Music genres in Sudan

Sudanese music belongs to the quintet musical scale, a musical scale which can be found in countries like China, Scotland, Puerto Rico, Mauritania, southern Morocco, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. [1]

Ancient and deeply meaningful traditional music is embedded until this day in the hearts and minds of those who remember. The people of Sudan have continued to pass down communal and ritualistic music making knowledge, continuing traditions of the past. Whether hailing in harvest season, hosting initiation ceremonies or gathering for community celebrations, the ancient music, instruments and dances can be found all over Sudan.

State-run mass media has controlled the production, recording and dissemination of Sudanese music since the 1940s and many argue that it has painted a rather bland image of what Sudanese music really is, as it focused on a small minority of rhythms, styles and genres, often sidelining women and Sudanese from outside of the centre.

Some sources group Sudanese music into three categories, namely, traditional and folk, military music and modern music (sometimes referred to as jazz music in Sudan). [1]

Other classifications group the genres pure African music of the South, the Arabic music of the Baggara in Western Sudan, and the music of central Sudan. [2]

Although some effort has been made to notate and document Sudanese music in recent times, much of the traditions are passed down orally. Politics also played a part in dividing the country based on national identity, making internal travel difficult, controlling the media and being anti-African thus excluding a section of the people.

A useful initial step in properly addressing the enormously rich musical and artistic heritages in Sudan would be to map and index the types and styles of instrumental and vocal music as well as the usage of various instruments in respect to both location and cultural context. [2]

Traditional genres

Shaabi tribal and folk: Music that has never deviated from its original form, passed down from generation to generation. This is too wide to cover but some examples include videos seen below:

In the video below popular Sha'bi singer Yousif AlBarbary sings a well-known song with a percussion ensemble and backing vocals.

Music of East Sudan: The video below shows Hedendawa people’s music and traditional dance. The rhythm is the popular Al Saera which comes in many variations from fast to slow.

The video below shows music of West Sudan

Religious music

Madeeh: The music praises Prophet Mohamed and is usually presented by an ensemble accompanied by percussion instruments such as daff and tar (frame drums).

Sufi music: This can still be witnessed today at the popular tourist attraction site, Hamad al-Nil Tomb in Omdurman, where whirling dervishes of Omdurman host drum and dance circles for spiritual purposes.

Zar music: In the documentary below, we are taken through a visual and auditory journey of The Zar ritual. The percussion instruments and rhythms are well documented. This is interesting because most of these ceremonies do not allow cameras. It's also interesting to note that Zar music is heavily influenced by the popular Zanig music.

Military music

After the end of World War Two and the British expulsion from Sudan, Sudanese musicians began playing the instruments left behind. Brass instruments were particularly popular. Military music in Sudan influenced a lot of other genres and was influenced by the regions the military men came from. Sudanese military music is considered to be one of the best genres here in Sudan and the most influential.

The military also gave birth to the Silah al Musiqa musical movement, which loosely translates to the weapon of music or musical weapon.

Modern music

Modern Sudanese music, largely known as Omdurman music, started being recorded in the 1920s.

This set up a foundation for Haqiba and orchestra music and the genres that have followed them over the years, including women’s music known as Aghani Al-Banat.

A timeline of modern Sudanese music

Poetry and madeeh (a song-like recitation of Islamic poetry praising Allah and the Prophet Muhammad) are where the majority of Sudanese get their songs. Composers, poets and singers work closely to create masterpieces of emotions and melodies.

1940s

Bade Mohamed Eltayeb, Ibrahim al-Kashif and Aisha al-Falatiya were among the first artists to perform on the radio. Aisha al-Falatiya is considered a legend in Sudan as she was the first woman to sing in the pop style that was a staple of her time – Haqeeba music or briefcase music. [3]

Abdelhamid Yousif, Mohamadia and Bashir Abbas also made notable contributions to the music scene.

1950s

Rhythms from Brazil like Mambo and Samba were popularised during this time, and are still played today in many Sudanese songs.

Sayed Khalifa was one of the most acclaimed artists of the era because of his passionate and soulful music and oud playing skills that mesmerised millions. Mohammed Wardi, Osman Hussein are other important artists of the time.

1960s

When Sharhabeel Ahmed started introducing instruments like the electric guitar, bass and drums, he became one of the trailblazers of what is now known as jazz music in Sudan.

Other influential musicians of the time are William Andrea and Kamal Keila, with one of the biggest bands being The Scorpions 'Al Agarib' jazz group.

This was also the period that Sudan had its first experience with theatrical singing. It was introduced by Mohamed Lemine with the participation of other singers, including Khalil Ismail, Osman Mustafa, and Om Plena Al-Sanusi, in the play The Epic Revolution, for which Hashim Sidig wrote its text.

Sudanese television, which was established in 1962, contributed in deploying Sudanese music and its development, especially in the field of pictured music; the Sudanese television formed its own orchestra that included a number of leading Sudanese artists. [2]

1970s and 1980s

The top artists of the era were Mustafa Sid Ahmed and a female group known as Balabil, meaning nightingales in Arabic.

Comprising three Nubian sisters, Balabil, formed in 1971,would go on to be the face of Sudanese pop music for close to two decades taking over radio and TV not only at home but beyond, and earned the tag the Sudanese Supremes.

Another famous 80s female singer was Hanan Bulu-bulu, sometimes referred to as Madonna, or even Marie Lloyd, known for her provocative stage performances that landed her in bad books of the Islamic fundamentalists.

Hanan Elneel, a blind singer also prominent in late ‘80s and early ‘90s, is best known for her delicate, wistful songs played to an electronic keyboard, is considered the more mild-mannered of her contemporaries.

1990s

Mahmoud Abdelaziz the legendary Sudanese singer who influenced the youth. Known as 'Al Hoot' sang for freedom and has the largest fanbase until today in Sudan

Another top star of the era is Rasha (Rasha Sheikh Eldin) whose critically acclaimed 1997 debut album, Sudaniyat, boasts of a rich diversity, ranging from Arabic poetry, sufi music and even a touch of reggae. (9)

2000s – Hip hop, reggae, pop and cover bands

Hip hop

Hip hop group Nas Jota was the first to start rapping in Sudan. This sparked a wave of new artists and the budding hip hop scene which is still growing today.

Reggae

Sudan Roots was among the first and most iconic modern reggae bands in Sudan. With original music and a strong message, the group inspired more artists to take up the genre.

Zanig

Zanig music is arguably one of Sudan’s most popular genres of music. Women artists lead the genre with a full band and strong vocals. Song content is heavily influenced by Zar music and has spiritual meaning. Other songs take a rap slant, and showcase competition, individuality and shout-outs to local neighborhoods and tribal groups.

Resources and references

1. https://www.ipl.org/essay/Sudanese-Music-Composition-PKWW5JWHESCP6
2. https://www.sudan-forall.org/sections/mousiqa_dance/pages/mousiqa_dirasat_abusabib01.html
3. https://www.reddit.com/r/arabs/comments/jlloua/the_history_of_sudanese_music_part_i_drums_and/