Fez Festival of Sufi Culture - Day One

Much to the relief of organisers and visitors, after two days of rain, the first day of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture dawned to fine weather

Faouzi Skali

The official opening of the festival took place at la Salle de la Prefecture de Fès Médina at 4pm. and was well attended.

"Only Morocco can hold this kind of event because it has created a social and cultural model, carried by the sovereign and expressed by civil society. The role of Islam in the renewal, the dynamic and creative of values, is conveyed by this living culture that is Sufism" - Faouzi Skali, Festival President.

Carole Latifa

After an introduction by Faouzi Skali, Carole Latifa and Leila Anvar gave something of a sneak preview of what the evening concert would contain. To the delight of the audience they performed a beautifully read poem.

Tribute was also given to Festival President, Faouzi Skali, for his enduring determination to present the festival, a task which has not always been easy. It was warmly appreciated by all those present.

Leila Anvar

The evening concert at Bab Al Makina was Ode aux femmes mystiques (ode for mystical women) and showcased the talents of Carole Latifa Ameer, Leila Anvar, Françoise Atlan, Bahaa Ronda and the ensemble of Rhoum El Bakkali Hadra Chefchaounia with Driss Berrada

Unexpectedly, rain arrived shortly before the concert was scheduled to begin and then, obligingly, stopped. The concert started with a few moments of confusion when the presenter, trying to hold a microphone, papers and a pair of glasses, mixed up and fumbled her French and Arabic notes several times before concluding the introduction with an apology. There was no introduction in English.

A microphone stand would have been helpful

Then it was the turn of technical problems as microphones ceased working. However, this was quickly sorted and the concert proper began with violinist Driss Berrada and two other musicians accompanying Bahaa Ronda and Françoise Atlan. The soloists were in fine form and were warmly welcomed by the large audience.

Françoise Atlan is a French singer, born in a Sephardic Jewish family in Narbonne (France) 27 July 1964. Her father was from Béjaïa, Algeria, and her mother a pianist and a lyrical singer. As always, she is a popular performer, familiar to Fez audiences.

Driss Berrada (centre) with Bahaa Ronda and Françoise Atlan 

Bahaa Ronda, born in a big old rabatie family very attached to the Arab-Andalusian tradition. She is part of the rabati orchestra Chabab al-Andalouss (the Andalusian youth) and performs in the largest Moroccan and international artistic events such as the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and the Oujda Festival of gharnati music. This concert was one of several times she has accompanied the Sephardic singer Françoise Atlan.

As the two women sang, the members of La Hadra Chefchaounia made their way on stage. This group has gone from strength to strength over the years and in tonights concert were in full voice, confident and strong. Their repertoire was upbeat and melodic and accessible even to those unfamiliar with Andalusian style of Northern Morocco.

La Hadra Chefchaounia 

La Hadra Chefchaounia is the most well known female Sufi group in Morocco. Their musical director is a formidable force in keeping the Hadra tradition alive. Lala Rhoum El Bakkali is a descendant of Sidi Ali Hajj Bakkali who founded the zawiya (Sufi lodge) Bakkali of Chefchaoun. She is a professor of music and teaches piano and Arab-Andalusian music, in addition to acting as the leader and musical director for La Hadra Chefchaounia.

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.

Next it was the turn for Carole Latifa Ameer and Leila Anvar to come on stage.

Leila Anvar 

Leili Anvar was born in 1967 in Tehran with an Iranian father and French mother. Apart from music Leila is also is a journalist, translator and lecturer in Persian language and literature. In addition to a large number of academic articles, she is an expert on the work of the poet Djalâl ad-Din Rûmî.

Carole Latifa Ameer 

Carole Latifa Ameer is a musician, art historian and biographer of Kudsi Ergüner, a master of traditional Mevlevi and one of the most famous ney players in Turkey. Carole Latifa Ameer is co-founder of the Dervish Project artist collective with the classical composer Théophile de Wallensbourg. After studying art history and Indian languages ​​and civilisations, she discovered and studied Sufism in India, in the Sufi path Chishtiyya. This former cultural journalist is now dedicated to the sacred arts, their preservation and contemporary creation.

The two women combined in the reading of poetry, and although in French, it was so sweetly performed - as one audience member whispered - "like a message from the heart". With a three-quarter moon sailing up the sky behind the ramparts, it was a magical few minutes.

The concert was a perfect opening for the Fes Festival of Sufi Culture and succeeded because it did not attempt anything too ambitious, complex or profound. It was a simple and near perfect evening.

Review and photos: Sandy McCutcheon

Tomorrow at the festival
10am -    Medersa Bouananiya - Round table: Sufism - a a paradigm of civilisation.
4.30pm - Medersa Bouananiya - Round table; Soufisim and the feminine.
8.30pm - Jnan Sbil Gardens - Tariqa Boutchichiya.
Tomorrow's weather
26 degrees Celsius and sunny.

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