MYSTICAL BREATHS DIABOLUS IN MUSICA 16:30 JNAN SBIL - Review: Lauren Crabbe
This afternoon's performance in the gardens by Souffles Mystiques got off to a slow start, with a 15-minute delay and then three lengthy introductions in French before the two flautists eventually came onstage. Vivek Sonar actually introduced their first song in English, though very quietly so his message wasn't clear. The first song was drawn out, a floaty, meditative dance of bansuri flute (with a backing track of sitar playing through a speaker), and the audience took the hint to get comfortable. Many listeners shifted from their seats to the grass; some even brought mats and neck rests, and got very well acquainted with them over the course of 90 minutes.
The ensemble's curious fusion of Hindustani classical and Gregorian chanting, a side-by-side exchange of East and West, appeared to divide the audience. The display of serene bansuri, combined with a toasty afternoon temperature, soon lulled listeners into deep relaxation...or boredom, with some checking the time or their phones, leaning into their propped-up hands, or literally twiddling their thumbs. Seats were vacated and about a third empty towards the end. The performers themselves appeared similarly languid at times, with no communication between songs and sparing in their warmth and animation towards the crowd.
However, the musicians -- while not too charismatic -- were highly talented in their styles. The flautists whimsically dissonant, the Diabolus in Musica vocal ensemble perfectly pitched and richly traditional. One song in particular was of old Northern French dialect, sung tenderly by a tenor and supported with some lovely harp playing, which touched the hearts of French listeners. Other audience members were delighted too, with Margaret and Jan from England describing the musicians as "beautiful by themselves" and their fusion of soft and strong, "intriguing and moving". Certainly the many layers (all deftly harmonised) of booming Gregorian chanting, compared with airy, rhythmic spontaneity of the bansuri proved unique -and would do even better to be paired with audience engagement.
AT THE HEART OF SUFI AFRICA 21:00 BAB AL MAKINA - Review: Lauren Crabbe and Venetia Menzies
Mtendeni Maulid from Zanzibar
Sheikh Hamid Hossein Ahmad, Sheikh Ghanan and ensemble from High Egypt
Sheikh Papa Sow Djimbira Senegal
Nounou Salam, the song of Khadre Sufis of Senegal
Tidjani Samaa’ from Fez
One thing that is sure to unite Sufi singers from each corner of the Earth is their devotion to Allah, and belief in the power of music to connect them to the divine. Tonight we saw Sufi groups from High Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal, each with their own distinct musical rituals and historical traditions infused the songs.
In many ways, the styles were radically different, most apparent in the musicians' dress (white and beige djellabas for High Egypt and Morocco, sun-yellow or brown with colourful print for Senegal) down to the way they beat their drums; but they came together with staggering cohesion and brilliance.
At the Heart of Sufi Africa proved to be a visual, audial, and tactile feast, with the oneness of God and the brotherhood of man its central message. This theme of unity was apparent in both the heartening way the musicians sought to incorporate their audience into the music, and how they bolstered each other throughout the performance, despite minor hiccups including broken strings and misplaced drumsticks.
Accompanied by projections of a sandcastle and flames on a blue horizon, the Senegalese singers, led by Sheikh Papa Sow Djimbira, (pictured above) rumbled the floor with their spine-tingling bass harmonies, drummed like warriors, and held the microphone in the direction of the crowd, willing them to sing along. When their lead drummer accidentally misplaced his sticks onstage (easy to do when one is throwing them into the air between beats), the performance went on uninterupted, as he proceeded to beat the drum with his forehead and elbows instead.
Said Belcadi (pictured above), lead singer of the Arab-Andalusian ensemble (who performed last night), had only warmth on his face after chanting for half an hour when one of the young violinists appeared to snap part of his instrument. On the show went; even though (so far as we can tell from the programme) an ensemble from Zanzibar, Mtendeni Maulid, didn't make it to the stage. As the Arab-Andalusian musicians weren't listed in the programme either, perhaps it's possible they were standing in for the absentees.
Led by Sheikh Hamid Hossein Ahmad (pictured above), a blind singer and percussionist, the High Egyptian group brought new life to the stage as they swung their bodies from side to side, whirling like dervishes in a trance. The physicality of their performance was unrivalled, with continuous jumping and rhythmic grunting, their energy defying their age. Reminding the audience of their historic roots, indigenous Egyptian alphabets were projected onto the ancient fortress as the singers twirled, throwing their heads and chest back as if giving God their hearts.
