Moroccan band
Nass El Ghiwane
Origin Casablanca , Morocco Genres Moroccan Years active 1971 (1971 ) –present Members Rachid Batma, Hamid Batma, Redouane Raifak, Allal Yaala, Omar Sayed Past members Abd El-Aziz Tahiri, Abderahmane Kirouche (Paco), Boujemaa Brahim, Larbi Batma
Nass El Ghiwane (Arabic : ناس الغيوان ) are a musical group established in 1970 in Casablanca , Morocco .[ 1] [ 2] The group, which originated in avant-garde political theater ,[ 3] has played an influential role in Moroccan chaabi (or shaabi ).[ 2]
Nass El Ghiwane were the first band to introduce Western instruments like the modern banjo . Their music incorporates a trance aesthetic, reflecting the influence of local gnawa music ,[ 4] and is inspired by ancient North African Sufi poetry, most prominently that of Abderrahman El Majdoub , whose work was a direct inspiration to the band. They are also credited with helping bring a new social movement to Morocco.[ 5] The group was called “The Rolling Stones of Africa” by Martin Scorsese [ 6] and was one of few Moroccan bands to receive international media attention.[ 7]
Name
In an interview with Al Bayan , Omar Sayed [ar ] explained that, in Morocco, the term Nass El Ghiwane (ناس الغيوان "people of song") refers to practitioners of the malhun musical -.[ 8]
In film
The band is the focus of music documentary Trances , directed by Ahmed El Maanouni , who described Nass El Ghiwane as Morocco's soul music .[ 9] Originally released in 1981, it was restored in 2007 by the World Cinema Foundation at Cineteca di Bologna /L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory. The film was picked specifically by Martin Scorsese for the World Cinema Foundation's first release and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and at Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakesh , Morocco.[ 5] The film has since been distributed by the Criterion Collection .[ 10]
The band's song "Ya Sah" appears in the film The Last Temptation of Christ and on the associated album Passion – Sources .[ 11] [ 12] The film's director, Martin Scorsese, credits Nass El Ghiwane with opening a new universe to him.[ 13] [ 14]
Nass El Ghiwane's music was featured in the award-winning 2023 documentaryThe Mother of All Lies .
Members
Abdelaziz al-Tahiri: Founding member, replaced by Abderrahmane Paco in 1974
Allal Yaala: Founding member, banjo player
Boujmii Hgour: Singer, poet, composer. Founding member, played with the group until his death in 1974
Larbi Batma : Actor, singer, percussionist. Founding member, played with the group until his death in 1997
Omar Sayed: Singer, actor, percussion; founding member[ 15]
Abderrahmane "Paco" Kirouche (1948-2012): Singer, composer, played with the group until 1993[ 16]
Mohamed Akhdim
Raifak Redouane: 1991 to 2001
Mahmoud Saadi: Left the group in the 1970s
Rachid Batma: Singer, percussionist, since 1996
Hamid Batma: Since 2000
Abdelkrim Chifa: Since 2002
Discography
Assallama
Hommage à Boudjemma
Ya bani el-insan
Ya Nass El Maana
Wannadi Ana
Taghounja
Aali ou Khalli
Houde Ennaana
Soubhane Allah
A lotf Allah el khafi
Fine ghadi biya khouya
Lebtana
Narjak Ana la M'chite
Ya saielni
Mahmouma
Oulad el Aalam
L'jamra
Salama
Live albums
Nass El Ghiwane Live Olympia 76
El ghaba – Live
Echams Etalaa – Live Olympia
Nass el Ghiwane Live Casablanca
Nass el Ghiwane Live (feat. Boudjemaa)
Contributing artist
References
^ Badri, Mona. "Nass El Ghiwane: story of a Moroccan Legend" . Moroccan World News . Moroccan World News. Retrieved 25 May 2020 .
^ a b Eyre, Banning (2001). "Shaabi" . Afropop Worldwide . Moroccan Shaabi. Archived from the original on 13 January 2002. Retrieved 18 May 2011 .
^ Cartwright, Garth. "BBC Radio Awards for World Music 2008" . BBC Radio . BBC Radio. Retrieved 25 May 2020 .
^ Kapchan, Deborah (2009). "Interview: Deborah Kapchan, Gnawa music" . Afropop Worldwide (Interview). Interviewed by Banning Eyre. Archived from the original on 26 December 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011 .
^ a b World Cinema Foundation [full citation needed ]
^ Alami, Aida (6 June 2012). "Moroccan Artists Earn Applause but Little in Royalties" . The New York Times .
^ "Vidéo. Il y a 20 ans, Larbi Batma nous quittait" . Le360.ma . Retrieved 14 November 2022 .
^ "«ناس الغيوان» دراويش الأغنية المغربية - مسارات - كتب - البيان" . www.albayan.ae (in Arabic). Retrieved 8 July 2021 .
^ Trances at IMDb
^ "Trances (1981)" . Criterion Collection. Retrieved 18 February 2015 .
^ "Passion – Sources" . Real World Records . Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2011 .
^ Gabriel, Peter . Liner notes. Passion – Sources by Various artists. Real World CDRW02, 1989.
^ " " Nass el Ghiwane " racontés par Omar Sayed" . Hespress (in French). Hespress FR. Retrieved 25 May 2020 .
^ " "NASS EL GHIWANE", LE LIVRE OÙ OMAR SAYED RACONTE L'HISTOIRE DES "ROLLING STONES DE L'AFRIQUE", PRÉSENTÉ À RABAT" . MAFRIQUE Bulletin Maroc Afrique (in French). Retrieved 25 May 2020 .
^ Muhanna, Elias (2003). "Folk the Kasbah". Transition . 94 (94): 134. JSTOR 3172475 .
^ Cumming, Tim. " 'The Rolling Stones of Morocco' - Nass El Ghiwane's music of protest" . theartsdesk.com . The Arts Desk Ltd. Retrieved 25 May 2020 .
International National Artists