Makenba

Majid Bekkas Chant, gembri, guitar, oud
Joseph Bessam Kouassi Talking drum
Abdelfettah Houssaini Percussion
Serge Marne Percussion
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Minino Garay Percussion
Aly Keïta Balafon
Louis Sclavis Clarinet, saxophone[/show_more]

About

Known in Morocco as "the magician of encounters", Majid Bekkas developed and orchestrated with brio a new dialogue between musical diasporas during the recording of "Makenba", his third album for IglooMondo. Once again, Bekkas brought together musicians of different cultures whose roots lie deep within the Africa continent: through gnawa and Malian music (the oud plays the role of the ngoni on "Noussik") and the choice of instruments.

The dialogue is one of perfect harmony between the Arabic oud and the African balafon of Aly Keita, the ntama talking drum of Joseph Bessam Kouassi that brings a voodoo touch, and the Argentinean bombo (tambour) played by Minino Garay. Garay turned to traditional Argentinean music such as the Chachera, Zamba and Cueca, that can be traced back to Berber and Arabic cultures, the result of a thousand-year colonization. With his sharp sense of rhythm, Louis Sclavis – whose path crossed Bekkas' a long time ago and is happy to wander through different musical territories – makes it swing with his sax and clarinet.

The success of this blend, far from being artificial or opportunistic, lies in the excellent complicity of all these world musicians that have had the opportunity to play together at festivals or on projects such as "Tala", created by Bekkas and Titi Robin in 2009.

This new album follows Bekkas's experience in Congo Brazzaville and Abidjan with the Jazz in Bar Project and his appearance on the album "Out of the Desert" with Joachim Kühn and Ramon Lopez, voted jazz record of the year by El Pais in Spain.