Mise en page 1 - Aziz Sahmaoui

AZIZ SAHMAOUI
& UNIVERSITY OF GNAWA
Aziz Sahmaoui sets out once more with his magical group, conjuring up sonorous dreams and
intoxicating trance states. On this new journey, in which heady refrains are coupled with a divinely
undulating groove, the Moroccan poet-singer has achieved a glorious harmony between Maghreb
rock, jazz and gnawa music. With the full fire of his spellbinding voice, the cofounder of the
Orchestre National de Barbès and former associate of Joe Zawinul confirms his reputation as
one of the foremost singer-songwriters of contemporary world fusion music, a reputation that
reaches across Europe and beyond to the Middle East and the United States.
Mazal
New album
Released on November 4, 2014
Management :
Claire Henault / Panet'A
WorldVillage
Harmonia Mundi
www.azizsahmaoui.com /
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Tel : + 33 (0)6 12 44 43 29
Mail : [email protected]
Aziz Sahmaoui
Booking France :
Zohra Haddouch / GCP en accord
avec Planet'A…by Caramba
Tel : +33 (0)1 40 68 68 05 / +33 (0)6 09 04 33 05
Mail : [email protected]
The University of Gnawa
With a few plucks of the guembri, surrounded by
a squadron of musicians both talented and
inspired, Moroccan Aziz Sahmaoui gets
everyone going. His second album is a work of
maturity that brings together his musical
passions, gnawa, rock and fusion - affirming
himself as a writer, composer and musical
interpreter who must be reckoned with.
Everything started in 2010 at the French Kawa bar in
Paris. In charge of this 20th arrondissement café is
the ex-manager of the Orchestre National de
Barbès. The back of the venue houses a tiny stage
that he likes to offer to his musician friends; Aziz
Sahmaoui, one of the founders of the ONB and
faithful acolyte of Joe Zawinul, being one of them.
With his accomplice from the Zawinul Syndicate,
Alioune Wade, he quickly settles in and tries out
melodies that have been buzzing round his head for
some time. Rumour soon reaches the ears of other
musicians… Among them, Hervé Samb, Cheikh
Diallo and Adhil Mirghani. The rumour gets bigger,
audience numbers start to grow, people are keen to
get sweaty to this new style of music. Soon the
common denominator between the Moroccan and the
Senegalese is established: the gnawa rhythms and
their rustic groove act as a groundwork for some
crazy musical experiments by these high-flying
instrumentalists. The University of Gnawa is born. It
quickly produces its first recording of the same name
which is unanimously welcomed by the critics.
Line up live
Aziz Sahmaoui : lead vocals, ngoni, mandole
Cheikh Diallo : kora, keyboards, vocals
Adhil Mirghani : percussion, vocals
Hervé Samb : guitar, vocals
Alioune Wade : bass, vocals
Jon Grandcamp : drums, calebasse
Mazal
New album
www.azizsahmaoui.com /
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Aziz Sahmaoui
1 Inchallah 3’54
2 Hada ma jari 4’42
3 Une dune pour deux 5’18
4 Mazal 4’31
5 Water-Line 4’36
6 Jilala 4’07
7 Yasmine 7’19
8 Lawah-Lawah 5’22
9 Firdawss 4’41
10 Daw Daw 3’58
11 Baba Mimoun 2’00
12 Allah Daym 1’36
Aziz, the musician
Since then, Aziz Sahmaoui has graced the
stages of France, Europe, North Africa, the
United States where his sound has never
stopped growing. He’s known in Algeria thanks
to the ONB and has become a star there
because of his first solo album. Today his music
spreads its antennas as far as Egypt and
Lebanon. The audiences love him and younger
musicians copy his work. It seems that Aziz was
born to write : heady choruses, an unstoppable
groove and a feel for improvisation all turn his
music into an idiom of perpetual movement. “If
there’s no groove there’s nothing”, he explains.
“The groove means to slip into the phrasing of
the other, but not to ruffle him, just listen to him
and let the rhythm grow. Everyone has their own
responsibility, even if it’s rhythmically very small”.
The singer and multi-instrumentalist adds : “the
groove, you’ve either got it or you haven’t. Those
who went before me initiated me. It’s thanks to
them that I’ve learnt how to share this space”.
Often returning to Morocco to replenish himself
alongside his Gnawa masters friends, Aziz
always wants to keep going forwards and evolve.
