Majid Bekkas

ABDELMAJID BEKKAS embarked on his musical career in 1972 playing banjo in Moroccan “Jil” groups rather like Nass El Ghiwane. Over the years, the master Ba Houmane, in Salé, initiated him into Gnawa music. He then studied classical guitar and oud at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Rabat, where he later taught classical guitar. In parallel, Majid was delving deeper in the blues and soul, playing in his own group in the eighties as a guitarist, keyboard player and singer. In the nineties, he created the Gnaoua Blues Band, splitting his time between compositions, recordings and touring. He took part in many international festivals. After African Gnaoua Blues in 2001, he recorded Mogador in 2004 for Igloo label ; the title Daymallah was selected for the Desert Blues vol.2 compilation by Network Medien. In 2004, Majid was nominated for the « Django d’Or » Prize in France, at the side of Minino Garay and Anouar Brahem. He’s regularly touring in Europe and appears in several projects, with saxplayer Klaus Doldinger, or pianist Joachim Kühn. NEW ALBUM of the Majid Bekkas Afro-Oriental Jazz Trio, "Al Qantara", OUT in 2014.