Gnawa Diffusion is an Algerian

Gnawa music Gnawa music (Ar. ) is a body of Moroccan religious songs and rhythms. Its well-preserved heritage combines ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing. The music is performed at ''lila'', communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer ...

band based in

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The group's lead singer, Amazigh (literally meaning 'Free Man' in

Tamazight The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight,, ber, label=Tuareg Tifinagh, ⵜⵎⵣⵗⵜ, ) are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related languages spoken by Berber communi ...

), is the son of the

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

n writer and poet

Kateb Yacine Kateb Yacine (; 2 August 1929 or 6 August 1929 – 28 October 1989) was an Algerian writer notable for his novels and plays, both in French and Algerian Arabic, and his advocacy of the Berber cause. Biography Kateb Yacine was officially b ...

. Although there is a strong Gnawa influence, the band is noted for its mix of reggae and roots music. Gnawa Diffusion is very popular in Algeria and is also well known in many other countries including Morocco, Tunisia and France. The band's lyrics are in

Algerian Arabic Algerian Arabic (natively known as Dziria) is a dialect derived from the form of Arabic spoken in northern Algeria. It belongs to the Maghrebi Arabic language continuum and is partially mutually intelligible with Tunisian and Moroccan. Like ...

, French and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. Gnawa Diffusion started their career in 1993 with the release of the album ''Légitime différence''. Members of the band: *

Amazigh Kateb Amazigh Kateb (born September 16, 1972) is an Algerian singer and musician. Early life He emigrated to France in Grenoble in 1988, he was a member of the group Gnawa Diffusion (formed in 1992). He is the son of the famous writer Kateb Yacine, ...

- vocal and

gimbri The sintir ( ar, سنتير), also known as the guembri (), gimbri or hejhouj or Garaya in Hausa language, is a three stringed skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people. It is approximately the size of a guitar, with a body ca ...

Mohamed Abdennour (Ptit Moh) Mohamed Abdennour (stage name Ptit Moh) is an Algerian composer, arranger and instrumentalist, active in France and playing a fusion of different musical forms mixed with chaabi. Early life He has been called a virtuoso on the Algerian mandole ...

Algerian mandole The Algerian mandole (mandol, mondol) is a steel-string fretted instrument resembling an elongated mandolin, widely used in Algerian music such as Chaabi, Kabyle music and Nuubaat (Andalusian classical music). The name can cause confusion, as " ...

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

krakebs Qraqeb or garagab ( ar, قراقب), in English often transliterated as krakeb, are a large iron castanet-like musical instrument primarily used as the rhythmic aspect of Gnawa music. Gnawa today is part of the North African culture and is inhe ...

, choir * Pierre Bonnet - bass * Philippe Bonnet - drums * Salah Meguiba - Keyboard, oriental percussion, choir * Pierre Feugier -

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

, choir,

* Abdel Aziz Maysour * Amar Chaoui - percussionist,

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...

The lead singer's lyrics are often controversial. Themes range from discussions of poverty in

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

or corruption in government to denunciations of global military actions and perceived imperialism. Nevertheless, in spite of a strong political direction, this band also has numbers which focus on self-determination and improvement.

Discography

* 2012: ''Shock El Hal'' * 2007: ''Fucking Cowboys'' ( D'JAMAZ Production) * 2003: ''Souk System'' (

Warner Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...

) * 2002: ''DZ Live'' (

Next Musique Next may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * Next (1990 film), ''Next'' (1990 film), an animated short about William Shakespeare * Next (2007 film), ''Next'' (2007 film), a sci-fi film starring Nicolas Cage * ''Next: A Primer on Urban Paintin ...

) * 1999: ''Bab el Oued'' - Kingston ( Musisoft)Review

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

* 1997: ''Algeria'' ( Melodie) * 1993: ''Légitime'' différence

References

External links

- an interview with the lead singer in English.

French interview. {{Authority control Algerian musical groups 1993 establishments in France