Jilala: Sufi Trance Music From Morocco

Amazon.com
A good portion of the musical power derived from sacred music, be it gospel or Gregorian chant, comes not just from the composition or its aesthetic, but from the belief in the divine presence each genre strives to evoke. If you're standing on the other side of the faith, you might not be able to hear much of it. This alone may mar the still-potent spirit of Jil Jilala, a collection of early Sufi trance-music recordings undertaken by Swiss painter Brion Gysin and writer Paul Bowles during their celebrated expatriate stay in Morocco. The music is rhythmic and stark--a few drums, three flutes, a pair of castanets, and the voices of the followers are all you'll hear on these titleless tracks--and the sound quality renders an experience imperfectly dimmed by the years. Yet this vivid sonic portrait of the Sufi mystical sect of Jilala captures the musical essence of a culture jubilantly seizing the soul of their worship. As both a historical document and glimpse into the unknown, Jilala radiates with an undeniable enlightenment. --Justin Hampton

From Rhythm Magazine
The Jilala brotherhood of Morocco is one of many sects of Sufi Islam. Originating in 12th century Baghdad, it still retains vestiges of pre-Islamic healing rituals and ecstatic dance. On these lovingly packaged raw field recordings from 1965, you can follow the members' journey to the ecstatic and feel the power of this primeval music.Sufi religious music has an intent similar to that of Native American drum circles, Tibetan chanting and qawwali singing-to create an atmosphere that transcends the mundane world, enabling the dancer to reach for the divine. Incense and special foods and drinks help establish the mood, while the shebaba (reed flute) states the theme. Bendir (hand drum) tempos rise and fall, as intricate percussion from double castanets, together with chanting and vocalizations, drives the dancers on.

Amazon.com

A good portion of the musical power derived from sacred music, be it gospel or Gregorian chant, comes not just from the composition or its aesthetic, but from the belief in the divine presence each genre strives to evoke. If you're standing on the other side of the faith, you might not be able to hear much of it. This alone may mar the still-potent spirit of Jil Jilala, a collection of early Sufi trance-music recordings undertaken by Swiss painter Brion Gysin and writer Paul Bowles during their celebrated expatriate stay in Morocco. The music is rhythmic and stark--a few drums, three flutes, a pair of castanets, and the voices of the followers are all you'll hear on these titleless tracks--and the sound quality renders an experience imperfectly dimmed by the years. Yet this vivid sonic portrait of the Sufi mystical sect of Jilala captures the musical essence of a culture jubilantly seizing the soul of their worship. As both a historical document and glimpse into the unknown, Jilala radiates with an undeniable enlightenment. --Justin Hampton

Customer Reviews:

excellent example of the real thing.......2002-08-09

The quality may not be superb, according to new age listening standards that require their sufism all scrubbed up and ready for easy listening digestion, but this is a fine recording of a real intoxicated sama. Real sama is rarely recorded and available by CD. Most of what is available are performances. Close your eyes and listen, you'll know what steps you need to take next.

Production values substandard.......2001-05-27

This recording is actually quite old and it shows. The production values are low enough to make this of little interest except for ethnomusiologists or very serious students of Islamic mysticism.

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