World Routes

Lucy Duran presents highlights from the 2009 Gnawa and World Music Festival in Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast, an annual free festival which celebrates the ancient tradition of trance music. With performances by Braim El Belkani, a gnawa master who once played with Led Zeppelin, and Morocco's most celebrated band, the veterans Nass El Ghiwane. Essaouira is an old stone town that is home to an even older style of music which arrived in Morocco centuries ago with the slaves who came from across the Sahara. It is a sacred music which is traditionally heard at all-night 'lilas', where animal sacrifices are made and people are healed from spiritual and physical ailments. The sound of the music is characterised by the bass thump of the three-stringed gimbri and the strident clatter of metal castanets. The Gnawa and World Music Festival was established 12 years ago to celebrate the gnawa tradition, with concerts featuring gnawa masters from all over Morocco, together with events where gnawa musicians collaborate with artists from across the globe. WORLD ROUTES Presented by Lucy Duran Produced by Roger Short Tel. 020 7765 4661 Fax. 020 7765 5052 e-mail [email protected] Saturday 5th September 2009 El Belkani: Baba l'Rouami Maalem Brahim El Belkani BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009 Interview with Maalem Brahim El Belkani at the Essaouira World Music Festival El Belkani: Tramin Maalem Brahim El Belkani BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009 Interview with Andre Azoulay at the Essaouira World Music Festival Lala Fatima Blue Mogador BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009 Interview with Asdin and Marwan, members of Blue Mogador Dimi Maak Blue Mogador BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009 Omar Essayed: Fin Radi biya Khouya fin radi biya (where are you going to take me my brother) Nass El Ghiwane BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009 Interview with Omar Essayed from Nass El Ghiwane Omar Essayed: Annahla Chama (the Queen Bee Chama) Nass El Ghiwane BBC Recording by Marvin Ware, at the Essaouira World Music Festival 2009