Bab L' Bluz
Morocco/France
With their name literally meaning ‘the gate to the blues', Bab L’ Bluz is reclaiming the blues for North Africa. Formed in Marrakesh in 2018, this quartet is inspired by Moroccan music traditions, which they combine with rock, contemporary sounds and Moroccan pop. Liking to be labelled as a Moroccan psychedelic rock band, they are at the same time ancient and current, funky and rhythmic, all put together with soaring vocals and bass-heavy grooves. Their first album Nayda!, released in June 2020, was acclaimed by critics and made the Mojo Top 10 World Album of the Year, and Songlines Best Albums of 2020.
Workshop:
Bab L’Bluz combine different musical styles from Morocco in their music. In this workshop they will explain the different styles and show how they mix things up in a modern way. They’ll encourage and animate the audience to interact with handclapping, to better understand the Moroccan rhythms. The musicians will also show the audience their instruments, which they created themselves. Bab L'Bluz will also address the place of women in Moroccan society and their participation in cultural life by citing some inspiring women who have marked history in an environment dominated by the patriarchy.