Ghazal Al-Harizi | Al-Amrawia FLAC

 

This raucous, energetic performance comes from the first of a pair of cassettes I'll be sharing that I found at the Nassem Halal Meat and Mediterranean Grocery on Steinway Street several years ago.

I've found nothing about the artist, Ghazal Al-Harizi (The Star Ghazal Al-Harizi on the J-card, or النجم غزال الحريزي), other than a couple of videos on YouTube.

Update: Tim Abdellah of the great Moroccan Tape Stash points to this Internet Archive posting of another cassette by the artist, transliterated there as Ghazal Lahrizi.

Tim's transliteration of the track list:

SIDE A

Al Amraouia - العمراوية

Halekni B-Nnkhwa - هالكني بالنخوى

Lli jabtou lqudra ishki b-dnoubou - لي جابتو القدرة يشكي بدنوبو

Lhit - الهيت

Sayeh Bu Derbala - السايح بودربالة

SIDE B

Sherqawi Buâbid - الشرقاوي بوعبيد

Ben Hsein - بن حسين

Âla Lhoudoud hah - على الحدود هاه

Al Halga - الحلـڭـة

And a note from Tim after a first listen: "Nice stuff - I'd put it in the chaabi category. The use of the lotar is cool and unusual. Heavy on the bendirs. 2nd tune on Side A is a version of Rouicha's 'Afak Al Hwa Hda 3liya.' Despite these Middle Atlas elements, the overall feel is more like stuff from Casablanca, which is where the label originates from. Well, the cover does state 'New Style (literally, new color) - لون جديد,' so I guess he was trying to mix things up a bit!"

Grab it here.