Sufi Sounds in Global Pop: the Master Musicians of Jajouka Led by Bachir Attar and Youssou N’Dour with the Super Étoile De Dakar

Sufi Sounds in Global Pop: The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar and Youssou N’Dour with the Super Étoile de Dakar

By Chuen-fung Wong

World music audience over the past half a century or so have and featured prominently in the ensemble. The most commonly witnessed the proliferation of global pop genres that style used chordophone is the gimbri, a half-spike plucked lute normally themselves as proud inheritors of centuries-old indigenous with three or four strings; it is also found in Gnawa music and ritual traditions. Part of what this amounts to is the transnational some other North African genres. The violin, held upside down circulation of sacred sounds and music, connecting among diverse and resting on the lap, may be added to provide a bowed string JEMXLWERHFIPMIJW]WXIQWEGVSWWXLI[SVPH7Y½WQEQ]WXMG-WPEQMG timbre. Finally, a double goat-skinned drum known as the tebel, tradition practiced widely across traditional societies in Central which appears in various sizes and played with a pair of sticks Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and other parts of the world, or hands, adds a rhythmic edge to articulate the melodies. Oral represents a major creative impulse and source of inspiration in sources of history recount that Jajouka musicians were traditionally contemporary world music. The Sufis embrace musical, poetic, patronized by the sultans to perform healing rituals. Today their and choreographic performances as spiritual paths through which music and dance remain associated ritually with an annual week- practitioners seek reunion with the god. Devotional sounds are long festival that worships Pan, the ancient Greek god known central to Sufi rituals. The Sufis’ musical dedication to Islamic locally as Boujeloud, a half-human, half-goat deity whose spirit is to worship – which is frequently set apart from orthodox, extreme be summoned through trance performance at the ceremony. MRXIVTVIXEXMSRWSJXLI5YV´âERERH,EHâÒXL[LIVIQYWMGQEOMRK The hypnotic music of the Master Musicians of Jajouka was of all kinds is indiscriminately banned – has also put some of the brought to the attention of the outside world through a number Sufi styles and genres on the map of contemporary global pop. of ‘discoveries’ by some high-profile Euro-American visitors, 'IVXEMR7YJMKIRVIWWYGLEWXLI4EOMWXERM7SYXL%WMERUE[[âEPâÒ including the writers Paul Bowles (1910–1999) and William S. the Moroccan/North African gnawa, and the ceremonial music of Burroughs (1914–1997) as well as the artist Brion Gysin (1916– the Turkish Mevlevi whirling dervishes have enjoyed wide global 1986) in the 1950s. Later it was the Rolling Stones’ guitarist Brian circulation and enormous popularity. Jones – producer of the widely popular album Brian Jones Presents To this list we should also add the ecstatic performance of the the Pipes of Pan at Jajouka – who introduced the Jajouka musicians highland Jbala people from northwest Morocco, as made famous to the broader outside world. More recently, the released of by the internationally acclaimed Master Musicians of Jajouka. The XLIMV½VWXMRXIVREXMSREPEPFYQJoujouka Black Eyes as well as their small hilltop village named Jajouka, from where the musicians came, debut at the WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) Festival, is located in the south of the Rif Mountains, a two-hour drive or both in the mid-1990s, brought the group squarely onto the train-ride from Tangier. The immediate sonic appeal of the group contemporary world music scene. Today, the Master Musicians comes from its signature piercing wail performed on the ghaita, a of Jajouka is led by Bachir Attar (b.1964), who inherited the double-reed aerophone that is a close sibling of the Arab mizmar leadership of the group from his father Hadj Abdesalam Attar as well as the zurna or surnay found in Turkey and the Turkic (who ran the group when they recorded with Brian Jones in Central Asia. The ghaita appears both as a solo instrument that the late 1960s). It continues to be one of the most sought-after carries the melody and also as an accompanying instrument that performing groups in the contemporary world music scene. supplies the drone in the background. Either way, it plays unbroken phrases through the technique of circular breathing, recreating the transnational Sufi devotional ritual known as zikr (dhikr), or the naming of god, where short lines of prayers are repeatedly recited SVWYRKWMPIRXP]SVEPSYH8SXLI7Y½WXLIEGXSJPMWXIRMRKXSVMXYEP music is itself a crucial means of attaining the divine state of trance, a quintessential pathway to reuniting with the god. Other Jajouka instruments include the lira, a vertical flute made of bamboo or cane commonly found in Morocco. The lira is

considered one of the oldest musical instruments in the tradition © Cherie Nutting

