Various

Kassidat: Raw 45s from Morocco is a full-length LP that features six extended tracks from the golden age of the Moroccan record industry. After Morocco gained its independence in 1956, Moroccan-owned record labels sprouted and flourished in Casablanca. The inexpensive 45 rpm format allowed the record companies to release thousands of songs during the 1960s, creating a snapshot of the raw and hypnotic Berber music that thrived throughout Morocco. Powerful traditional styles were still alive and well at this time and untouched by international pop influences. Kassidat looks back at this era and presents it anew for audiences hungry for intense and authentic folk music. David Murray is the curator of Haji Maji (www.HajiMaji.com) a blog dedicated to the exploration of 78 rpm Asian music, as well as www.shellachead.com, a blog featuring 78s from around the world. He previously produced Dust-to-Digital's Luk Thung: Classic & Obscure 78s from the Thai Countryside, as well as the forthcoming Longing for the Past, a 4CD set of Southeast Asian 78s. In addition to collecting and researching old records, he is a musician and graphic designer in Oakland, California.