Berlin scene meets Gnawa tradition. Ritual breakbeats and virtual trance. W… Read Full Bio ↴Berlin scene meets Gnawa tradition. Ritual breakbeats and virtual trance. With their intensive vocals and rhythms the Gnawa musicians, playing nightly rituals, are able to bring varied audiences to trance, a state of open-mindedness, sometimes hypnotic then ecstatic.

In September 1998 the traditional Moroccan Gawa musicians Abdenbi Binizi, Samir Zgarhi and Majid Karadi met Jan-Claudius Rase and David Beck, both multi-instrumentalists of German origin.

Following time spent in the studio and a trip to Marrakech, the German musicians went on to mix traditional recordings with western club compositions. The " Living Remixes " concept was born.

Gnawa Impulse gave their first concert a year ago at the Kulturbrauerei in Berlin in front of an enthousiastic crowd. Gnawa Impulse is today made up of six musicians who, between Marrakech and Berlin, pack in and compilations.

Gnawa musicians (Marrakech / Morocco)

Abdenbi Binizi - solo voice, percussion and drum

Kamal Ifir - voice, sintir (three-string bass lute) and dance

Samir Zgarhi - voice, Karkabas (metal castanets) and dance

The three Gnawa musicians are the founding members of Gnawa Halwa (ritual trance music and dance). This group came about through the collaboration of the Gnawa and the Spanish choreographer Blanca Li.

They were born and still live in the heart of their Gnawi brotherhood in Marrakech. Day to day life within this traditional brotherhood is interspersed with their European tours. The Gnawa Halwa are sought after musicians (collaborating with Randy Weston, Bill Laswell, Gnawa Diffusion) and are capable of sharing the warmth of African traditions with their public.

Gnawa Halwa have taken part in various international festivals: Montreux Festival, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, New Morning, Paris, UFA Fabrik, Berlin, Afrika Festival, W?rzburg, not forgetting Amsterdam, Den Haag, Madrid, Zagreb, Palermo, Frankfurt.

More Info: http://www.cross-culture-music.de/xgnawahalwa.html