Samah | Shawish Aldawriat b/w Bayae Alghirbal (Bourini Records, 1975)

 

Benghazi, Libya-based label Bourini Records released several dozen 7" singles and at least one LP from 1968 to 1975; we've only been able to determine two women among the roster. 

Samah, featured on today's 45, was an Alexandrian singer married to composer Zaher Abdel Hamid. Discogs lists four singles by her, two of which are on Bourini. 

This record, released in 1975, includes two songs composed by legendary blind Egyptian singer, oudist, and composer Sayed Mekkawi, whose own Ya Misaharny was released by Voice of Lebanon the same year. The song was written for Oum Kalthoum, who recorded it half a decade earlier; Mekkawi's version features just his voice and oud and is one of the greatest things we've ever heard on vinyl.

Though relatively lighter, these two tracks are yet remarkable, in part as they feature at least partial orchestration, uncommon on this label, which tends to feature stripped down folk and sha'abi with sparse instrumentation and a hard focus on the vocal performance.

(Listen to "Shawish Aldawriat")

(Listen to "Bayae Alghirbal")