Music ‘haven of freedom’ Tangiers hosts global jazz festival

Abdellah El Gourd, a 77-year-old Moroccan legend of gnawa music, poses for a picture in the old city of Tangiers on April 23, 2024. The Moroccan city of Tangiers, which has a long history as a haven of inspiration for American jazz musicians, will host UNESCO's International Jazz Day for the first time on April 30. (AFP)
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Updated 28 April 2024
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Music ‘haven of freedom’ Tangiers hosts global jazz festival

  • This year’s Jazz Day will be held over four days starting on Saturday, during which talks and open-air performances will be held in Tangiers

TANGIERS, Morocco: The Moroccan city of Tangiers, which has a long history as a haven of inspiration for American jazz musicians, will host UNESCO’s International Jazz Day for the first time on Tuesday.
Over the last century, jazz greats such as Randy Weston, Idrees Sulieman and Max Roach all crossed the Atlantic to play and record music in the North African port city, perched on the edge of the Strait of Gibraltar.
“The city has had a fascinating power of attraction on a wave of intellectuals and musicians,” Philippe Lorin, the founder of an annual Tangiers jazz festival, told AFP.
“It’s not for nothing that a writer once said there was always a cruise liner in New York preparing to sail for Tangiers.”
This year’s Jazz Day will be held over four days starting on Saturday, during which talks and open-air performances will be held in Tangiers.
The festivities will culminate in an “All-Star Global Concert” on Tuesday led by jazz icon Herbie Hancock, also featuring bassists Marcus Miller and Richard Bona, as well as guitarist Romero Lubambo.
The city’s cosmopolitan artistic reputation stems from its location between Africa and Europe as well as its history, having been administered by several colonial powers from 1923 to 1956, the year Morocco gained independence.
This melting pot of influences prompted visits from international writers and poets, notably from the Beat Generation movement, as well as African American musicians seeking to find “their African roots,” Moroccan historian Farid Bahri told AFP.
Lorin said that Tangiers “was a haven of freedom — just like jazz music.”

A pivotal moment in the city’s musical history came in 1959, when Tangiers jazz promoter Jacques Muyal — then just a teenager — recorded a session with trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, pianist Oscar Dennard, bassist Jamil Nasser and drummer Buster Smith at the Radio Tanger International studio.
The recording gained renown in jazz circles decades before its distribution as “The 4 American Jazzmen In Tangier” album in 2017.
Bahri, the author of “Tangiers, a world history of Morocco,” said “the presence of American musicians in Tangiers was also linked to a very active American diplomacy.”
Famous US pianist Randy Weston settled in Tangiers for five years after visiting 14 African countries in 1967 during a tour organized by the US State Department.
The Brooklynite virtuoso would play a key role in building the musical reputation of the city, to which he dedicated his 1973 album “Tanjah.”
“Randy was an exceptional, kind and respectful man,” said Abdellah El Gourd, a 77-year-old Moroccan legend of gnawa music, a centuries-old style played with a three-stringed lute and steel castanets, rooted in West African rituals and Sufi traditions.
“He gave a lot to the city and its musicians,” added the friend and collaborator of Weston, who died in 2018.

Together, El Gourd and Weston blurred the lines of their respective genres, creating the beginnings of jazz-gnawa fusion, which remains a key part of Tangiers’ musical legacy.
“The language barrier was never a problem because our communication was through (musical) scales,” El Gourd recalled in a rehearsal room lined with old photos and memorabilia from the years he toured with Weston and jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp.
“Our language was music.”
The two men’s collaborative work would years later yield the acclaimed 1992 album “The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco.”
Two years after settling in the city, Weston opened the African Rhythms jazz club, above the iconic Cinema Mauritania in downtown Tangiers.
“We used to rehearse there,” El Gourd recalled. “Randy would invite his musician friends. It was a beautiful time.”
With El Gourd’s help, Weston launched Tangiers’ first-ever jazz festival in 1972, featuring big names such as drummer Max Roach, flautist Hubert Laws, double-bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and saxophonist Dexter Gordon.
“It was quite a unique experience, because it was the first time we played in front of such a large audience,” said El Gourd, who was then used to small crowds for gnawa performances.
Weston and El Gourd’s festival was only held once.
But three decades later it inspired Lorin to create the Tanjazz festival, which is held in the port city every September.


Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury

Updated 21 November 2024
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Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury

DUBAI: Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee – known for films like “Malcom X” and “BlacKkKlansman” – will preside over the Red Sea Internation Film Festival’s Red Sea: Features Competition Jury this year.

The fourth edition of the festival will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Dec. 5 - 14, in Jeddah’s Old Town of Al Balad. 

The Red Sea: Features competition will showcase the highest achievements from a diverse range of filmmakers from the Arab region, Asia and Africa. Sixteen features have been selected to showcase the most compelling, unique and impressive work from the past year, with the winners being selected by Lee and the rest of the jury to receive the coveted Yusr Awards.

In 2023, the Golden Yusr for Best Feature Film was awarded to “In Flames,” directed by Zarrar Khan.

Lee will also participate in the festival’s In Conversation strand, which welcomes industry luminaries from all over the world to share insights and have meaningful discussions about their practice, passions and stories.

Jomana Al Rashid, Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said in a statement: “Looking towards our fourth edition, we’re honoured to welcome the legendary Spike Lee as our President of Jury for the festival this year. Spike is a pioneering director whose iconic work has made a lasting impact on both film as a medium and culture at large. His energy, incisiveness and genuine championing of creativity and new voices makes him an ideal fit to lead our jury for this year - we look forward to him engaging with the burgeoning talent in our competition line up.”

Lee added: “Having been lucky enough to experience first-hand the incredible filmmaking, atmosphere and creativity at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2022, it's a privilege to be returning this year as President of the Jury. Alongside creating a melting pot for cultures to come together in celebration of our important art-form, it's vital to continue to platform young and emerging filmmakers who are finding their voice in the industry, and it's exciting to see first-time directors from across the Arab region, Asia and Africa as part of the Competition lineup this year. I'm looking forward to diving in to the programme and making what I'm sure will be some very tough decisions alongside the leading luminaries on the jury.”


‘Marvels of Saudi Orchestra’ heads to Tokyo  

1 - The 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' show being performed in Paris - Image courtesy of Music Commission
Updated 21 November 2024
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‘Marvels of Saudi Orchestra’ heads to Tokyo  

  • The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s global tour reaches Japan 

DUBAI: The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir is on a mission to build a bridge between the Kingdom and the rest of the world, one musical collaboration at a time. 

Having already performed its musical showcase “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” in Paris, Mexico City, New York and London, the orchestra will perform at Tokyo Opera City on Nov. 22.  

The evening’s performance will feature the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performing alongside Japan’s Gagaku Orchestra Imperial Court Music and the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music. The collaborative program will showcase traditional Saudi pieces and classical Japanese music. Renowned Japanese guitarist Hotei will also deliver a special guest performance. 

In an interview with Arab News, Saudi Music Commission CEO Paul Pacifico attributed the idea of taking the Saudi orchestra on a world tour to Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, and cited a dual purpose behind the program. 

“The first opportunity is international. It’s about taking the best of Saudi culture to the world and showing the world what Saudi culture is about. Most people around the world haven’t heard Saudi music, so this is a new experience,” Pacifico said. 

Maestro Hiro. (Supplied)

“The second part of this is about showing Saudi people how Saudi culture can be received worldwide, and how Saudi music can take its place on any of the world’s greatest stages with the world’s greatest cultural organizations. And really to take pride in seeing Saudi culture celebrated and validated in that way,” he added. 

Composed and arranged by Saudi Arabian maestro Rami Bashih with the support of Japanese maestro Hirofumi Yoshida, the Tokyo performance is an ode to Japanese and Saudi musical traditions. 

“I hope this performance will deepen the Tokyo audience’s understanding of different cultures through music and serve as a catalyst for building new cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan. This concert brings together distinct musical cultures on a single stage, offering the audience a valuable experience to see music and culture from a fresh perspective,” Yoshida told Arab News. 

