Nubian Magic

AMG Review of Nubian Magic

Bret Love
All Music Guide

Nubia is a narrow stretch of land that runs alongside the Nile River Valley south of Egypt to Northern Sudan. The region is often called "the Corridor to Africa," and its rich culture bears distinct African, Asian, and Mediterranean influences. Ali Hassan Kuban is the region's foremost musical ambassador, with a soulful, impassioned sound and lyrics that mostly deal with love. His Nubian Band mixes elements of traditional and contemporary music forms seamlessly, using guitar, electric bass, and horns in conjunction with the Arabic oud, the Nubian lyra, and traditional Middle Eastern percussion. The music on Nubian Magic is notable not only for its aesthetic beauty and undeniable visceral power, but also for its ability to incorporate the ancient influences of his native land without being limited by them. This is thoroughly modern music for modern times, as the two dance mixes at the end of the disc will attest.