Jazz
Arabic Jazz
Jazz Fusion
LIVE
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic XVII: Gnawa World Blues is an explosive, hypnotic live recording that captures a transcendental meeting point between ancient Moroccan spiritual rituals and cutting-edge global jazz-fusion. Recorded at the Philharmonie Berlin, the album documents a seamless sonic dialogue anchored by Moroccan master Majid Bekkas, Vietnamese-French guitar virtuoso Nguyên Lê, and legendary American jazz percussionist Hamid Drake, alongside an exceptional ensemble including multi-instrumentalist Bojan Z.
The soundscape is centered on the hypnotic, thrumming pulse of Bekkas’s guembri (a three-stringed, camel-neck bass lute), paired with his soul-stirring vocal incantations and traditional krakebs (iron castanets). Hamid Drake provides a masterclass in cross-cultural rhythm, blending traditional Gnawa trance patterns with fluid, swinging jazz drumming and deep frame-drum grooves that drive the performance forward with relentless momentum.
Nguyên Lê’s searing electric guitar acts as the sonic bridge between these sacred folk traditions and modern jazz-rock. His signature microtonal pitch bends, soaring distortion, and Vietnamese-influenced scalar runs weave through Bekkas’s basslines, creating a fiery, psychedelic tension. Recorded with pristine live concert acoustics, the album captures immense dynamic range—shifting effortlessly from quiet, meditative acoustic passages into massive, trance-inducing polyrhythmic crescendos. The resulting soundscape is rich, organic, and wildly celebratory, capturing the raw energy of an unforgettable live musical communion.