Traditional Moroccan Music Concert

On Saturday night we held a concert of traditional Moroccan Music in Riad Zany. We had been planning the event for some time, but the one thing we had not banked on was a continuation of the rain in Fez. It had been bucketing down all week and the forecast was for even more on the evening of the concert. A plan was needed.

Frederic on the roof

In stepped the remarkable musician Frederic Calmes, who offered to cover the vast open area above the courtyard with plastic sheeting. So, as the team on the ground prepared the chairs and tables and made the stage area ready, Frederic climbed to the roof and began weaving a net of rope on which to lay the plastic

60 chairs awaiting their seat covers

At about four in the afternoon the first of the musicians arrived, brought out his double bass and entertained us as we checked all the final preparations.

The concert was attended by a very special guest, Wilna Wilkinson, who had first visited Fez several years ago and was present on the day the decision to purchase Riad Zany was made. The concert, was supposed to be a birthday surprise, but the need to publicise the event meant she was aware of it in advance. However, her genuine delight at the evening, was proof enough that it was a present she will remember.

Wilna before the concert.

The Clock Cafe crew - coming soon to a Medina near you!

Catering for the evening was superb. Our dear friend Mike brought his team from the soon to be Clock Cafe and donated their time and expertise. Judging by the wonderful food, anything Mike has a hand in will be a stunning success.

The crowd of 70 settle in for the performances

One logistical problem that most concerts don't have to contend with is explaining the location to the guests. In the Medina of Fez it is a different story. However, we overcame the problem by deciding on a meeting point at R'Cif and then sending a series of runners to guide the guests through the winding streets.

The first half of the concert was a collection of Christian and Islamic songs of the Mediterranean, presented by Anas. This exceptional Moroccan singer has trained for some years in Syria and Turkey. Such travels have engendered in him a taste for sharing differences. He is particularly interested in the music of Eastern Christians.


In the second half, Fes Tourat, which means Fes Heritage, presented a journey through the varied spiritual and popular music traditions of the city of Fez. This wonderful group has been working together for some months on the initiative of the Fes Festival of Sufi Culture. It comprises masters of some of the main spiritual music traditions of the city. By combining their music and rhythm, they offer the spiritual poetry of Melhoun, the evocative rhythms of the Hamadcha Sufi Brotherhood, the pleasing melodies of the Aissawa Brotherhood, and the piercing praise-songs of the Ahl Touat Brotherhood

Different traditions in harmony

Melhoun

Melhoun was sung by the master Mohamed Essoussi, Melhoun is the music of the city’s artisans. It was traditionally sung by the tanners, bakers, coppersmiths and others. Melhoun has a considerable repertoire of poems written in Moroccan Arabic.

The Hamdouchiyyia:

Represented here by the master Abderrahim Amarani Marrakchi and French musician Frederic Calmes, the Hamadcha Sufi Brotherhood is an order of musical healers. They use trance to heal body and soul.

Hamadcha and Melhoun music have several common areas, such as the use of 5-beat rhythm, the Guebbahi.

The Aissawiyyia :

Represented tonight by the master Mohamed Njioui, the Aissawa Brotherhood, like the Hamadcha, uses trance as part of its musical ritual. This practice is dedicated to their founding saint, the celebrated Cheikh El Kamel, ‘the Perfect Master’.

The Ahl touatiyyia :

This brotherhood is represented by the master Youssef Ibrahimi. The Ahl Touat, the ‘people of heritage’ are known for their strange dance echoing the use of firearms in former times. It is said that the Ahl Touat protected newlyweds along the path of their marriage. Today long black batons have replaced their weapons.

Our thanks to all the workers behind the scenes who made it a wonderful evening. Mouaniss (Sidi Fixit) and Sanaa from Riad Zany. Lumen, Karima from The View from Fez and Mike and his team from the Clock Cafe. Special thanks to Frederic Calmes for all his work since joining us at The View from Fez.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news