3 Mustaphas 3 is a London, UK worldbeat music band, formed in 1982. Core members were Ben Mandelson (aka Hijaz Mustapha) and Colin Bass (aka Sabah Habas Mustapha), around which orbited other Mustaphas, all supposed to be the nephews of Uncle Patrel Mustapha (played by Lu Edmonds).
They claim originate from the Balkans, but play music from almost every continent; their slogan, "Forward in all directions!", is an expression of this musical diversity. Active at the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s, they have now stopped producing and performing together, but haven't officially disbanded.
Liner notes from their albums would have it that the band was created in a Balkan town called Szegerely, where it played at the Crazy Loquat Club, before the members were transported inside refrigerators to England.
In truth how
ever the creation of the band began in 1982 when guitarist / musicologist Mandelson and Patrel (Edmunds), started playing together, along with Patrel's other 'nephews', namely Houzam (regarded by many as possibly one of the best drummers of all time), Isfa'ani, Oussack and Niaveti III. Before World music became a genre, they were already playing musical styles from all around the globe. According to band members the first concert was held in a London restaurant that year. A concert in Berlin made them more, and a mini-album was subsequently released, but their first album, Shopping, was recorded in 1987. The album covered a wide array of genres, but was influenced mostly by Egyptian film music, also including a cover of Moroccan Najat Aatabou's "Shouffi Rhirou". By then Oussack had left the band, but bassist Sabah Habas Mustapha, who may be in fact Colin Bass, and accordionist Kemo Mustapha had joined.
Their second album, Heart of Uncle, was released in 1989 and showed Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Irish and even Latin American influence. Soup of the Century, released in 1990, was their most acclaimed success however.
With tracks ranging from a Country song in Japanese to a Mexican traditional sung in Hindi, and going through a mix of Irish, Scottish, Greek, Albanian, Klezmer and many more styles, the Mustaphas had broken the last barriers separating ethnic music styles.
Daoudi joined during the recording and performed woodwinds. The Mustaphas had also been assisted on occasions by Lavra Tima Daviz on vocals and Expen$ive on trumpet, while guests Israeli singer Ofra Haza & kora players Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh from Gambia and Senegal respectively have played alongside them in the 80s.
The band would not be able to live on for long though, primarily due to a lack of money for the sustainment of such a big band. A final album, Friends Fiends & Fronds would be released in 1991, although it contained mostly remixes from previous albums. By the end of the year the band was no longer playing together. Sabah Habas pursued a solo career, releasing albums as Colin Bass, or performing with his band Camel as well as the Jugala Allstars from Indonesia, and Hijaz became a producer. The two were featured in an album from Zimbabwean artist Stella Chiweshe.
Another album was still released in 1997 containing live performances, and Sabas Habas and Hijaz came together again in 2001 to pick songs to include in their final live album, Play Musty for Me.
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