Gnawa

Daptone Records is honored to announce the release of Innov Gnawa's forthcoming full-length, Lila. Formed in NYC, this Grammy-nominated group of Moroccan expats has been making waves locally and abroad with their hypnotic live shows. The group is led by Ma'alem Hassan Ben Jaffar, a master musician and spiritual elder of the ensemble who plays a three-stringed African bass known as a “guembri”. Ben Jaffar is accompanied by a brotherhood of musicians – (Amino Belyamani, Ahmed Jeriouda, Samir Langus and Nawfal Atiq) – all playing the qraqebs, metal castanets that represent the shackles and chains of slaves and also singing chorus responses. Gnawa music is a spiritual tradition rooted in Morocco’s ancient history. Often referred to as “Sufi Blues”, Gnawa’s African influence originated from West African slaves brought to Morocco centuries ago. Not unlike blues music in the American South, Gnawa music is revered throughout Morocco as treasured indigenous soul music.

Hassan Hakmoun and Adam Rudolph - Gift of the Gnawa (1991) {Flying Fish Records FF 70571}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 286 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 129 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 1991 Flying Fish Records | FF 70571
Jazz / World Music / African / Worldbeat / World Fusion

Morocco's leading young Gnawa musician plays ancient African music of healing and trance, joined by world class jazz and new music improvisers. This is world fusion's true sound. A young, hip Gnawa sintir player here combines his expertise with a multi-national percussionist, a European ney player, and veteran free jazzer Don Cherry's pocket trumpet to create a soundscape that one cannot escape from. All this is done in New York City. The ney work here is perhaps the greatest contribution. The light tones wrap around all other features of the music when Richard Horowitz is playing to envelope the listener.

Alwane - Lila Derdeba, Beyond the Ritual (au-Delà du Rituel) (2015) [CD+DVD] {IMA-Harmonia Mundi}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 509 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 180 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
DVD9 -> 6.32 Gb | All Regions | PAL 16:9 | Dolby AC3, 2 ch | ~ 67m | ISO Image| Subs: English, Français
© 2015 Institut du Monde Arabe / Harmonia Mundi | HM 321.087
World / Jazz / Classical / International / Morocco / Gnawa / Fusion / North African

The Gnawa is a popular Sufi brotherhood that expresses their faith through music and dance, culminating in a trance state. It is on the lila derdeba (trance nights) than Gnawas manifest their exceptional gifts as exorcists and healers, treating patients with physical or psychological suffering. On this album, the group Alwan explores the connections between Gnawa and jazz. The concept was born following Alwan's meeting with the Mad Nomad Quartet and Dar Gnawa and is inspired by the musical repertoire of lila derdeba. A bonus DVD documentary explores the mystical world of the Gnawa using audiovisual documents gathered by Jacques Willemont over 40 years and features insights from anthropologist Viviana Easter.