps of Brian Jones, Ornette Coleman, William Burroughs and others, Sonic Youth guitarist LEE RANALDO headed into Morocco's Rif mountains to seek out the legendry trance music of The Master Musicians of Jajouka. In this extract from his diary, he describes his intoxicating encounter with the village musicians, and outlines the battle currently raging over the music's birthright.
In September of last year, in the course of a two week trip to Morocco, Leah Singer and I were lucky enough to pay a visit to the remote mountain village of Jajouka, where the legendary Master Musicians reside. First brought to the attention of the world via recordings made by The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones in the mid-60s, their music has touched many and various souls since that time. The following text is an excerpt from my own Moroccan journal, specific to that visit.
A few words are needed in preface to the text, however, which was written in Fes in September 95.
In the time since my visit to Jajouka I have been made aware of a situation which places a sad weight upon the beautiful music which emanates from this little village. It seems there are currently two groups of musicians claiming to be the 'real' Master Musicians OF Jajouka/Joujouka (they're even arguing over the spelling). One group, the 'Jajouka' faction, is led by Bachir Attar, whose father was the leader of the group in the 60s when Brian Jones and Ornette Coleman made their visits (it is this group I have written about here, and for reasons of pragmatism, I have used the 'Jajouka' spelling throughout). The 'Joujouka' faction is in the care of Mohammed Hamri, who has been involved with the village since the 50s and 60s, and who had a hand in bringing Brion Gysin and Paul Bowles there.
It seems that neither group is willing to acknowledge the right of the other to exist, and both groups are fighting for the name which Brian Jones's recordings have made so well known. Players which appeared on those original recordings now appear to reside among both current groups.
Although I have not spoken to Hamri, I have had conversations with Frank Rynne, a London-based sound engineer who has made extensive recordings of the Hamri-led group in Joujouka. I am in the process of attempting to find out more about this troubling situation, and in no way do I wish the text which follows to appear to be an endorsement of one group over the other. I have heard the recordings made by both groups, and consider them all to be quite remarkable, and worthy of your attention.
Suffice it to say that my hope, and the hopes of many others in the music community, are for some sort of resolution to these conflicts that will allow both groups to co-exist and continue to bring this beautiful music out into the world.
- Lee Ranaldo, NYC July 96
A few words are needed in preface to the text, however, which was written in Fes in September 95.
In the time since my visit to Jajouka I have been made aware of a situation which places a sad weight upon the beautiful music which emanates from this little village. It seems there are currently two groups of musicians claiming to be the 'real' Master Musicians OF Jajouka/Joujouka (they're even arguing over the spelling). One group, the 'Jajouka' faction, is led by Bachir Attar, whose father was the leader of the group in the 60s when Brian Jones and Ornette Coleman made their visits (it is this group I have written about here, and for reasons of pragmatism, I have used the 'Jajouka' spelling throughout). The 'Joujouka' faction is in the care of Mohammed Hamri, who has been involved with the village since the 50s and 60s, and who had a hand in bringing Brion Gysin and Paul Bowles there.
It seems that neither group is willing to acknowledge the right of the other to exist, and both groups are fighting for the name which Brian Jones's recordings have made so well known. Players which appeared on those original recordings now appear to reside among both current groups.
Although I have not spoken to Hamri, I have had conversations with Frank Rynne, a London-based sound engineer who has made extensive recordings of the Hamri-led group in Joujouka. I am in the process of attempting to find out more about this troubling situation, and in no way do I wish the text which follows to appear to be an endorsement of one group over the other. I have heard the recordings made by both groups, and consider them all to be quite remarkable, and worthy of your attention.
Suffice it to say that my hope, and the hopes of many others in the music community, are for some sort of resolution to these conflicts that will allow both groups to co-exist and continue to bring this beautiful music out into the world.
- Lee Ranaldo, NYC July 96
Posted 13/02/07
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