Dur-Dur Band

Dur-Dur Band

Dur-Dur Band is a Somali disco group from Mogadishu, Somalia, active from 1984 to the present. The group emerges in the 1980s and becomes one of the best-known bands in Mogadishu.

Style and influences

The band draws inspiration from outside the Somali traditional music that is encouraged at the time, and its sound takes in a wide range of influences. These include Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Bob Marley and Santana. The result is described as complex and soulful, with funk and qaraami elements also associated with the group.

Recording history

Dur-Dur Band has recordings that circulate from cassette copy sources, including a remastered release that documents the group after it has already established its popularity in Mogadishu. One example from its catalogue is Volume 5, recorded in 1987 at Radio Mogadishu. The state-run broadcaster remains notable for resisting a brief ban on music imposed by Al-Shabab, while music in Somalia is otherwise affected by civil war, clan divisions and security concerns.

Members

The group includes Mukhtar Ramadan Iidi and Shimaali Ahmed Shimaali.