大象传媒

Lucy Duran joins 400,000 Moroccans at the 2009 Gnawa and World Music Festival in Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast, an annual free festival which celebrates their ancient tradition of trance music which is thought to have the power of spiritual healing. With music by Berber singer Braim Assli and an improvised collaborative concert by New Orleans jazzband Congo Nation and local musicians Agadir Gnawa.

Essaouira is an old stone town that is home to an even older style of music which arrived in Morocco centuries ago with the slaves who came from across the Sahara. It's a sacred music which is traditionally heard at all-night 'lilas', where animal sacrifices are made, people are healed from spiritual and physical ailments, and, it is said, a good time is had by all. The sound of the music is characterised by the bass thump of the three-stringed 'gimbri' and the strident clatter of metal castanets. The Gnawa and World Music Festival was established twelve years ago to celebrate the gnawa tradition, with concerts featuring gnawa masters from all over Morocco, together with events where gnawa musicians collaborate with artists from across the globe.

Playlist

Raouf Bekkari: Baniya
Agadir Gnawa
大象传媒 Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009

Interview with Neila Tazi, Director of Essaouira World Music Festival

Assli: Yan gir Isagsan
Assli: Awdi Ayahbibawa
Assli: Ghar sigl Maghtssat
Rais Braim Assli & Ensemble
大象传媒 Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009

Interview with Braim Assli

Assli: Irbi Ayasyakh
Assli: Wim nga Wink
Rais Braim Assli & Ensemble
大象传媒 Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009

Interview with Donald Harrison

Improvised piece
Congo Nation & Agadir Gnawa
大象传媒 Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009

Improvised piece
Congo Nation & Agadir Gnawa
大象传媒 Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009

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