Nass El Ghiwane () are a musical group established in 1969 in Casablanca, Morocco. has played an influential role in Moroccan chaabi (or shaabi). The group was called "The Rolling Stones of Africa" by Martin Scorsese and was one of few Moroccan bands to receive international media attention.
Name
In an interview with Al Bayan, explained that, in Morocco, the term Nass El Ghiwane ( "people of song") refers to practitioners of the malhun musical -.
In film
The band is the focus of music documentary Trances, directed by Ahmed El Maanouni, who described Nass El Ghiwane as Morocco's soul music. Originally released in 1981, it was restored in 2007 by the World Cinema Foundation at Cineteca di Bologna /L'Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory. The film was picked specifically by Martin Scorsese for the World Cinema Foundation's first release and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and at Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The band's song "Ya Sah" appears in the film The Last Temptation of Christ and on the associated album Passion – Sources.
Nass El Ghiwane's music was featured in the award-winning 2023 documentaryThe Mother of All Lies.
Members
- Abdelaziz al-Tahiri: Founding member, replaced by Abderrahmane Paco in 1974
- Allal Yaala: Founding member, banjo player
- Boujmii Hgour: Singer, poet, composer. Founding member, played with the group until his death in 1974
- Larbi Batma: Actor, singer, percussionist. Founding member, played with the group until his death in 1997
- Omar Sayed: Singer, actor, percussion; founding member
- Abderrahmane "Paco" Kirouche (1948-2012): Singer, composer, played with the group until 1993
- Raifak Redouane: 1991 to 2001
- Mahmoud Saadi: Left the group in the 1970s
- Rachid Batma: Singer, percussionist, since 1996
- Hamid Batma: Since 2000
- Abdelkrim Chifa: Since 2002
Discography
- Assallama
- Hommage à Boudjemma
- Ya bani el-insan
- Ya Nass El Maana
- Wannadi Ana
- Taghounja
- Aali ou Khalli
- Houde Ennaana
- Soubhane Allah
- A lotf Allah el khafi
- Fine ghadi biya khouya
- Lebtana
- Narjak Ana la M'chite
- Ya saielni
- Mahmouma
- Oulad el Aalam
- L'jamra
- Salama
Live albums
- Nass El Ghiwane Live Olympia 76
- El ghaba – Live
- Echams Etalaa – Live Olympia
- Nass el Ghiwane Live Casablanca
- Nass el Ghiwane Live (feat. Boudjemaa)
Contributing artist
- Passion – Sources (1989, Real World Records)
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Morocco (2004, World Music Network)
References
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