Majid Bekkas, Nguyên Lê, Hamid Drake
Biography Majid Bekkas, Nguyên Lê, Hamid Drake
Majid Bekkas
Born in Morocco, the world-renowned musician combines traditional North African music styles such as gnawa with jazz and blues. As a multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his playing on the guembri, a traditional stringed instrument, and has made Moroccan music internationally famous. He has collaborated with renowned jazz musicians such as Joachim Kühn, Achie Shepp and Nguyen Le and has released albums that showcase his unique fusion of cultures. Bekka's music is characterised by spiritual depth and rhythmic diversity, which he draws from his Gnawa tradition. With his innovative approach, he is recognised as one of the leading exponents of world music and a bridge builder between Africa and the rest of the world.
Nguyên Lê
The Paris-born son of Vietnamese immigrants is an outstanding guitarist and composer who has made a name for himself with his innovative fusion of jazz and traditional Vietnamese music. His music seamlessly blends Western jazz harmonies with Eastern melodies and rhythms, resulting in his unique, global sound. Lê has collaborated with many artists and released numerous albums that showcase his versatility and ability for musical fusion. As an innovator in the field of world music and jazz, he has received several awards and is a sought-after musician on international stages. Nguyên Lê's artistic work is known for its depth, complexity and ability to combine different cultures and musical traditions into a musical whole.
Hamid Drake
is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. He lives in Chicago, IL but spends a great deal of time touring worldwide. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and avant improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and African percussion instruments and influence, in addition to using the standard trap set, Drake has collaborated extensively with top free-jazz improvisers. Drake also has performed world music; by the late 70s, he was a member of Foday Musa Suso’s Mandingo Griot Society and has played reggae throughout his career.
Drake has worked with trumpeter Don Cherry, pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonists Pharoah Sanders, Fred Anderson, Archie Shepp and David Murray and bassists Reggie Workman and William Parker (in a large number of lineups).
"[Drake's] mastery of pulse drumming, textural sculpting, hand drum techniques, reggae, funk and garage punk makes him one of the most articulate and linguistically advanced musicians on the circuit… Cecil Taylor once claimed that each man is his own academy. If that's the case, Drake is surely one of the mystery schools." - David Keenan, The WIRE
