Maâlem Abdelkader Amlil - Gnawa from Rabat

 

I've been continuing to explore the offerings over at GnawaMaVie's channel on YouTube. There are a few recordings from the Rabat-based maâlem Abdelkader Amlil. Like the musicians I mentioned in my recent post about GnawaMaVie, Maâlem Abdelkader isn't often heard on commercial recordings outside of Morocco. 

I put together a playlist of about 2-1/2 hours of music from one lila performance, very nicely recorded. Many of the songs feature the fantastic Marrakchi singer Saîd Damir a.k.a. "Saghot", (He takes over the lead singing in clip number 4 of the playlist.) It's a striking performance - many of the pieces are played at a very slow tempo, allowing the singing to shine.

I have one cassette of Maâlem Abdelkader in the stash. It dates from around 2001 and features two long tracks. Hope you enjoy!

01) Shorfa (excerpt below)

02) Hamdouchia

Get it all here.

More Gnawa lila audio at GnawaMaVie

If you're a fan of Gnawa music, it's definitely worth keeping an eye on GnawaMaVie's YouTube channel. There are hours and hours of tunes over there, and many of them seem to be taken from private recordings made at lila ceremonies.

Since YouTube clips are limited in duration, these recordings are necessarily broken up into pieces. I like to listen in sequence, so I've put together playlists for a couple of recordings. Above is a set of recordings featuring the Maâlem Abdelkbir "Kbiber" Benselloum of Marrakech. Below is another playlist, featuring a recording of Maâlem Said Oughassal of Casablanca, who I think lives in Spain.

Both Kbiber and Said are great, longtime maâlems, and neither of them are heard much on CDs or commercial cassettes. Particularly interesting to Gnawa aficionados is the last clip of Kbiber's playlist, which features a couple of songs from the rarely-heard Sebtyin suite.

Kick back and enjoy 3 hours from the deep of the Gnawa night!


 

Oh - and don't miss the fantastic 3 hour recording of Mustapha Baqbou audio from GnawaMaVie which I wrote about in a previous post.

 

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UPDATE 8/2025 - I noticed that many of the GnawaMaVie clips of Kbiber have disappeared from the internet. I've added back to the playlist the ones I could find, but they are brief and few.

3 hours of Marrakchi Gnawa Lila audio!

Dig it! GnawaMaVie's channel on YouTube has some great Gnawa audio (including some things I've posted on this blog). One fantastic series of clips presents 3 hours worth of audio from a Gnawa lila. The notes say it features Maalem Mustapha Baqbou and Maalem Abbas Baska. I put the 25 clips into a playlist so you'll can listen to them in the correct order. It's not an entire lila (it's missing the entire Buhala, Kohl, Ghabawyin and 3ayalat, as well as pieces of the other suites listed below), but I'm not complaining!

For me, this sort of Gnawa tape blows doors on any studio recording - this is Gnawa music at its organic best - when the music ebbs and flows, expands and contracts in accordance with the vibe in the room, the particular mix of people in attendance, and the needs of trancers.

Entire playlist is embedded above. Individual links are below. Many thanks to GnawaMaVie for sharing these recordings!

Ouled Bambara
Salat ala nabina
Soudani + Baniya
Folane Nhiriza + Youbadi
Boulila + Chabagrou

Negsha
Nekecha
Lala Fatima + Koubayli
Rabi moulay + Lah lah Moulana
Zid el Male + Youmala

Ftih ar-Rahba
Ftouh Rahba
Ftouh Rahba 2
Hamadi
Hamadi 2

Salihin
Jilala

Musawyin
Sidi Moussa
Lmoussaouine
Koubaili Bala
Bala Mousa + La_Ilaha_Illa_Allah_Mousa

Humr
Bori Ya Bori + Baniya
Hamouda
Sidi Koumi

Shorfa
Lhadiya
Ali Ya Ali
Bouchama + Moulay 'Abdallah
Moulay 'Abdallah Ben Hsein & Moulay 'Brahim
Moulay Hamed