12 7Y½MR¾YIRGIWMRXLIQYWMGSJXLI(EOEVFSVR7IRIKEPIWI[SVPH and synthesized dance sound in his early styles, and has received music superstar Youssou N’Dour (b.1959) came less as literal wide acclaim around the world; it won a Grammy Award for the evocations of some trance-inducing ritual soundscapes, and more Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2005. What Youssou as an aspiration and heritage that seek not to escape the mundane celebrated in his songs here is an amalgamation – or bridging– world but to engage it in order to inspire social changes. Youssou’s of his African griot identity and his Islamic faith (a theme he had mother came from the well-known West African tradition of poet not discussed openly in previous projects). As Youssou puts it musicians known as griots, a hereditary class of praise singers in a 2009 interview, “We, coming from West Africa, Senegal, we who assume the role of storytellers and oral historians. The social are black, Africans. Yes, we are also Muslim, and the label, ‘We commentaries frequently found in Youssou’s lyrics – interpreted are Muslim’ is the strong one.” Perhaps more importantly, the with the impressively broad range of his soaring voice – have songs on the album represent a pluralistic vision for broader been heard as perpetuation of this centuries-old griot tradition. In understanding and greater tolerance in Islam and across different his songs, Youssou sings about the ideal of a pan-African identity, JEMXLW8S=SYWWSYERHQER]MRLMWEYHMIRGIXSHE]XLIWTMVMXSJ7Y½ solidarity with the anti-apartheid movement, environmental issues, music lies not in its evocation of the distant, ahistorical past. It is 7Y½WQERH-WPEQMGTVEGXMGIWMRIUYEPMXMIWERHXLITVSFPIQWJEGIHF] the present moment, in which so much has been divided across urban migrants, as well as ancestors and heritage. He was named a VIPMKMSYWREXMSREPERHIXLRMGPMRIWXLEXLMWWSRKW½RHXLIWXVSRKIWX UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991, and has assumed multiple resonance and the most powerful relevance. roles in social advocacy. -RQER]MQTSVXERX[E]WXLI7Y½WIRWMFMPMXMIWWSGSPSVJYPP]PE]IVIH Among the most famous African musicians alive, Youssou is in the music of both the Jajouka musicians and Youssou N’Dour credited today as a pioneer of African pop: he was among the (and his group) speak no longer to the vernacular sect that was first to blend local musical genres and instruments with Afro- once at the periphery of the Islamic world. These global pop Cuban and other African diasporic styles from the Caribbean. musicians and the mesmerizing, Sufi-inspired soundscapes they The outcome is a uniquely urban Senegalese pop genre known created are increasingly part of an emerging global musical faith, as mbalax, which, sung primarily in the Wolof language, Senegal’s whose membership is perhaps as inclusive as the styles and lingua franca, features highly ornamented vocal styles and sounds being represented, sampled, and appropriated. What sophisticated percussion forms borrowed from Wolof traditions, UYEPM½IWEW7Y½QYWMGXSHE]MWEWQYGLEREIWXLIXMGUYIWXMSREWMX unfolded against a primarily Latin jazz backdrop. Altogether the is a historical and religious one. It is true that the late 20th-century mbalax style reminds its audience of the Congolese soukous and TSTYPEVMX]SJ7Y½WX]PIWMRXLI[SVPHQYWMGQEVOIXTPEGILEWFSXL a few other African pop genres created since the 1960s. In the revived these centuries-old mystical traditions and diminished late 1970s, Youssou formed the Étoile de Dakar, a Senegalese their ritual functions, exposing the sound to the broader audience pop band that became the genre’s de facto spokesperson both while also extracting it out of the original context. It is also domestically and internationally. The group was renamed the Super true that these Sufi-styled global pop songs have blurred the Étoile de Dakar in the early 1980s in an effort to further Africanize differences between the sacred and the secular, the private and its sound by adding more polyrhythmic lines and assigning more the public. Yet what musicians such as Youssou N’Dour and the rhythmic roles to the enlarged instrumentation. Jajouka masters have achieved is the creation musical space that invites pluralist devotional pursuits and spiritual journeys across A devout Sufi, Youssou embarked on a musical journey that ethnicities and other premodern boundaries. It is in this sense that delved into his Islamic faith with the 2004 album titled Egypt. The the Master Musicians of Jajouka as well as Youssou N’Dour and his project highlights the cultural continuities between North Africa Super Étoile de Dakar continue to enchant their devoted global and West Africa by involving the Fathy Salama Orchestra from audiences. Egypt and a range of Arab styles, musical forms, and instruments. The West African bridged harp kora is heard alongside such Chuen-fung Wong Arab instruments as the plucked lute oudERHXLIVIIH¾YXIRâE]. is Associate Professor and Chair of Music at Macalester Collage, Minnesota. This album represents a major departure from the Latin vibe