The finale of the performance allowed the crowd to hear a medley of each group's musical traditions, as they joined each other at the front of the stage and sang in unison before a projection of glowing golden geometry. The audience rewarded these tireless performers with a standing ovation -- the first at Bab Makina this festival -- cheering and ululating in appreciation for what was, without a doubt, one of the strongest and most soulful performances this Fes Festival.
Sufi Nights: La Hadra Chefchaounia - Review: Sandy McCutcheon
The most well known of Morocco's female Sufi groups is La Hadra Chefchaounia. Their original musical director was a formidible force in keeping the Hadra tradition alive. Lala Rhoum El Bakkali, a descendant of Sidi Ali Hajj Bakkali founded the zawiya (Sufi lodge) Bakkali of Chefchaoun. She is a professor of music and teaches piano and Arab-Andalusian music, in addition to previously acting as the leader and musical director for La Hadra Chefchaounia.
There has been a change in leadership and the group is now headed by Khira Afazaz (pictured above). The Hadra Chefchaounia has performed locally, nationally and internationally in Germany, the Netherlands, Algeria, France, Belgium, and Spain.
The group took to the stage on time and were given a very warm welcome by the predominantly female audience. There were a surprising number of young children present most of whom were totally engrossed in the performance.
The Hadra Chefchaounia have a distinctive sound that harnesses the melodies and rhythms from the Northern Moroccan Andalusian tradition of Chefchaouen. Using hand drums (gwal) and larger frame drums, they set up some interesting rhythms - at times complex and at others as simple as a heartbeat. It was an effortless performance that, with voices perfectly blended, delivered beautiful ethereal melodies in the Andalusian melodic mode.
SEPHARADE SONGS, FROM THE SACRED TO THE PROFANE 16:00 SYNAGOGUE
SAINT EPHRAIM MALE CHOIR AND BEATA PALYA, HUNGARY 16:30 JARDIN JNAN SBIL
GORAN BREGOVIC AND THE ORCHESTRA OF MARRIAGES AND BURIALS . THREE
LETTERS FROM SARAJEVO GORAN BREGOVIC 21:00 BAB AL MAKINA
SUFI NIGHTS TARIQA AISSAWIYA : MUQADDAM BELAHCEN 23:00 DAR TAZI
Festival weather: Same as today! 31 C down to 17 - perfect
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This afternoon's performance in the gardens by Souffles Mystiques got off to a slow start, with a 15-minute delay and then three lengthy introductions in French before the two flautists eventually came onstage. Vivek Sonar actually introduced their first song in English, though very quietly so his message wasn't clear. The first song was drawn out, a floaty, meditative dance of bansuri flute (with a backing track of sitar playing through a speaker), and the audience took the hint to get comfortable. Many listeners shifted from their seats to the grass; some even brought mats and neck rests, and got very well acquainted with them over the course of 90 minutes.
The ensemble's curious fusion of Hindustani classical and Gregorian chanting, a side-by-side exchange of East and West, appeared to divide the audience. The display of serene bansuri, combined with a toasty afternoon temperature, soon lulled listeners into deep relaxation...or boredom, with some checking the time or their phones, leaning into their propped-up hands, or literally twiddling their thumbs. Seats were vacated and about a third empty towards the end. The performers themselves appeared similarly languid at times, with no communication between songs and sparing in their warmth and animation towards the crowd.
However, the musicians -- while not too charismatic -- were highly talented in their styles. The flautists whimsically dissonant, the Diabolus in Musica vocal ensemble perfectly pitched and richly traditional. One song in particular was of old Northern French dialect, sung tenderly by a tenor and supported with some lovely harp playing, which touched the hearts of French listeners. Other audience members were delighted too, with Margaret and Jan from England describing the musicians as "beautiful by themselves" and their fusion of soft and strong, "intriguing and moving". Certainly the many layers (all deftly harmonised) of booming Gregorian chanting, compared with airy, rhythmic spontaneity of the bansuri proved unique -and would do even better to be paired with audience engagement.
