People from every corner of Africa have crowded into Barbés, a refuge for exiles that directed Larbi Dida's raï towards Fateh's shaabi, and that brushed Aziz's guimbri up against Youcef's bass. It is encounters such as these that led to the formation of the Orchestra National de Barbés. In English, the name means The National Barbés Orchestra, implying that Barbés is a nation unto itself. It is a sentiment that few who visit the neighborhood would dispute.
The story started in Belcourt, a working class section of Algiers, Algeria at the peak of the 1980 baby boom. Youcef Boukella's older brothers listened to rock and bossa nova, people watched Cairo film classics on TV and tuned to Kabyl folk music on the radio. Outside the Belcourt alleyways --pandemonium. Street peddlers, muezzins, Gnawa street performers, shaabi concerts, ghetto blasters playing reggae, funk and raï.
"My style of music goes back to my childhood in Belcourt," explains Youcef. In 1985 he was offered a slot playing bass for the first Arabic-language rock group, T34. But when Youcef heard what visiting jazz musician Jeff Gardner was packing, that's when he decided to pack himself up and leave home. Raï was all the rage when he arrived in Paris. He worked with Cheb Mami and Kabyl native Takfarinas at diaspora parties. Safy Boutella plunged him into the vortex of underground jazz. He honed his vision while waiting to record his first album "The Greeting of Peace". This was when his genius as a producer began to reveal itself (his production). Meanwhile, with former -Raïna Raï vocalist Larbi Dida, he recorded a four-title offering that foreshadowed his future approach.
Larbi Dida comes from the town of Sidi bel Abbes and is a founding member of Raïna Raï, the rock-raï group that shook up the Algerian rock scene by zeroing in on a roots-meets-electric sound. Recognized by the Algerian media as a historic breakthrough, this group was the first rock group to use raï in its repertoire. Ever since Larba Dida moved to Paris in 1989, his has been one of the great Arabic voices in the French capital.
Aziz Sehmaoui is another pillar upholding Youcef's vision. Raised in Marrakesh, this Sufi was nourished on a combination of Gnawa Arab-African beats and British-American pop performed in Morocco with various traditional and electric groups. (Association Ziriab, Lemchaheb and others). Like Youcef, Aziz attempts to weld the mystical power of healing rhythms with today's sounds. As the custodian of spiritual rigor and technique, he infuses the music with an aura of native authenticity molded by the luminous candor of his voice.
The band:
Medehi Askeur, Fateh Benlala, Ahmed Benshidhum, Yusef Bukella, Alain Debiossat, Jean-Baptiste Ferre, Fathellah Ghoggal, Olivier Louvel, Taufik Mimuni, Michel Petry, Asís Sahmaui, Kamel Tenfiche. Discography:
En Concert (Virgin 844 009 2, 1997)
Poulina (Virgin 847 553 2, 1999)
Alik (Wagram 3130492, 2008)
Rendez-Vous Barbes (Le Chant du Monde CMD 165, 2010)
Mimouna
Orchestre National De Barbès Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ya khouya ya bnemma ram kablou el oualdine
ennfellah oua djini essaba oua nechri lekhti ma bghate
ya lilouna dhyaf rabbi
dirou kabri fi tberna, dirou kabri fi tberna zoudj kissane houma ech houdi
ya Mimouna dhyaf rabi
The song "Mimouna" by Orchestre National de Barbès is about the celebration of Mimouna, a Jewish holiday in North Africa that marks the end of Passover. Mimouna is a celebration of the return to eating leavened bread and the beginning of spring. The lyrics refer to the generosity and hospitality of Mimouna, and the joy that comes with the holiday.
The first verse of the song talks about how Mimouna is a gift from God for the children. Then it mentions Ram, who is a beloved person that everyone should respect. The second verse talks about how the holiday brings people together, regardless of their social status. Everyone is equal and shares in the celebration. The third verse talks about the tradition of visiting the graves of ancestors and leaving offerings. The final line repeats the opening line, emphasizing the importance of the holiday as a gift from God.
Overall, the song celebrates the joy and generosity of Mimouna and the sense of community that it fosters. It highlights the importance of hospitality, respect, and tradition in North African Jewish culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya Mimouna dhyaf rabbi idha kablou el oueldine
Oh Mimouna, God's guest, when you arrive before the children
ya khouya ya bnemma ram kablou el oualdine
Oh my brother, oh my cousin, prepare before the children
ennfellah oua djini essaba oua nechri lekhti ma bghate
The needy and the jinn are in the neighborhood and my sister doesn't want anything
ya lilouna dhyaf rabbi
Oh our night, God's guest
dirou kabri fi tberna, dirou kabri fi tberna zoudj kissane houma ech houdi
Dig the grave in the courtyard, dig the grave in the courtyard. The musicians are coming, where is the groom?
ya Mimouna dhyaf rabi
Oh Mimouna, God's guest
Contributed by Daniel P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.