World Nomads Morocco Music: Master Gnaoua Musicians in Concert

Morocco’s leading Gnaoua masters, representing the major Gnaoua centers of Essaouira and Marrakech, will present a performance—unprecedented in the U.S.—of this entrancing and mystical music. They include Mustapha Bakbou and Mahmoud Guinea, among others. Originating in sub-Saharan Africa, the music serves as both a prayer and a celebration of life with strong, distinctive rhythmic beats and acrobatic dancing. The master musicians will be accompanied by Hassan Hakmoun, a Moroccan-American Gnaoua musician and innovative performing artist who draws on contemporary elements of funk, hip-hop, and reggae to further ignite his interpretation of this classic musical tradition. Admission: $20 for FIAF Members; $25 for Non-Members. 2-Event Package: Opening Concert & Gnaoua Masters Concert $30 for FIAF Members, $40 for Non-Members. See above for info on Opening Concert. At 7pm, Neila Tazi, the Director and Producer of Essaouira’s Gnaoua and World Music Festival, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Festival and its development, while sharing stories about the Gnaoua artists and their rich cultural tradition.