JAZZ IN MOROCCO

JAZZ IS ALIVE & WELL IN MOROCCO!

The "Jazz season" will quick off with the Orchestre Symphonique Royal touring the country with its current jazz repertoire.  Great big band, highly recommended!

A l’occasion de la commémoration du 50ème anniversaire de la fête de la Jeunesse, l'Orchestre Symphoniue Royal organise une tournée dans plusieurs villes du Royaume avec un concert de jazz exceptionnel.

-Dimanche 18 Août à Meknès à 22 heures (place Lhdim).

-Mardi 20 Août à Tanger à 22 heures   (corniche).

-Mercredi 21 Août à M'diq à 22 heures 30 (place de la préfecture).

-Jeudi 22 Août à Tétouan à 22 heures (amphithéâtre en plein air près de Banque Al Maghrib/ Blvd du 09 Avril)

-Samedi 24 Août à El Jadida à 22 heures.

-Lundi 26 Août à Casablanca à 22 heures  (scène El Ank).

-Mardi 27 Août à Rabat à 22 heures  (place de la poste).

From September 11 to 15, we’ll have JAZZ au CHELLAH in Rabat'

Check the programme on the festival's website or on Facebook.

The ‘Jazz au Chellah’ Festival, a platform of European Jazz and Moroccan music, is back from 11 to 15 September 2013 at the beautiful site of the Chellah in Rabat. For this 18th edition, the audience is invited to discover 10 jazz groups from 14 European countries. Five of them will perform with Moroccan artists in an exceptional programme in which women are at the forefront. (source: EuroMedCooperation)

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And then the TANJAZZ FESTIVAL in Tangiers from September 18 to September 22 which will be looking East 

A look to the East

 For its 14th edition TANJAzz welcomes new institutional partners : Netherlands, Austria and the Czech Republic.

This occurred  just when we decided to dedicate all the Friday concerts to the theme “TANJAzz goes East”.

Jazz from Bulgaria, Egypt, Tunisia, Music from the Balkans, Gipsy jazz, Klezmer... following the discovery of Moroccan Jazzmen new surprises await you with as usual music for dancers and jazz to listen (source: TanJazz Website)

Check also the website of the Bistrot du Pietri (Rabat) for the programme of the concerts and weekly sessions.

JAZZ IN MOROCCO

JAZZ AUX OUDAYAS (Morocco, EU, 2002)

 Since 1996, the Festival JAZZ AU CHELLAH (formerly JAZZ AUX OUDAYAS) in Rabat is a unique occasion for European Jazzmen to present their music to a Moroccan audience and to play with local, musicians.  Morocco has a very rich musical heritage.  As a gate between Europe and Africa, it has always been a cultural melting pot: African, Arabic, Berber, Sufi, Andalousian,  Sephardic  and Western influences can be found in the various styles.  Moreover the musical traditions are very well alive as is demonstrated by the many festivals all through the country.


The JAZZ at the CHELLAH Festival takes place every year during the month of June.  Today I'm posting a promotional CD with highlights of the 2002 Festival.  As far as I know this CD is not commercially availalble.

1. Trio Mirabassi meets Taifa Issaouiya Mouwahada
2. D'3 meets Balabil Al Andalous Quartet
3. Jesse van Rullen Trio meets Nasser Houari
4. Muthspiel & Muthspiel meets Youssef El Fadil
5. Trio Vaiana/Kaiat/La Rocca meets le duo Ihiri / Mazouz

If you liked the Noon in Tunisia album posted a while ago on OIR, you should be interested by this post.


My favorite tracks?  Muthspiel & Muthspiel meets Youssef El Fadil, (I've always been a fan of the Vienna Art Orchestra) and the last one, for Jo Kaiat's piano, Sal La Rocca's drumming and because I think the fusion works especailly well in this track.

Les Oudayas - Rabat

Link in comments. Scans with details of sessions.