Dur Dur Band

History

Inspired by artists such as Michael Jackson, Bob Marley and Santana, Dur-Dur Band emerged during a time when Somalia’s distinctive contribution to the creative culture in the Horn of Africa was visible and abundant. Thousands of recordings made at the Somali National Theatre, Radio Mogadishu and other studios, were complemented by the nightclubs at Hotel Juba, Jazeera Hotel and Hotel al-Curuuba, creating a flourishing music scene.

By 1987 Dur-Dur Band’s line-up featured singers Sahra Abukar Dawo, Abdinur Adan Daljir, Mohamed Ahmed Qomal and Abdukadir Mayow Buunis, backed by Abukar Dahir Qasim (guitar), Abdillahi Ujeeri (Bass Guitar) Yusuf Abdi Haji Aleevi (guitar), Ali Dhere (trumpet), Muse Mohamed Araci (saxophone), Abdul Dhegey (saxophone), Eise Dahir Qasim (keyboard), Mohamed Ali Mohamed (bass), Adan Mohamed Ali Handal (drums), Ooyaaye Eise and Ali Bisha (congas) and Mohamed Karma, Dahir Yaree and Murjaan Ramandan (backing vocals).

Dur Dur Band it’s the name originally taken by 80’s Muqdisho Funk, Disco, Soul Band that was later disbanded in the 90’s. Dur Dur Band International London based Branch is a revival Band paying homage to the Original Co-founded by Abdillahi Ujeeri with a repertoire of Funky Oldies and contemporary compilations of the best in Somali Funk.

Dur Dur Band became famous mid-80s in Somalia with the lead singers such as; Sahra Dawo, AbdiNur Aden Daljir, Pastow, Eddi, Shimali, Qomal and other vocalists, and have taken by storm in Somali pop culture and were very popular in neighboring countries: Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya, until the civil war broke out in Somali 1991, and was later based to play in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Many of the Somali musicians had fled the country to seek sanctuaries outside Somali a mainly in East Africa and Europe and at the time many had been executed or killed by the religious factions for their love of music art and culture. Somalis are oral society and often express their feelings and anxieties through poems, singing, dancing music and drama story telling. Dur Dur Band International is the Legendary Somali Musicians Band and now based here in London UK. And are performs Festivals and Music venues around the world to Promote Somali Music, Art and Culture.

Dur-Dur Band disbanded in the early 1990s when the disintegrating political situation in Somalia led to members leaving the country and scattering abroad. The group recorded several albums and managed to release almost a dozen recordings before emigrating to Ethiopia, Djibouti and America. The founders of the band, married couple Abdinur Daljir and Sahra Dawo, now reside in Ohio, United States.

In March 2013, the record label Awesome Tapes from Africa re-released their 1987 cassette release Volume 5 on LP, CD, and cassette formats. The album received wide critical acclaim from music critics.

In November 2014, Dur-Dur Band reunited for a single performance at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following a week-long artist residency as part of the "Midnimo" Somali cultural program.

Partial discography