Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe

♬ Elli Yachak Ezin / اللي يعشق الزين 

Haim Abitbol / حايم بيطبول – also seen as Botbol – was a Jewish singer born in Fez, Morocco in 1936. His father Jacob Abitbol was a leader of the malhun musical tradition in Fez. The family name Botbol / Abitbol means “father of the drum” in Darija.

As a young performer, he excelled in various styles, from aita and chaabi to Gharnati and raï. He was a multi-instrumentalist, but excelled with the oud and bendir. With his family – including his father, his brother Marcel on the violin, and his brother Claude on percussion – he formed an ensemble performing classical works and poetry. From 1950, he formed a duo with the Algerian Salim Halali, covering a number of Maghrebi classics. In the 1960s, he incorporated various influences into his music, including malhun, gnawa, salsa, reggae, and funk.

“Elli Yachak Ezin” is a cover of the Spanish rumba “El Porompompero“, first recorded by Manolo Escobar y Sus Guitarras in 1960.

Catalog number MB 281 on Boussiphone of Morocco. No release date listed.