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LP
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OTCR 005C-LP
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Following the immense critical acclaim of Siti Muharam's album Siti Of Unguja, On The Corner Records release on transparent vinyl. Crowned Album of the Year 2021 by Songlines, Siti Of Unguja was also selected The Guardian's "Global Album of the Month", The Wire's "No.1 Global Album", and included in best albums of the year lists in NPR and The Vinyl Factory. Siti Of Unguja tells the story of pioneering women, of the "golden voice" of Siti Muharam, heiress to the singular legacy of her great grandmother, the mother of taarab, Siti Binti Saad. On the Corner teases this first taste of a landmark recording that the label embarked upon two years ago on Zanzibar. Siti Of Unguja has a transformative atmosphere, brimming with romance, passion, and protest. Zanzibar is an Island archipelago that lies six degrees South of the equator and 30 miles off the East African coast out in the Indian Ocean. Known for its spices, traditional Dhow sailing boats and being a mercantile trading capital of Swahili culture. The modern history of Zanzibar can be animated through the life and legacy of one artist, Siti Binti Saad. Born in 1890 in the small fishing village of Fumba, on Unguja (Zanzibar's largest island), she became the first Zanzibari recording artist and her recordings sold in tens of thousands across the Swahili world. Transparent vinyl; edition of 500.
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CD
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OTCR 005CD
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Siti Of Unguja tells the story of pioneering women, of the "golden voice" of Siti Muharam, heiress to the singular legacy of her great grandmother, the mother of taarab, Siti Binti Saad. On The Corner Records teases this first taste of a landmark recording that the label embarked upon two years ago on Zanzibar. Siti Of Unguja has a transformative atmosphere, brimming with romance, passion and protest. Zanzibar is an island archipelago that lies six degrees south of the equator and 30 miles off the East African coast out in the Indian Ocean. It is known for its spices, traditional Dhow sailing boats, and being a mercantile trading capital of Swahili culture. The modern history of Zanzibar can be animated through the life and legacy of one artist, Siti Binti Saad. Born in 1890 in the small fishing village of Fumba, on Unguja (Zanzibar's largest island), she became the first Zanzibari recording artist and her recordings sold in tens of thousands across the Swahili world. The tracks recorded for Siti Of Unguja demonstrate Siti Binti Saad's eclectic influence on Zanzibari taarab and her great granddaughter, Siti Muharam imbues the compositions with feeling. Siti Muharam's golden voice carries the poetry and invents a timeless passion. It is Muharam's deep humility and love that brings the spirit of these two women together. With Sam Jones at the controls, taarab's conservative layers were opened up and given more than a little wiggle room. Under the direction of Matona, the recording of this album paid homage to Siti Binti Saad's innovations by bringing back the percussive Kidumbak style of music that originated on the streets of Zanzibar. By stripping back the typically dense string section of taarab a space was created for Muharam's beguiling timbre that is gilded with emotion. Liner notes by Pete OnTheCorner.
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LP
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OTCR 005LP
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2021 repress; LP version. Includes printed inner sleeve. Siti Of Unguja tells the story of pioneering women, of the "golden voice" of Siti Muharam, heiress to the singular legacy of her great grandmother, the mother of taarab, Siti Binti Saad. On The Corner Records teases this first taste of a landmark recording that the label embarked upon two years ago on Zanzibar. Siti Of Unguja has a transformative atmosphere, brimming with romance, passion and protest. Zanzibar is an island archipelago that lies six degrees south of the equator and 30 miles off the East African coast out in the Indian Ocean. It is known for its spices, traditional Dhow sailing boats, and being a mercantile trading capital of Swahili culture. The modern history of Zanzibar can be animated through the life and legacy of one artist, Siti Binti Saad. Born in 1890 in the small fishing village of Fumba, on Unguja (Zanzibar's largest island), she became the first Zanzibari recording artist and her recordings sold in tens of thousands across the Swahili world. The tracks recorded for Siti Of Unguja demonstrate Siti Binti Saad's eclectic influence on Zanzibari taarab and her great granddaughter, Siti Muharam imbues the compositions with feeling. Siti Muharam's golden voice carries the poetry and invents a timeless passion. It is Muharam's deep humility and love that brings the spirit of these two women together. With Sam Jones at the controls, taarab's conservative layers were opened up and given more than a little wiggle room. Under the direction of Matona, the recording of this album paid homage to Siti Binti Saad's innovations by bringing back the percussive Kidumbak style of music that originated on the streets of Zanzibar. By stripping back the typically dense string section of taarab a space was created for Muharam's beguiling timbre that is gilded with emotion. Liner notes by Pete OnTheCorner.
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7"
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OTCR 703EP
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On The Corner Records provide the first taste of a landmark recording that the label embarked upon two years ago on the East African island archipelago of Zanzibar. Pete On the Corner was consulting for the ambitious permaculture development of Fumba Town. The story of Siti Binti Saad, the mother of Taarab is rooted in Fumba. Pete joined the dots to shine new light on the pioneering life of Siti Binti Saad as the innovative town development took shape and looked to connect with the Island's unique history at the center of the Swahili world. Whilst steering a recording project that would celebrate Siti Binti Saad's legacy, Pete brought in producer Sam Jones and the pair met with filmmaker Andy Jones (who documented the life and work of the legendary Bi Kidude) who revealed that Siti Binti Saad had a great grand-daughter, Siti Muharam who led a very private life but had a "golden voice". With music director Issa Matona on board the scene was set to go beyond celebrating the singular legacy of a Swahili pioneer and find a new hero. Siti Muharam has a golden timbre and on this 7" -- you get the first taste of her debut LP that will represent her great grandmother's legacy for the next generations. The 7" is two tracks which are at the furthest reaches of the LP project. The A-side is a Sam Jones "Construct" of "Ashikibaya", featuring Tamar Collocutor, who find new frontiers of this Swahili jazz out across the Indian ocean pushing a cosmic Taarab on the trade winds. The flip is an instrumental affair with Matona driving the stunning "Mandira".
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