Souad Massi

• World Music

The great French-Algerian singer-songwriter Souad Massi has been called the »Tracy Chapman of the Maghreb«. Perhaps because she also develops her songs musically around her delicate guitar playing and stands up for freedom, justice, female emancipation, humanism and love in her lyrics. Massi studied classical music as well as Arabic-Andalusian music and developed her own style over time in which, alongside Algerian folk, influences from independent rock also play a key role.

Each song by Souad Massi sounds like an elaborate miniature from a musical continent which she invented herself. She sings in French, Arabic and Kabyle, a Berber language spoken in the north of Algeria. She brings a sextet to Hamburg which sometimes makes music in the refined style of chamber music on acoustic instruments and then again in infectious grooves. The mainstay of the ensemble is Rabah Khalfa, who plays the darbuka, a drum with a metal bowl and comparatively high tone.

PERFORMERS

Souad Massi vocals, guitar

Mokrane Adlani violin

Maxime Barcelona guitar

Guy Nsangue bass

Rabah Khalfa darbuka

Maamoun Dehane drums

PROGRAM

»Sequana«