Latest news with #Jazzablanca
Ya Biladi
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Jazzablanca 2025 : From Jazz to urban poetry, TIF and Alfa Mist light up Anfa Park
The 18th edition of the Jazzablanca Festival delivered an exceptional evening on Wednesday, spotlighting two distinctive artists: TIF, a rising star in the rap scene, and Alfa Mist, a British pianist and composer known for blending jazz with hip-hop influences. Opening the night, Alfa Mist mesmerized the audience with a sophisticated performance, weaving together elements of jazz, soul, and hip-hop in his compositions. Joined by his accomplished quintet, the artist delivered a set marked by seamless transitions between instrumental pieces and rap vocals, creating an intimate atmosphere that resonated deeply with the crowd. The precision of the performance and the richness of the musical palette were met with enthusiastic applause. On a different note, the Casa Anfa stage welcomed rapper TIF, who captivated the audience with his lyrical depth, live vocals, and dynamic instrumentation. Performing standout tracks such as Hinata, Amnesia, and No Party, TIF drew from his two EPs, Houma Sweet Houma and 1.6, to explore a range of personal and social themes. TIF's performance stood out for its emotional intensity, artistic commitment, and musicality, forging a strong connection with a young, energetic audience drawn in by a fresh and unconventional take on rap. This unique double bill highlighted Jazzablanca's ongoing commitment to showcasing the richness and diversity of today's musical landscape, uniting artists with singular artistic journeys on its stages. Running through July 12, Jazzablanca continues to offer an immersive experience that lies at the heart of its identity. At Anfa Park, festivalgoers enjoy a thoughtfully designed space featuring two main stages, food courts, chill-out zones, and a welcoming atmosphere that fosters community and creativity. In addition, as part of the festival's 18th edition, the Nouveau Souffle stage has been set up in the Arab League Park, offering four free concerts featuring Daraa Tribes, Mehdi Qamoum, Anas Chlih Quintet, and Soukaina Fahsi.
![Aïta mon amour at Jazzablanca 2025 : «Moroccans are great partygoers!» [Interview]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.yabiladi.com%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2Fyabiladi.a3117c0f10d74f8847e32f9296b2bf0520250707155855.webp&w=3840&q=100)
Ya Biladi
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Aïta mon amour at Jazzablanca 2025 : «Moroccans are great partygoers!» [Interview]
A jazz festival open to a wide range of musical styles, Jazzablanca made a fitting choice by including «Aïta mon amour» in the lineup of its 18th edition, held from July 3 to 12, 2025. The duo behind the project, versatile artists Widad Mjama and Khalil EPI, refuse to recognize boundaries in music. By paying tribute to the ancestral heritage of aïta, they have crafted impressive contemporary compositions rooted in this unique Moroccan art form, now featured on their album Abda. «Aïta mon amour» offers a sonically rich experience, blending electro with centuries-old traditional sounds in perfect harmony. This fascinating fusion not only evokes emotion and poetic nostalgia, but also gets audiences moving, body and soul. Once a pioneering figure in Moroccan rap, Widad Mjama teams up here with Tunisian musician and producer Khalil EPI in an eclectic and successful partnership, which she discussed with Yabiladi. In 2022, you told our editorial team that the project closest to your heart was called Aïta mon amour. How have things been since? We've tried to nurture this project with care and commitment, something you truly have to believe in. Today, we see the enthusiasm it's generating, both in Morocco and abroad. That response reassures us about the artistic direction we chose. It's incredibly rewarding because, in the end, the work always pays off, as long as you keep going. You've played several shows in Morocco and internationally since then. But your first real tour promoting Abda happened last June. What kind of feedback have you received from Moroccan audiences? The response has been overwhelmingly positive, especially since we performed in cities that are often left out of the usual concert circuits. Each time, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we already had an audience there, people who knew us. One thing that truly fascinated me was discovering just how much Moroccans love to celebrate. Everyone loves aïta! This tour, organized with the French Institute of Morocco, was amazing, whether in Tangier, Tetouan, Fez, Meknes, El Jadida, Kenitra, Agadir, or Essaouira. We had a warm audience in each of those cities, and it makes us want to return, to meet new fans in other regions and share our music in places we don't often get to visit. Some believe aïta should be preserved in its original form, untouched by modern influences. Is that the best way to safeguard this largely oral cultural heritage in Morocco? There's absolutely nothing wrong with preserving traditional heritage and presenting it as it is. But I don't see a problem with evolving aïta either, especially since those who perform it traditionally are still the majority. These artists know the rules and codes. They reproduce and pass them on. Orality has kept this transmission alive, even though it naturally introduces change over time. Across the centuries, some things remain while others fade. Aïta has survived precisely because it has evolved. Change ensures continuity. In the context of the Aïta mon amour project, I've met with chioukh and connoisseurs of this popular art form. We've learned a lot from them. And here's something I want to emphasize: when I first started exploring this music, I focused on the chikhates, but I also met musicians, generous and open-minded, who shared their knowledge with us. They come from the aïta tradition, but they embraced our creative vision with great openness. You were the first female rapper to perform on stage in Morocco. Today, you're a pioneer in the electro-aïta genre. Have you always aimed to be on the cutting edge, or did this project emerge from a more organic journey? I