Lili Labassi - La Génie du Chââbi Vol.1 - 1932-39 ~ 78 rpms

Lili Labassi - La Génie du Chààbi Vol.1 - 1932-39
Blue Silver - 50349 - P. 1995

01 Ma Fiha Bass [1934] 6:05
02 El Guelsa Di Fes [1939] 6:09
03 Ya Bechar [1934] 6:12
04 DJani Bechari DJa [1939] 5:45
05 Ya Sââd Dak Ennar [1933] 6:30
06 Cheftek Fel M'Name [1934] 5:54
07 Ââfou Ââfou Ya Lebnats [1932] 6:20
08 Ya Kelbi Testehal [1937] 5:57
09 Moulat El Messiassa [1937] 5:50
10 Malheubi [1937] 5:03
11 Ana Bellah Ou Bechââr [1933] 6:32

The day an unbiased musicologist worthy of his title & without any prejudice of race, religion or origin studies Algerian musique [Chààbi & Andaluz] the obvious will appear; that its paramount lord is undoubtedly Lili Labassi.

He was barely twenty when he was first called Cheikh [master]. As an instrumentalist, this viola virtuoso invented a style which has become legend & remains unequalled. As a vocalist he created a unique style of interpretation,
combining tradition with his personal rendition. In regard to musical creation, there are about 300 masterpieces displaying his talent as a lyricist & composeur.

Such talent gathered in the same person make Lili Labassi the genius of Algerie Chààbi as well as Arab-Andalusian musique.

Twas his father Mààlem Youcef who taight him the basiques of classikal Andaluzian musique by the book. Lili Labassi mastered all the classikal nubas [suites] including Moroccan nubas still unknown to Algerian musicians at the thyme, which explains his pre-eminence.

His viola was his confidant, his advocate, his alter ego. The osmosis between him & his instrument was unique. Upon hearing him a good 200 meters away from where he was playing, one could actually say 'this is Lili Labassi playing', as people often did.

Although often imitated & heavily plagiarized, his style has remained unmatached. He re-invented all the stikhbars of all the various modes, each thyme creating new melodique lines without altering the original ones. Twas magique.

The viola was his favourite instrument, but on some 78s he plays lute or kointra with equal skillfullness & exceptional style.

He had a tenor tessitura. He would fully express himself in live performances ~ concerts, celebrations, baptisms, weddings, bar-mitvahs & galas were not limited to a few minutes as were the sides of a 78 rpm disque. He despised plagiarism [hehe] & he enjoyed enjoyed confusing & surprising his audience by switching to another mode of tonality whist he enriched his creations with improvisation & arabesques.

He was a total artist ~ altogether a writer, composer, singer & virtuoso instrumentalist. These characteristics make him exceptional. The singer of genius he was, he re-invented a style & masterfully expressed all the range of feelings in orientsal lyricism. He invented a violin style that has become legendary. No one will ever play the violin the way Labassi did. As a lyricist & composeur, he enriched the Algerian cultural heritage with massterpieces which now pertain to its classical repertoire.

marvelous, one of a kind recordings of a singular talent, generously bestowed upon us by the aforementioned autodidactique musicologue extraordinaire who still wishes to remain anonymous. a thousand thanks for this glorious gift. tiz indeed a rare & wondrous treasure. for another fabulous Labassi 78 side, kindly see excavated shellac