These four CDs, edited by Philip D. Schuyler, offer a survey of regional musical styles typical of Morocco. Recorded by Paul Bowles (1910–1999) in 1959 for the Library of Congress with a Rockefeller grant, these recordings were originally released as two long-playing records (Bowles Reference Bowles1972). Schuyler, a well-known ethnomusicologist and deep connoisseur of Morocco and its music, has updated them with elegance. The selection of recordings by Bowles and his liner notes as they appear in the LP release have been largely preserved, with the exception of two recordings that have been replaced by music of better quality, both technically and musically (CD 2, track 8 and CD 3, track 9). The full length of most recordings has been re-established in line with Bowles' original wish, and additional material includes eight previously unpublished recordings and notes in a substantial booklet. The choice of these additional recordings was approved by Bowles himself in 1999, with the exception of an excerpt of a late-night soundscape from Tangier at the very end (CD 4, track 6) which was selected after his death. Two discs (a total of fifteen tracks) are devoted to Berber music (The Highlands—The Berbers) and two others (also a total of fifteen tracks) are devoted to classical or popular Arabic, sub-Saharan or Jewish music (Lowlands—Influent Strains); the sacred Jewish music that was recorded by Bowles in Meknes and Essaouira has been previously published (Seroussi Reference Seroussi2000) and so does not feature prominently in this collection.

In his well-documented introductory essay, Schuyler recalls Bowles’ life as a writer, poet and composer, and evokes his rich artistic encounters and his discovery of North Africa. Arriving in Tangier in northern Morocco during the year 1931, he lived there more permanently from 1947. Schuyler emphasises Bowles’ attraction to the sound of the musical practices discovered in the Maghreb and his desire from 1934 to make recordings of these musics before they die out or transform under the effect of the modern world. It was not until 1959 that Bowles managed to carry out his project, over four six-week trips and a short fifth one (a map nicely traces these trips and the geographic locations of recording). He was assisted in the field by Mohamed Larbi Djelali and Christopher Wanklin, the latter subsequently publishing his own recordings (Wanklin Reference Wanklin1966).

In his essay, Schuyler provides important information for understanding the background to the recordings: numerous problems related to requests for authorisations from government officials and their lack of cooperation in the south-east; sometimes tense negotiations with musicians to get certain recordings in the spirit that Bowles wanted, not to mention the uncomfortable conditions experienced daily. Bowles depended on electricity to make his recordings, thus favouring cities, since the rural areas usually had either an unreliable supply of electricity, or no electricity at all. Some groups of rural musicians had to be brought into town to be recorded.

Schuyler incorporates extensive additional information in the liner notes by drawing on the field notes and writings of Bowles. He provides in-depth explanations and clarifications, sometimes detailing at length the characteristics of certain musics, sometimes correcting or discussing Bowles' comments in a kind of posthumous dialogue with the author that creates a very successful dynamic. These unpublished comments (clearly distinguished from the notes of 1972 by typography) are all the more valuable since Bowles, who was not engaged in scientific study, did not stay to investigate musicians or music.

The recordings are of high quality, which is in itself a feat, for such music is usually collectively performed and danced outdoors, with frequent unforeseen events. Only the recording of the Gnawa made in Essaouira (CD 3, track 6) departs from this quality, reminding us of the reality of the field with wind noises and a drum overpowering the almost inaudible voices. But it is a valuable document, since it is Berber Gnawa, whose musical style conforms to that of the Berbers of the region and is still little known.

Listening to these recordings, dominated by men’s collective music or by music from professional ensembles, we note the importance of polyrhythmic cycles of a driving nature (produced by different types of musical instruments), as well as a certain virtuosity, in addition to the antiphonic choirs or soloists featuring specific vocal techniques that are so characteristic of Moroccan music. Among the many outstanding performances are the shikhat musicians’ ensemble recorded in Marrakesh (CD 3, track 9) for both vocal techniques and the beauty of the instrumental accompaniment; the piece ‘Taqtoqa Jabaliya’ recorded in Fez (CD 3, track 5) with its three types of lute guinbri and its gradual rise in recto tono on each of the seven degrees of the scale; the double female choirs of Ait Ouaraine (near Fez) with initial ascending glissandi (CD 1, track 5); the men’s ahwash (collective sung dance) recorded in Tafraout (CD 1, track 7) which gives an accurate example of this practice in the Anti Atlas, and another ahwash, recorded near Essaouira, representative in the Western High Atlas of a spectacular virtuosity in the play of sounds (alternating foot-stamping and hand-clapping) (CD 2, track 2). The hypnosis that comes from the repetitive nature of certain pieces listened to in their entirety was not without displeasure to Bowles, who saw in “the apparently reiterated rhythmical, melodic or textural motif…a device for capturing the attention” (p. 40); nevertheless, we may regret not having, for some examples at least, notations of the song texts so essential for Moroccans.

Among the problems encountered in Bowles’ liner notes are inconsistencies in the spelling of vernacular terms. At the risk of confusing readers, Schuyler has chosen to retain what Bowles himself called “the apparent orthographical chaos” (p. 48). Other questions are not discussed by Schuyler: the different performances bear titles, which is not common among Moroccans, and some of the Arabic titles for the Berber music are misleading. Similarly, the details (in the subtitles) concerning the identity and status of certain performers suggest that they are formally organised performance groups, whereas such a phenomenon for Berber collective music has emerged only in the last two or three decades.

As noted by the musician Lee Ranaldo in his introduction to the booklet, these recordings of Bowles certainly tell us about the culture of Morocco and also a lot about Bowles himself, “for of course the selection process was his, born of his own musical background, sensibilities and his affinity for his adopted homeland” (p. 8). And it may well be in keeping with Bowles’ artistic spirit that the whole here takes its meaning. The aesthetic care brought to this publication of great refinement (a box set of rare beauty with a mosaic in delicate colours, the booklet bound in leather and inlaid with motifs and gilding, and excellent black and white photos) is unquestionably a major asset for the valorisation of these musics, whose survival was so dear to Bowles. Through all these means, this publication is certainly the best possible conservation of this treasure of Moroccan music and an invaluable source for ethnomusicologists interested in the Arab world.