Ali Hassan Kuban - Walk Like A Nubian (1991 - 320kbps)

UPDATE: This post was re-uploaded 03/23/2014. Enjoy, NØ.

Before I begin to write about the music, I wanted to make a small announcement. A few days ago I lost all a great deal of feeling, strength and control, from my left-elbow to my fingers. I woke up and my arm was asleep, which of course I thought nothing of at first. After nearly an hour passed I started to worry that there might be a seriously problem. It has been more than three days now and my condition has only gotten worse. I went to the doctor a few days ago and was diagnosed with "Parathesis", which basically was a generic diagnosis the doctor gave because she honestly didn't know what was causing my condition. I'm supposed to go see a neurologist soon, who will hopefully be able to discover the source, and hopefully a cure. I bought a brace to wear on my left arm, but it still tires my arm a great deal and hurts to write, even after only a couple of minutes. When possible, I will try to make up for my lack of information with excerpts from relevant articles or reviews.

For those who haven't been following along recently, we have been paying tribute to the revolutionaries and protesters who are currently fighting for their freedom across the North African and Middle Eastern regions. Since my last protest, new protests and violent clashes have broken out in Bahrain, Libya and Iran. This is turning out to be a very historic month, the likes of which have not been seen since the Velvet Revolution which occurred in 1989. Although only two countries have managed to successfully overthrow their regimes up till this point, while BLAHBLAH BLAH managed to throw successful revolutions in 1989. It remains to be seen if these countries will be able to reach their end-goal, which is regime change. Political analysts were saying that an Egyptian revolution was next to impossible, due to the social and political conditions being dramatically different than those which led to the revolution in Tunisia. I find it unlikely that the regimes in some of these countries will fall. However, I am not only paying tribute to those who are most likely to succeed in their revolutionary goals. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to an oppressive regime willing to use force against peaceful protesters, especially those who have the least support behind them, and realize that their chances are slim. I want those who are participating in these protests to know that I have a great deal of respect for their courage and dedication to strengething the moral and political infrastructure of their country. Not only do you have my support, but countless others around the world are closely watching the events unfolding in your respective countries, praying for your safety and hoping you will succeed. Although we cannot be there physically, we are with you in spirit.

NØ recently shared a modern Egyptian band with Nubian roots, Black Theama, who play an eclectic blend of Nubian fusion. I wanted to turn back the clock a little to focus on one of my favorite acts from Egypt. There are a lot of uncertainties as far as what the future holds for Egypt, however the revolution has also given many Egyptians hope and a reason to celebrate. The music of Ali Hassan Kuban reminds me of the joyous atmosphere that spread throughout Egypt shortly after the announcement was made that Mubarak was stepping down. My arm has reached its limit now, so I'm going to close out this post by posting a couple of excerpts from the last.fm and Allmusic profiles for Ali Hassan Kuban.

Ali Hassan Kuban was an Egyptian musician. He was born in a small village in Nubia in 1929 or 1933 (sources differ on that point) and died in Cairo in 2001. Ali Hassan Kuban began his musical career as a child singing on the boats on the Nile. In 1942 he moved with his parents to Cairo where he learned to play several musical instruments.

He played in several traditional Nubian bands and formed his own group which combined Western and traditional Nubian instruments and incorporated outside elements in the traditional Nubian music. Kuban quickly became a star for Nubians throughout Egypt. When he began to sing Arabian texts to Nubian melodies his fame spread to the Egyptian population in general and in the 90’s he began to gain international recognition. - last.fm

Nubia is a narrow stretch of land that runs alongside the Nile River Valley south of Egypt to Northern Sudan. The region is often called "the Corridor to Africa," and its rich culture bears distinct African, Asian, and Mediterranean influences. Ali Hassan Kuban is the region's foremost musical ambassador, with a soulful, impassioned sound and lyrics that mostly deal with love. His Nubian Band mixes elements of traditional and contemporary music forms seamlessly, using guitar, electric bass, and horns in conjunction with the Arabic oud, the Nubian lyra, and traditional Middle Eastern percussion. The music on Nubian Magic is notable not only for its aesthetic beauty and undeniable visceral power, but also for its ability to incorporate the ancient influences of his native land without being limited by them. - Allmusic

Year of Release: 1991
Label: Piranha
Catalog #:
Bitrate: 320kbps
Genres: Arabic Music, Traditional Folk, African

Track List:
1. Om Schar Asmar Me Daffar
2. Habibi
3. Al Ghazal
4. Ya Waladi
5. Werwek Moshkoburungo
6. Gure Na Imi
7. Henna
8. YoYo Kilili, Annissa Kilili
9. Artasu Nartasu
10. Bettitogor Agil
11. Tamin Qalbak Ya Habibi
12. Ya Nubiyyah

Download: Ali Hassan Kuban - Walk Like A Nubian
Download Size: 140MB