13 神聖音樂的世俗風格：巴希爾．阿塔爾率領酋酋卡大師樂隊和尤蘇．恩多爾與達喀爾超級巨星樂團

文：黃泉鋒

世界流行樂壇的非西方音樂種類繁多，不少風格受本土宗教地區的各種嗩吶（zurna或surnay）源出一轍，聲音帶點刺耳儀式啟發，常以傳統神聖音聲糅合現代表演形式。近世最為又有極強穿透力，獨奏以外，更常以持續低音為其他樂器伴西方聽眾著迷的，要說伊斯蘭蘇菲教派（Sufism）樂風。蘇奏，亦以循環換氣法吹奏連串樂句，以模仿禱告儀式齊克爾菲信眾遍及中亞細亞、中東、北非以至世界各地；信眾對誦（zikr）中，蘇菲信眾背誦真主99個名字的音聲。儀式的目經十分執迷，亦常以音樂、詩詞及舞蹈融入敬拜儀式當中，的，是要讓敬拜者自身達到入迷狀態，藉此靠近真主。以修煉自身作為靠近真主的不二門法。概括而言，蘇菲對樂除了ghaita以外，樂團亦常用一種竹製直笛（lira），是通用舞較為開放的態度，有別於保守伊斯蘭教派對《古蘭經》及於摩洛哥的傳統樂器。另外也有一件稱為gimbri的撥弦樂《聖訓》教義的極端闡釋，以及對音樂活動的禁止。受蘇菲器；gimbri呈半尖柱狀，有三或四根弦，也在摩洛哥的格納風格影響的樂種有很多，當今世界樂壇較常聽到的有巴基斯瓦音樂和其他北非地區使用。樂師亦常按樂曲需要加入小提坦的格瓦利（UE[[âEPâÒ）、摩洛哥的格納瓦（gnawa）、土耳琴（放在膝上拉奏），以補充拉弦音色。樂團還用一種兩面其梅夫拉維教團（Mevlevi）的薩瑪（Sema）旋轉舞等。此蒙羊皮的鼓，稱為tebel，為旋律加入節奏感及律動。Te be l 以類遊走於神聖與世俗之間的風格，讓本土音樂在世界廣泛傳雙手或對棍擊打，形製大小不同。酋酋卡樂師身分世襲，以播，亦為流行音樂注入傳統底蘊。往受僱蘇丹（穆斯林國家統治者）宮廷，以音樂治病。時至眾多承襲蘇菲樂風的樂團中，今日最炙手可熱的當數酋酋卡今日，酋酋卡音樂和舞蹈仍與敬拜慶典息息相關，供奉古希大師樂隊。樂團成員來自北非摩洛哥西北地區里夫山（Rif 臘神話中半人羊形態之牧神（古希臘神話中稱Pan；當地人 Mountains）南脈、距離大城巿丹吉爾（Tangier）約兩小時車稱Boujeloud），樂師以音樂及舞蹈召喚牧神的聖靈。程的酋酋卡小村落。樂團最引人入勝的招牌聲音，來自雙簧酋酋卡大師樂隊使人「入迷」的音樂，五十年代以來在歐、吹管樂器ghaita發出的哀嚎。Ghaita與土耳其和中亞突厥語系美文藝界掀起一股熱潮，吸引不少作曲家、作家、畫家的