On this new album, he wanted to introduce a
different perspective : “I’m trying to break away
from the usual image associated with me and to
find a balance between gnawa music, writing and
melody”. And when Aziz wants something he
makes it happens. The result : a breathtaking
album full of many facets, recorded in a few days
at the legendary Gang Studio in Paris by Sodi
(producer of Femi Kuti, Rachid Taha, Chinese
Man and previously several albums by Fela).
Unstoppable choruses in tracks like “Mazal”
(which means “to carry on”, “to persist”…), “Hada
Ma Jari” and “Une Dune pour Deux”; riveting
North African rock on “Inch Allah”. And lastly, a
show of feeling and improvisation with his gang
of musicians, united as they attack, singing in
unison and going on a hunt for notes and
emotions were there normally aren’t any.
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Aziz Sahmaoui
The Artist
We find the same inspired virtuosity on the track
“Yasmine”, which features the flamenco guitarist,
El Niño Josele. The two musicians have known
each other a long time since Niño Josele had
called upon Aziz in 2002 to record a Spanish
version of “Zawiya” a track originally by ONB.
Niño Josele is a worthy representative of a
modern style of flamenco which knows how to
regenerate itself and blend in. He shares Aziz’s
vision of a renewed tradition and an interest in
jazz - both of which can be heard. A new, parallel
version of “Zawiya (“Lawah Lawah”)” appears on
the album, and hence the loop is looped with this
track which never ceases to amaze its writer,
“because it always manages to go in different
directions”.
Aziz, the poet
As regards to his writing, Aziz is as talented a
poet as he is a musician. He writes and sings in
Arabic but always takes care to have his texts
translated in his booklets and albums. Aziz likes
to make nature sing, get trees to talk and turn
women to flowers. Like his music, each text
offers multiple readings. Among the love songs
and hymns to life, there are also songs of
commitment such as “Une Dune pour Deux”
(“A Dune for Two”) which tells of a man who
plants a tree in his neighbour’s garden. He looks
after the seedling, nurtures the tree but can never
gather the fruit. “There are too many wars and
conflicts both on the international and private
sphere. I prefer using metaphors rather than
pointing my finger at so and so”.
Describing himself as naive and a dreamer, Aziz
has just one mission in mind : to always keep the
circle open, to share and to evolve. His
bewitching voice, adept at alternating between
the inflexions of a bluesman, a muezzin and a
crooner, pulls us inexorably into his poetic
universe where any bitterness of the day to day
melts away into a jubilatory energy.
Press Quotes
“Thrilling, vivid and intoxicating”
1rst album “University of Gnawa” released on May 29, 2011
“Album of the week”
“Study at the University of Gnawa will liberate
your mind and pull the gut strings of pure feeling
through the heart.
Sahmaoui’s exploration of the Gnawa Cosmos
is some of the best gnawa you will hear – The
form’s mix of deep ghimbri bass lines and high,
metallic krakeb rhythms tend to defeat most
microphones pointed in its direction. The trip of a
lifetime”
The Independant – October 2011 - Tim
Cumming
“Sahmaoui makes gnawa melodies
sound like real songs, yearningly sung
with starl and spacey electric
arrangements”. ****
The Daily Telegraph – October 2011 - MH
“Updates of ancient tradition come no
classier than this innovative album
from Morocco’s Sahmaoui …”
“…Who as child learned the mysteries of gnawa
music, a fusion of Arabic north and sub-Saharian
south. Gnawa is concerned with devotion and
healing, but its reach is broadened by Sahmaoui,
a sophisticate of lute and gimbri. Backed by a taut
Senegalese band, mixing standards and originals,
Sahmaoui conjures a nuanced brand of gnawa
trance. Bluesy call and response, invocations of
spirit guides and a cover of Joe Zawinul’s “Black
Market” add up to a thrilling debut”
The Observer – October 2011 – Neil
Spencer
“First class honours for this
graduate “ ****
“There is not only passion aplenty but a lifetime of
curiosity and learning on this debut album. The
erudite Sahmaoui has mixed together his own
Gnawa culture, his passion for all things rootsy
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Aziz Sahmaoui
and West African, his love for jazz and a penchant
for the gutsy pile-driving rythms that were ONB’s
signature, into an intelligent coherent whole....
