Jazz At Berlin Philharmonic XVII : Gnawa World Blues (2025)

"“Gnawa” can refer to both an ethnic group in Morocco whose ancestry originates in West Africa, and to their incantatory music, which dates back to the sixteenth century and typically features voices, percussion and the guembri (a three-stringed bass lute). Modern Gnawa music is increasingly secular, and (like jazz) has expanded its instrumentation and absorbed many other musical styles. This album is a shining exemplar of that hybridisation. Moroccan musician Majid Bekkas is one of the foremost exponents of modern Gnawa, both as a vocalist and as a player of the guembri and oud. He’s truly embraced the “world” part of the album’s title by teaming up with Franco-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê and American drummer/percussionist Hamid Drake. Both are immensely versatile musicians. Lê’s guitar ranges from diaphanous electronics to heavy Hendrix riffs. Drake too has enormous range, from scattered atmospherics to driving rock, deploying everything from a full jazz/rock kit to hand drums." (UK Jazz News)

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