“In the first and second parts of the program, the audience will enjoy a contrast between Saudi Arabia’s traditional music and the ancient Japanese court music, gagaku. In the third part, they will experience cultural harmony through a joint performance by musicians from both countries,” he continued. 

Both the Japanese and Saudi orchestras have had to rehearse online ahead of the big day. 

The 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' show in Paris. (Saudi Music Commission)

“The Saudi Music Commission and Japan’s Rising Sun Opera Foundation have held numerous remote meetings and organized advance visits from the Saudi side to prepare for this event in detail. We shared musical ideas online and made every effort to maximize our limited rehearsal time. Remote collaboration has been a new challenge, but by sharing a strong passion for music, we’ve been able to overcome the distance and foster meaningful cooperation,” said Yoshida. 

Yoshida is no stranger to Saudi Arabia, either. In 2017, he led the first performance by a full Japanese orchestra in the Kingdom. 

“I was deeply impressed by the enthusiastic applause, especially from young people, after each piece. Feeling the energy in the hall, I became certain that culture and the arts would flourish in Saudi Arabia in the near future. This experience showed me the potential for Saudi musical culture to continue growing and be shared with even more people around the world,” he said. 

For Pacifico, the opportunity to take Saudi music to yet another cultural capital is exciting. 

“There are so many rich collaborations in all of these cultures that we visited and hope to visit — whether that was the Carlos Chavez Orchestra in Mexico City, the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars in New York, or the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, every time we make a stop, we look to collaborate with the best cultural ambassadors from that city. And the cities haven’t let us down,” said Pacifico. “They’ve really exceeded our expectations. And, again, in two ways: the way the musicians have blended together and the audience reaction — how welcoming people have been, how interested and culturally curious to discover Saudi music, and the feedback has been incredible. 

“So much of what we do is about programs, KPIs… the technical work of government. But ‘Marvels of Saudi Orchestra’ brings it to a very human level. It’s about people connecting, and it’s that human connection that stands out to me,” he continued. “That’s what surprises and delights me each time that we’ve done this, and I’m sure will continue to do so.” 


Review: ‘Cross’ is a better-than-average gritty cop drama, thanks to Aldis Hodge 

Updated 21 November 2024
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Review: ‘Cross’ is a better-than-average gritty cop drama, thanks to Aldis Hodge 

  • Hodge stars as James Patterson’s tortured detective in new Amazon series 

LONDON: In its admirably committed bid to monopolize the ‘gritty cop drama adapted from books you might buy for your dad’ market, Amazon has turned to James Patterson’s Washington DC-based detective (and forensic psychologist) Alex Cross to follow in the footsteps of previous hits “Reacher”, “Jack Ryan” and “Bosch.”  

“Cross” (there’s a pattern here…) stars Aldis Hodge as the recently bereaved eponymous homicide detective. Assigned to investigate the murder of a prominent Black Lives Matter activist, our hero is all consummate professionalism and cerebral calmness as he attempts to unpick the increasingly sinister machinations of a deranged serial killer even as his bosses try to sweep the case under the carpet.  

What makes “Cross” more interesting than a lot of airport-novel adaptations is that Alex is also working a second case, obsessed as he is with hunting the murderer of his wife, who was shot in broad daylight a little over a year earlier. And when it comes to that case, he is neither a consummate professional nor cerebrally calm. 

The details of the two cases are better left unpacked here — spoiling the developments of either would be a shame — but it’s safe to say the show’s MVP is Hodge (“One Night in Miami”, “Black Adam”). The detective is, at times, more like two characters — one striving to deliver justice for his city, the other bent on nothing more than revenge and a desire to keep his family safe. And Hodge deserves plaudits for his portrayals of both sides of Cross, even as the lines between the two begin to blur and overlap across the eight-episode stretch.  

