Gnawa Music from Morocco

A pretty straightforward collection of Gnawa works. The Altaf Gnawa Group isn't of the same notoriety as other bands and individuals from the tradition (such as Sidi Mimoun or Brahim Belkani). The playing is good, with Lotfi Lotfi providing an able gnbri performance. The vocals are somewhat less than one might come to expect from other recordings of lila ceremonies and more secular renditions of the music. Oddly enough, the recording seems to have captured the signature clack of the qaraqeb with some extra reverb, which can carry more than usual as well. Through and through, it's a decent album of Gnawa music, but there are others of the same or higher caliber out there as well. It's a soon-to-be-hot genre, and this isn't the first album to capitalize on the bumping grooves of the music.