Morocco announces the 19th Gnaoua Festival which will take place in the Coastal town of Essaouira from May 12th – 15th, 2016. This annual festival will feature artists from around the world along with Gnaoua Maalem greats. The Gnaoua Festival is sponsored by Maroc Telecom, Sidi Ali, Banque Populaire, Oulmes and several other Moroccan companies. The Gnaoua Festival is the voice of a tradition, memory, and music. Nineteen years ago, a team of local Souri’s started an event, 100% Moroccan which enabled the Gnaoua Maalems to usher in a new chapter of their life.
The Gnaoua Festival is the voice of a tradition, memory, and music.
Once called, Mogador and the Port of Timbuktu, Essaouira continues to host this annual festival that has received international acclaim. The unique combination of International stars, Jazz greats, and traditional Gnaouas makes it one of a kind. Tributes to this year’s annual festival will be made to Maalem Mahmoud Guinea and the great Doudou Ndiaye Rose, a magician of the Senegalese drum. Mahmoud Guinia was a Moroccan Gnawa musician, singer, and guembri player, who was traditionally regarded as a Maâllem, i.e. master.
Doudou Ndiaye Rose was a Senegalese drummer, composer, and bandleader, and was the recognized modern master of Senegal’s traditional drum, the sabar. He recorded for both domestic and foreign labels and collaborated with numerous western musicians.
There will be a combination of residences, early evening and late night Concerts along with conference style meetups, all Gnaoua and Souri style.
Below is an up-close view at the 19th Annual Gnaoua Festival’s line up and artist program.
Artist Line Up – Essaouira 19th Gnaoua Festival
From the USA:
Randy Weston: Africa
Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Groove
Christian Scott: He who youth to jazz
Jeff Ballard Trio
Blitz The Ambassador
Hassan Hakmoun: International Gnaoui
From EUROPE:
Las Migas: Flamenco with a female fusion tone
Jaba & Friends: Roots & reggae
From AFRICA:
Hoba Hoba Spirit: The Moroccan music phenomenon event!
Mohamed Derham
N3rdistan: Rock, rap and Arabic poetry!
Songhoy Blues: the quiet force of Timbuktu
DoudouN’diaye Rose family: Tribute to the mathematician of the Drum!
Mehdi Nassouli: The Hajhouj conquering the world
Rachid Talal,The pearl of the South
Oudaden, the rebirth of Amazigh music
3ADA Swiria
Issaoua of Fez
Hmadcha
Festival Stars from MOROCCO
Festival stars: Maalems from all over Morocco
(Casablanca, Marrakech, Essaouira, Meknes, Rabat, Ksar El Kebir)
MAALEM HAMID EL KASRI: The Santana of the Gnaouis
MAALEM ABDELLAH AKHARRAZ: Worthy successor of the Guinea heritage
MAALEM ABDESSLAM ALIKANE: Themaalem of maalems
MAALEM HASSAN BOUSSOU: The prodigal son
MAALEM OMAR HAYAT: For love of Reggae
MAALEM ABDELKEBIR MERCHANE, The Gnaoui with silver hands
MAALEM MOHAMED KOUYOU, The most American of maalems!
MAALEM MAHJOUB KHELMOUS, The magician of the guembri
MAALEM MOKHTAR GUINEA:Tagnaouite running in his blood
MAALEM SAID OUGHESSAL:A Hispanic breeze blowing on Gnaoua
MAALEM ABDENBI EL GUEDARI: An electro Gnaoui
MAALEM MUSTAPHA BAQBOU:The hippy Maalem
MAALEM SEDDIK BOUNHAR:The passionate Gnaoui who has travelled the world
MAALEM AHMED BAQBOU: The gnaoui prince of the ochre-colored city
MAALEM Said BOULHIMAS: Maalemin spite of himself
MAALEM ALLAL SOUDANI: Ancestral Gnaoui
MAALEM SAID BOURKI: Faithful to tradition
MAALEM ABDELKADER AMLIL:The Gnaouibluesman
MAALEM ABDENBI EL MEKNASSI:“ ElMeknassi”
MAALEM RACHID EL HAMZAOUI:Gnaoui Ghiwani
The Official Festival Program – Essaouira 19th Gnaoua Festival
May 12th, 2016
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Time: 8:30pm – Opening Concert
Artist Line Up: Doudou N’Diaye Rose Percussions Orchestra and Enfants Guinea and Rachida Talal
Time: 9:35pm – Concert
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist Line Up: Jeff Ballard Trio
Time: 10:45pm – Concert Fusion
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist Line Up: Jeff Ballard Trio and Maalem Mohamed Kouyou
May 13th, 2016
Place: Zaouia Disna Bilal
Artist Line Up: Maalem Allal et Najib Soudani and Maalem Said Boulhimas and Maalem Said El Bourki
Time: 11:00pm
Place: Dar Loubane
Artist Line Up: Anciens Gnaoua
Time: 12:00am
Place: Dar Loubane
Artist Line Up: Maalem Seddik Bounhar
Time: 12:05am – Residence
Place: Dar Loubane
Artist Line Up: Songhoy Blues and Maalem Abdeslam Alikane
May 14th, 2016
Time: 8:00pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Maalem Abdellah Akharaz
Time: 8:05pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Movie Projection – Maalem Mahmoud Guinea
Time: 9:15pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: La Releve Gnaoua and Musiciens de Doudou N’Diaye Rose
Time: 10:40pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Christian Scott
Time: 12:00pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Maalem Hamid El Kasri
Time: 11:00pm
Place: Dar Loubane
Arist: Maalem Abdenbi El Meknassi
Time: 12:00pm
Place: Dar Loubane
Artist: Maalem Rachid El Hamzaoui
Time: 8:30pm
Place: Scene de la Plage
Arist: Khalid Amrhoche, Khalid Lzoubaz, La Releve Gnaoua, Mohamed Bomzor
Time: 9:35pm
Place: Scene de la Plage
Artist: Songhoy Blues
Time: 11:30pm
Place: Scene de la Plage
Arist: N3Rdistan
Time: 11:50pm
Place: Scene de la Plage
Artist: Maalem Mustapha Baqbou
Time: 11:00pm
Place: Borj Bab Marrakech
Artist: Maalem Abdenbi El Guedari
Time: 11:00pm
Place: Zaouia Issaoua
Place: Tarifa de Safi
Time: 12:00am
Place: Zaouia Issaoua
Artist: Maalem Mahjoub Khalmouss
May 15th, 2016
Time: 5:00pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Oudaden
Time: 6:00pm
Place: Place Moulay Hassan
Artist: Maalem Mustapah Baqubou, Mohamed Derham, Nabil Khalidi, Omar Sayed