On Thursday, January 9 and January 16, 2020, between 11 AM – 8 PM, the Marrakech Museum of Art and Culture (MACMA), will host musical workshops with Paula Jeanine Bennett. The lyricist and composer is renowned for bringing her creative vision to international venues. These include stages in Morocco, India, Java, Japan, and at the opening ceremony of Pope Benedict XVI’s Summit for Peace in Italy. The talented artist leads her own ensemble and participates in group concerts.
Bennett’s talents are exemplified when she performs on percussion instruments. She is skilled in instruments including the frame drum, berimbau, surdo, conga, and dumbek. In addition to cultivating a relationship with all things rhythmic, she is a mezo-soprano singer whose performances are mesmerizing. Born in a musical household of jazz vocalists Paula began singing as soon as she could speak. Her curiosity for culture and sound led her to explore nonwestern music. In 2002, she was invited to attend the Jazz-India Vocal Institute program in Mumbai created by jazz visionary Niranjan Jhaveri. The experience inspired her to continue studying in New York and combine her experiences in India. Today, Ms. Bennett is well known for her musical adaptions of South Asian and Western sounds. Her skills as both a jazz-based lyricist and composer have made her an in-demand artist. Bennett is based in Brooklyn, NYC.
The MACMA center was established by Nabil el Mallouki, a philanthropist, passionate about Morocco’s artistic and cultural heritage. In addition to hosting events, workshops, and exhibitions, the museum showcases an exceptional collection of photographs that chronicle the development of Morocco between 1870-1970.