In fact, Hodge is so good, that it’s easy to forgive some of the show’s more cliché-riddled missteps. A couple of plot points arrive with much fanfare, only to slink out, unresolved; Alex’s supposedly masterful analytical superpowers tend to desert him when it suits the advancement of the story… There are other niggles, too. But, with a lead this charismatic — and closer to Patterson’s original Cross than the three previous film adaptations — and a supporting cast on their game, they’re all easy enough to overlook. 


Sofia Boutella promotes BBC drama ‘SAS Rogue Heroes’

Updated 16 November 2024
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Sofia Boutella promotes BBC drama ‘SAS Rogue Heroes’

DUBAI: French Algerian actress Sofia Boutella took to social media to promote her latest project, season two of the BBC’s “SAS Rogue Heroes.”

The trailer for season two was released by the BBC this week, and Boutella took to Instagram to re-post a clip of the military drama that follows the exploits of the special forces unit of the British Army.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sofia Boutella (@sofisia7)

Created by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”), series two rejoins British troops in spring 1943 during World War II.

Returning for series two are actors Jack O’Connell, Connor Swindells, Dominic West and Boutella, who plays French intelligence agent Eve Mansour.

Commissioned by the BBC, the show is based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book of the same name, with season two having been directed by Stephen Woolfenden.

Boutella most recently starred “The Killer’s Game,” which hit cinemas in September, and Netflix’s “Rebel Moon — Part 2: The Scargiver.”

In the sci-fi adventure — a sequel to last year’s “Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire” — a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force.

Kora, played by Boutella, has assembled a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds.

Boutella drew on her history as an immigrant. She grew up in Algeria during its civil war and later moved to France and found herself navigating the complexities of adapting to a different culture.

“Having left Algeria young, when I go back there I don’t feel like I belong to Algeria. And then, in France, I don’t feel like I belong to France because I didn’t grow up there,” she told Arab News in a previous interview.

Boutella has learned to embrace her rootlessness, though. “I feel like I belong to this planet. I have the freedom to travel wherever I want, without any limitation,” she said. “But sometimes, I miss the proximity and attachment that people have to their country.”

Kora was not Algiers-born Boutella’s first role as a sword-wielding extraterrestrial. The actress, who at the age of 10 fled to Paris with her family during the Algerian civil war, is known for her breakout performance in the Oscar-nominated film, “Star Trek Beyond,” in which she portrayed the fierce alien warrior, Jaylah.

 


Review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

Updated 16 November 2024
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Review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

RIYADH: After years of waiting, “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the epic saga “Gladiator” (2000), has finally hit the screen.

The film, released in VOX Cinemas, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 14, had a premiere at VOX Cinemas, Roshn Front in Riyadh on Tuesday evening.

Directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance in Ancient Rome.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Fred Hechinger, the action genre release offers full entertainment, and serves as a follow-up to Scott’s “Gladiator,” released almost 25 years ago.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.

With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

With “Gladiator II” expected to have its work cut out trying to prove it can stand toe to toe with Scott’s highly regarded epic, the film is not exactly what fans have been expecting. It is no patch on the original, to be sure, but it is still a good fun time at the movies, with Mescal and Washington stealing the show. It is entertaining, and a fun romp.

Scott’s return to the Roman arena is something of a repeat, but it is still a thrilling spectacle and Mescal a formidable lead.

Set about 25 years after “Gladiator,” we are reintroduced to Lucius (Mescal), the now grown son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus (Russell Crowe). He lives with his wife and child in Numidia as a respected warrior, but a far cry from his birthright. When a battalion of Roman soldiers, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades his land, his wife is killed in the battle, resulting in Lucius’ capture and enslavement. Passed along, he ends up in Rome, seen as fodder for the masses.

Obviously inspired by the similar predicament of Maximus, Lucius quietly resolves to fight as a gladiator in the Colosseum. His silent reasoning and overwhelming abilities are noteworthy, capturing the attention of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave. Macrinus has designs on the throne of Rome, plotting to overthrow young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), taking Lucius under his wing in the process. As all of these people come together and realize Lucius’ connection; blood is spilt and lives are lost, but in the end Lucius takes his revenge.

“Gladiator II” is a good time at the multiplex, both for fans of the first one and those who do not have any extra affection.