Sahmaoui precise and powerful voice hollers out
messages of honesty and peace. With the help of
a tight backing band of premier-league Moroccan
and Senegalese musicians, manages to achieve
that balance of raw power and subtle
sophistication…Sahmaoui himself exudes a
creativity, passion and experience that leads one
to suspect he’s busily navigating his talent towards
a very bright future”
Songlines – September 2011 - Andy Morgan
“The album is an intoxicating affair,
visceral and groove-centric yet also
nuanced and multilayered”
“Sahmaoui‘s vocals are rich and throaty.. His
lyrics are worthy of attention, addressing modern
challenges such as poverty and warfare through a
folkloric prism… a wonderful album, which
preserves gnawa’s tradition as it takes it into new
territory”
All about Jazz – September 2011 - Chris May
“The rhythm of Gnawa music is quite
literally infectious – it is designed to
take you out of your mind”
“The musicianship was spare, tight and ruthlessly
effective.There was an almost scientific use of
rhythmic breaks in the backing vocals, a
characteristic splitting of the beat that feels as if
designed to mess with the listeners’ minds and
blow open the way for heightened awareness. In
Gnawa ceremonies, the adepts are moved to
dance their troubles away as they whirl to the
rising power of the music. At WOMAD, the
audience responded in similar though untutored
fashion, transported, albeit for a few minutes, to
another realm”
The Arts Desk – August 2011 - Mark Kidel
Past Concerts
“Europe, North Africa, Middle-East, USA, Canada... Tour”
In support of the 1rst album “University of Gnawa”
2011
Le Blanc Mesnil (France) – Festival Banlieues
bleues
Rouen (France) – Hangar 23
Marseille (France) – L’Affranchi
Paris – New Morning
Lausanne (Switzerland ) – Festival de la Cité
Dieulefit (France) – Festival L’oasis Bizz’art /
Nomades Musiques
Bruxelles (Belgium) – B-United Festival
Vence (France) – Festival Les Nuits du Sud
Tlemcen (Algeria) – Festival Diwan
Chamonix (France) – Festival Cosmojazz
Sines (Portugal) – Musicas do Mundo Festival
London (Great-Britain) – Womad UK
Berlin (Germany) – Die Nächte des Ramadan
Festival
Barcelona (Spain ) – De La Mercé Festival
Alger (Algeria) – French Institut
Constantine (Algeria) – French Institut
Paris – Cabaret Sauvage
Cologne (Germany) – WDR Synphonie Orchestra
2012
Alger (Algeria) – Ibn Zeydoun Venue
Paris – Alhambra - Festival au Fil des Voix
Ivry (France) – le Hangar
Montpellier (France) – L’Antirouille
Cully (Switzerland) – Cully Jazz Festival
Frick (Switzerland) – La Meck Venue
Aulnay Sous Bois (France – La Cap Venue
Coutances (France) – Festival Jazz sous les
Pommiers
Rabat (Morocco) – Mawazine Festival
Angoulême (France) – Festival Musiques
Métisses
Nijmegen (Netherlands) – Music Meeting Festival
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Aziz Sahmaoui
Vienna (Austria) – Porgy & Bess - Jazz Club
Innsbruck (Austria) – Jazz Club
Paris – Institut du Monde Arabe
Agadir (Morocco) – Timitar Festival
Bordeaux (France) – Festival des Hauts de
Garonne
Blois (France) – Festival les Lyres d’été
Arles (France) – Festival les Nuits du Sud
Lodève (France) – Festival Les Voix de la
Méditerranée
Angers (Festival) – Festival Tempo Rives
Dortmund (Germany) – Juicy Beats Festival
Alger (Algeria) – Khaimetkoum Djezzy Festival
Crozon (France) – Festival du Bout du Monde
Vienna (Austria) – Afrika Festival
Dublin (Irland) – Kilkenny Arts Festival
Lyon (France) – Festival Woodstower
Bastia (France) – Théâtre de Bastia
Alghero (Sardegna)
Cagliari (Sardegna) – Europa Jazz Festival
Amiens (France) – Festival Musiques de jazz et