AT THE HEART OF SUFI AFRICA 21:00 BAB AL MAKINA - Review: Lauren Crabbe and Venetia Menzies
Mtendeni Maulid from Zanzibar
Sheikh Hamid Hossein Ahmad, Sheikh Ghanan and ensemble from High Egypt
Sheikh Papa Sow Djimbira Senegal
Nounou Salam, the song of Khadre Sufis of Senegal
Tidjani Samaa’ from Fez
One thing that is sure to unite Sufi singers from each corner of the Earth is their devotion to Allah, and belief in the power of music to connect them to the divine. Tonight we saw Sufi groups from High Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal, each with their own distinct musical rituals and historical traditions infused the songs.
In many ways, the styles were radically different, most apparent in the musicians' dress (white and beige djellabas for High Egypt and Morocco, sun-yellow or brown with colourful print for Senegal) down to the way they beat their drums; but they came together with staggering cohesion and brilliance.
At the Heart of Sufi Africa proved to be a visual, audial, and tactile feast, with the oneness of God and the brotherhood of man its central message. This theme of unity was apparent in both the heartening way the musicians sought to incorporate their audience into the music, and how they bolstered each other throughout the performance, despite minor hiccups including broken strings and misplaced drumsticks.
Accompanied by projections of a sandcastle and flames on a blue horizon, the Senegalese singers, led by Sheikh Papa Sow Djimbira, (pictured above) rumbled the floor with their spine-tingling bass harmonies, drummed like warriors, and held the microphone in the direction of the crowd, willing them to sing along. When their lead drummer accidentally misplaced his sticks onstage (easy to do when one is throwing them into the air between beats), the performance went on uninterupted, as he proceeded to beat the drum with his forehead and elbows instead.
Said Belcadi (pictured above), lead singer of the Arab-Andalusian ensemble (who performed last night), had only warmth on his face after chanting for half an hour when one of the young violinists appeared to snap part of his instrument. On the show went; even though (so far as we can tell from the programme) an ensemble from Zanzibar, Mtendeni Maulid, didn't make it to the stage. As the Arab-Andalusian musicians weren't listed in the programme either, perhaps it's possible they were standing in for the absentees.
Led by Sheikh Hamid Hossein Ahmad (pictured above), a blind singer and percussionist, the High Egyptian group brought new life to the stage as they swung their bodies from side to side, whirling like dervishes in a trance. The physicality of their performance was unrivalled, with continuous jumping and rhythmic grunting, their energy defying their age. Reminding the audience of their historic roots, indigenous Egyptian alphabets were projected onto the ancient fortress as the singers twirled, throwing their heads and chest back as if giving God their hearts.
The finale of the performance allowed the crowd to hear a medley of each group's musical traditions, as they joined each other at the front of the stage and sang in unison before a projection of glowing golden geometry. The audience rewarded these tireless performers with a standing ovation -- the first at Bab Makina this festival -- cheering and ululating in appreciation for what was, without a doubt, one of the strongest and most soulful performances this Fes Festival.
Sufi Nights: La Hadra Chefchaounia - Review: Sandy McCutcheon
The most well known of Morocco's female Sufi groups is La Hadra Chefchaounia. Their original musical director was a formidible force in keeping the Hadra tradition alive. Lala Rhoum El Bakkali, a descendant of Sidi Ali Hajj Bakkali founded the zawiya (Sufi lodge) Bakkali of Chefchaoun. She is a professor of music and teaches piano and Arab-Andalusian music, in addition to previously acting as the leader and musical director for La Hadra Chefchaounia.
There has been a change in leadership and the group is now headed by Khira Afazaz (pictured above). The Hadra Chefchaounia has performed locally, nationally and internationally in Germany, the Netherlands, Algeria, France, Belgium, and Spain.
The group took to the stage on time and were given a very warm welcome by the predominantly female audience. There were a surprising number of young children present most of whom were totally engrossed in the performance.
Tomorrow @ the Festival
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| Goran Bregovic |
SEPHARADE SONGS, FROM THE SACRED TO THE PROFANE 16:00 SYNAGOGUE
SAINT EPHRAIM MALE CHOIR AND BEATA PALYA, HUNGARY 16:30 JARDIN JNAN SBIL
GORAN BREGOVIC AND THE ORCHESTRA OF MARRIAGES AND BURIALS . THREE
LETTERS FROM SARAJEVO GORAN BREGOVIC 21:00 BAB AL MAKINA
SUFI NIGHTS TARIQA AISSAWIYA : MUQADDAM BELAHCEN 23:00 DAR TAZI
Festival weather: Same as today! 31 C down to 17 - perfect
SHARE THIS!
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