Part 2 of a 4 part interview of Sa’idi Rababa musician Qurashi – Filmed July 2015
This clip immediately starts out with Saad making a request of Qurashi, then explains to me this is the music they play for a “man to dance with a stick.” This was interesting to me to record this music that I had heard at so many weddings. But what astonished me was when this clip was translated, Saad had asked for “Ashra Baladi”!
“Ashra Baladi” – This was an answer to a 30 year question!
In my working with Egyptian musicians in both California and Cairo I was familiar with the terms Awadi Baladi or Baladi Awad, and Tet Baladi. When I got to Cairo there was a new term “Ashra Baladi” used on cassettes and by people who were not musicians. When asked, Cairo musicians told me it was often what the normal non-musician would call Baladi Awad. And surely enough that is what would be on a cassette, or something close to it. But still the term Ashra Baladi interested me, and I would ask my questions to anyone who used this term.
(In Luxor I knew if I wanted something close to Cairo style Baladi I would say “Baladi Awad”.)
And now the beginning of an answer to my quest was here in front of me. Is it Upper Egyptian? Or a rural term that the Delta would use as well? I do want to pursue the roots and parameters of this term, but it was exciting to hear “Ashra Baladi” as a meaningful phrase between musicians.
Two other special categories of what a Rababa musician would play are Historical stories and the “Salam” that they will play when particular visitors come into the party or when they leave.
- 0:08 Saad; “Show them, for example, when someone wants to dance “Ashra Baladi.”
- 0:15 Saad in English; “when you want man dance with stick.”
- 0:19 Qurashi and drummers; “Ashra Baladi.”
- 1:45 Rababa musician and singer as folkloric history poet and story-teller.
- 2:32 Qurashi and drummers; “Abu Zaid.”
- 4:00 Explanation of “Abu Zaid.” It is a “historical drama, but folklore.
- But maybe a real story… like King Arthur, something like this.” (wink)
- 4:26 The welcome “Salam.”
- 4:31 Qurashi and drummers; “Salam.” The welcome and the farewell.
We continue the interview with Ghawazee music in #562 and Mawwal in #563.
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