Speaking to Aziz Sahmaoui, you feel you are in the presence of a wanderer or philosopher as opposed to a musician. Then again, the Moroccan singer-songwriter doesn’t see the distinction.
Listening to his large body of work, the words “fusion” and “world music” seem too flimsy a description. Sahmaoui, through his adept playing of the three-stringed n’gouni, the mandolin, acoustic and electric guitars, manages to seamlessly blend his native mystical blues tones of Gnawa with rock and jazz – not to mention classical Arabic poetry – to create a sound both rhythmic and deeply evocative.
Sahmaoui’s latest release, Mazal, recorded with his band, University of Gnawa, continues in that vein. It’s an album equally suitable for a fun drive down the motorway or for a spot of reflection. Sahmaoui says he is not concerned how the songs are digested – as long as they connect with someone, he feels he has done his job.
Mazal is a tender record with a more Oriental feel this time around. What were you aiming for with this project?
This album is a way for me to get closer to my Arab brothers and sisters. I am talking about the people from the UAE, Lebanon and Egypt, and anyone who speaks Arabic. The album is really about respecting and loving each other, particularly in these tense times. What I am trying to say is that we have to keep doing that and keep replenishing those bonds.
Original article by Saeed Saeed
Continue reading at The National:
Moroccan singer Aziz Sahmaoui: ‘My creativity really comes from curiosity’
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