14 注視，紛紛造訪酋酋卡村落並與樂師跨界合作。當中，英國要。」專輯《埃及》收錄的樂曲，除了給聽眾一般的音樂欣著名的滾石樂隊結他手布萊恩．瓊斯於1968年推出了唱片賞外，更重要是提供了一種多元視野，嘗試了解並包容伊斯《Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Jajouka》，首次向外蘭教各分派及各種宗教信仰。蘇菲音樂的精神並不止於要喚介紹酋酋卡一眾樂師及其風格。九十年代中，酋酋卡大師起教派各自的歷史記憶；相反，在今日壁壘分明的宗教、國樂隊發行了首張國際唱片《Joujouka Black Eyes》及首次參與籍及種族分野下，尤蘇．恩多爾的音樂正在嘗試跨越異見和 WOMAD世界音樂節，於國際舞台上首度登場。現任團長巴界限，牽引更大的共鳴。希爾．阿塔爾（生於1964）承繼父親Hadj Abdessalem Attar的酋酋卡大師樂隊和尤蘇．恩多爾的音樂，從不同角度呈現蘇事業，領導樂團繼續在世界樂壇佔一重要席位。菲的音樂品味，說明小眾語言與風格在世界樂壇不一定會被與酋酋卡大師樂隊有別，世界音樂超級巨星尤蘇．恩多爾沒邊緣化。音樂家受蘇菲風格啟發的創作，亦逐漸成為新興的有在歌曲刻意營造入迷出世的蘇菲音聲。相反，他的音樂十後現代宗教音樂，廣受大眾認同。甚麼是蘇菲音樂？答案或分入世，處處滲透出對世俗的批判及對社會變革的期許。尤許要涉及歷史、宗教及美學等多層思考。二十世紀末，蘇菲蘇．恩多爾生於塞內加爾首都達喀爾（Dakar），母親世襲風格於世界樂壇盛行，復興逾百年歷史的傳統聲音。流行音西非傳統吟遊詩人（griot）身分（即身兼樂師和詩人角色的樂的形式是否削弱了原本的宗教意味和功能？新加入的現代講故人，是重要口述歷史傳承者）。尤蘇．恩多爾的聲音沙音聲和技法，又是否令原本的風格和含義變得模糊？再說，啞且音域廣闊，延續了數百年格里奧的唱腔。他以歌詞抒發既神聖又流行的現代曲風，會否淡化宗教與世俗之間的差自己對各類社會問題的看法，當中包括黑人的身分認同、種異？多元的角度或許可以翻越種族、信仰等傳統枷鎖，但能族隔離、環境保護、蘇菲主義以及城市新移民所遭遇的不平否同時保持追求自身的宗教思想精神？酋酋卡大師樂隊和尤等對待等等。尤蘇．恩多爾對大眾權益的關注得到國內外的蘇．恩多爾為樂迷洗滌心靈，超脫世俗煩囂，以音樂拓展新肯定，並於1991年獲委任為聯合國兒童基金會親善大使。的思考空間，或許都是解開這些問題的答案。當代的非洲流行風格始於六、七十年代。尤蘇．恩多爾將塞內加爾的本土音樂和樂器，與古巴及加勒比地區的非裔中譯：董芷菁僑民音樂互相結合，創立一種稱為姆巴拉斯（mbalax）的黃泉鋒獨特城市流行風格，與剛果的倫巴音樂（rumba）和索卡斯美國明尼蘇達州麥卡萊斯特學院音樂系主任、副教授。（soukous）等流行樂種互相呼應。姆巴拉斯歌曲主要以本土沃洛夫語（Wolof）演唱，並借鑑沃洛夫民族傳統中富有裝飾音的演唱法，以及複雜的多聲部節拍。此種新興音樂的冒起，某程度上繼承了當時的拉丁爵士音樂熱潮。七十年代後期，尤蘇．恩多爾創立著名的達喀爾巨星樂團，國內外視尤蘇．恩多爾與達喀爾超級巨星樂團（塞內加爾）之為演唱姆巴拉斯風格之典範。樂隊於八十年代初易名達喀 20-22.10（五至日）香港文化中心大劇院爾超級巨星樂團，配器有所擴充，多聲部節拍亦加強，以凸顯非洲黑人風格獨有的節拍模式。巴希爾．阿塔爾率領酋酋卡大師樂隊（摩洛哥）尤蘇．恩多爾是虔誠蘇菲信徒。他對蘇菲和伊斯蘭教義之 11.11（六）鑽研，體現於2004年推出的音樂專輯《埃及》（Egypt）。香港大會堂音樂廳專輯加入埃及樂隊Fathy Salama Orchestra，並以阿拉伯樂器演奏一系列阿拉伯風格和結構的樂曲。當中有以西非豎琴 Youssou N’Dour with the Super Étoile de Dakar (Senegal) 柯拉（kora）融入阿拉伯撥弦樂器烏德琴（oud）及蘆葦笛 20-22.10 (Fri–Sun) Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre （nEây）。尤蘇．恩多爾藉此向聽眾展示西非與北非之間的文化聯繫，並脫離早期強烈的拉丁音樂氛圍及舞樂風格。專輯廣受好評，2005年獲格林美「當代最佳世界音樂專輯 The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar (Morocco) 獎」。尤蘇．恩多爾藉其世襲格里奧血統及伊斯蘭信仰的 11.11 (Sat) 「雙重身分」，向聽眾呈現當中的矛盾和機遇。早前一次媒 Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall 體訪談中，他說：「我們來自西非國家塞內加爾；我們是非洲籍黑人，但同樣也是穆斯林，後者的身分（或許）更重