d’ailleurs et Lune
Delemont (Switzerland) – Festival Notes d
Equinoxe
Malmö (Sweden) – Babel Venue
Copenhagen (Denmark – Global Copenhagen
(World music Venue)
Stockholm (Sweden) – Sodra Theater
Strasbourg (France) – Festival Les Nuits
Européennes
Nancy (France) – Festival Jazz Pulsations
Oslo (Norway) – Oslo world music Festival
Etterbeek (Belgium) – Espace Senghor Cultural
Center
Charleroi (Belgium) – Eden Cultural Center
Arlon (Belgium) – Cultural Center
Cholet (France) – Festival Cité Métisse
La Courneuve (France) – Festival AfricaColor
Bari (Italy) – Medimex Festival
Past Concerts
2013
Geneva (Switzerland) – Forum Meyrin Theater
Abalessa (Algeria) – International Festival of
performing arts at l’Ahaggar Tamanrasset
Cenon (France) – Le Rocher de Palmer / Aziz
Sahmaoui & Niño Josélé
Stans (Switzerland) – Stanser Musiktage Festival
Pierrefitte sur Seine (France) – Festival Banlieues
bleues
Constantine (Algeria) – Dimajazz Festival
Montreuil (France) – Festival Warm-up
Skopje (Macedonia) – OFFest Festival
Lisboa (Portugal) – Mistura Festival
Belo Horizonte (Brazil) – Nomade Festival
Pont en Royans (France) – Festival de Nord en
Sud
Marseille (France) – Festival Marseille retrouve le
Nord
Tillburg (Netherlands) – Mundial Festival
Trento (Italy) – Giardino Centro Santa Chiara
Florence (Italy) – Festival of the Desert
Toulouse (France) – Festival Toucouleurs
Ostrava (Czech Republic) – Colors of Ostrava
Festival
Montreal (Canada) – Festival des Nuits d’Afrique
Cleveland (Ohio,USA) – Cleveland Museum of art
Chicago (IL, USA) – Colab Space Cultural Center
Los Angeles (USA) – Grand Performances
Festival
Calgary (Canada) – Calgary Folk Music Festival
New-York (USA) – Lincoln Center
Bled (Slovenia) – Okarina Etno Festival
Casablanca (Morocco) – L’Boulevard Festival
Lyon (France) – Festival Afrosoul
Szeged (Hungary) – Szeged Jazz Days
Nantes (France) – Festival Tisse Metisse
2014
Hamm (Germany) – Lutherkirche
Dusseldorf (Germany) – Azzschmiede – Cultural
Center
Remscheid (Germany) – Teo Otto Theater Cultural
Center
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Aziz Sahmaoui
Sankt Augustin (Germany) – Museum Haus
Vôlker und Kulturen
Kempen (Germany) – Haus fur Familien Campus
Cologne (Germany) – DomForum – Cathedral
Brussels (Belgium) – Moliere Theater
Siegen (Germany) – Museum für
Gegenwartskunst
Paderborn (Germany) – Aula Des Gymnasiums
Theodorianum
Bonn (Germany) – Brotfabrik Venue
Aachen (Germany) – Altes Kurhaus
Oberhausbergen (France)cFestival Les Nuits
Décalées
Pordedone (Italy) – Dedica Festival
Paris – Alimentation générale - Warm-up
Festival
Madrid (Spain) – De la Ciudad Festival
Montpellier (France) – Festival Arabesque
Cairo (Egypt) – Spring Festival
Beyrouth (Libanon) – Spring and Red Zone
Festival
Marseille (France) – Mucem
Casablanca (Morocco) – Fête de la musique
Louvain la Neuve (Belgium) – Festival Nuits
Africaines
Monterfil (France) – Festival La Gallésie en fête
Hertme (Germany) – Afrikafest Festival
Chalon en Champagne (France) – Musiques d’ici
et d’ailleurs
Nasbinals (France) – Festival Détours du Monde Radio France
Boechout (Belgium) – Sfinks Mixed Festival
Sète (France) – Festival Fiest’A Sète
Taviano (Italy) – – Santi Canti Festival
Alger (Algeria) – Diwan Festival
Bova (Italy) – Paleariza Festival
La Réunion (France) – Le Kabardock
Charleville Mézière (France) – Centre Culturel
Zurick (Switzerland) – Moods - Jazz club
Pully (Switzerland) – City Club
Rabat (Morocco) – “Visa for Music”
London (Great-Britain) – Village Underground
Paris – Institut du Monde Arabe
Paris – Café de la Danse / New Album “Mazal”