think it would be a bit pretentious to say I've always wanted to be at the forefront. That's not the case at all. I don't think anyone wakes up one day thinking, «I want to be the first to do this». In my view, no one is ever truly the first to do anything. A good friend of mine who runs a theater company often says, «We didn't invent anything, let's stop pretending otherwise». In other words, I experience Aïta mon amour more as a personal and artistic journey. It probably also has something to do with a certain maturity, which ties together all the themes we've touched on. In many ways, this project feels like a full-circle moment. Back in high school, I was already singing popular aïta songs. And now, here I am, on stage, mic in hand, performing them live. Like jazz, both rap and aïta are musical forms deeply rooted in protest, artistic expressions that speak out against injustice and celebrate freedom. They began as raw, cathartic cries from within. Do you relate to that tradition, especially as a woman in a male-dominated artistic scene? Absolutely. Misogyny and underrepresentation are still widespread across all genres. People tend to think this issue is specific to certain cultures, but it's the same in Europe and the West. We're still surprised when we arrive somewhere and find female sound engineers, whether in the artistic or production side of things. I also believe there's a built-in protest element in everything we do right now that carries political weight. Aïta is a form of music that was historically carried by women to denounce local injustices and to resist French colonization during the Protectorate. Even when the lyrics speak of love, they remind us that love itself is a political act—loving who we want, when we want. Are these themes reflected in your album Abda? Definitely, they're already present in aïta itself, which celebrates love. We often forget that most of this repertoire's lyrics were written from a female perspective, even if the authors remain unknown. Aïta speaks of love, of absence, of grief, it also speaks of war. It's a mirror of the society we live in. Many of these old lyrics still carry contemporary meaning. They resonate with us because, unfortunately, so many things haven't changed—starting with injustice. During your European tour, you performed at the foot of a church, and even inside a deconsecrated one. Was that a special experience for you? It absolutely was, especially in the early stages of this project. If I remember correctly, it was our third show, and we were performing in a deconsecrated church in France. It was incredibly powerful to bring aïta into a space like that, during one of our creative residencies. We were two North African artists stepping into that space to perform. It meant a lot to me in terms of reclaiming space, especially given the legacy of Western domination in our countries. These power dynamics still linger, and we have to reckon with that. So yes, for me, performing aïta in a deconsecrated French church was a deeply symbolic and powerful act. On a more personal note, is aïta a way for you to pay tribute to your ancestors? Absolutely. It's a homage to my rural roots. My brother, sister, and I are part of the first generation born in the city—Casablanca. But the countryside has never been far from us. Here at Jazzablanca, a jazz festival, you're clearly open to musical diversity, easily moving between global and local styles. Could you see yourself exploring jazz in the future? Why not? I think we can try anything. I truly believe that music has no borders. I'm already an avid listener and consumer of many different genres.
Ya Biladi
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Jazzablanca day two : Seu Jorge grooves, Kool & The Gang celebrates
The second day of Jazzablanca's 18th edition set the crowd and festivalgoers ablaze, with a lineup that screamed «It's Friday, let's party». And the party started slowly but surely, first with some classical music played on guitar by Polish percussive fingerstyle guitarist, composer, and producer Marcin Patrzałek. Known by his stage name Marcin, the young guitarist blessed the crowd at Scène 21 with real guitar magic, playing arrangements of major classical pieces, rock arrangements, and original compositions. «I'm here to show that one instrument, a guitar, can fill a stage like this», he told a buzzing crowd that kept asking for more. With him, the audience a number of solo acoustic guitar arrangements, like Carmen, before he closed his set with Mozart's Requiem. Brazil's pop samba comes to Jazzablanca After that elegant and emotional start, the energy picked up. It was time for some Brazilian pop samba. And who better than Brazil's Seu Jorge to set the tone at Scène Anfa Casablanca, starting at 9 p.m. The show opened with a dazzling horn trio before Seu Jorge took the stage and the party really began. He sang a mix of his classics and newer hits, Carolina on acoustic guitar, Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which the crowd recognized from the very first note. Behind him, the trumpeters danced in sync, and Jorge himself threw in some freestyle moves. The show wouldn't have been complete without a bossa nova moment, a Brazilian specialty that blends samba and jazz. Seu Jorge's band each took a turn in the spotlight : solos on flute, electric guitar, trombone, bass, keyboard, saxophone, and trumpet gave every musician their moment to shine. Seu Jorge ended the show with a heartfelt bow to the audience that had flocked to Jazzablanca to see the Brazilian icon. Partying with Kool & The Gang Next up was primetime: American soul and funk legends Kool & The Gang, delivering a show that transported the audience through decades of groove and party energy. From the moment they hit the stage, the ambiance was pure magic. This wasn't just a concert, it was a full-blown celebration. «Are you ready to party with Kool & The Gang?» and «Let's get ready!» rang out as fans danced, clapped, and sang along all night long. Musicality took center stage, with fiery horn solos lighting up the stage, a funky bassline keeping it all grounded, and electric guitar and drum solos setting the crowd on fire. They moved seamlessly from hit to hit : Fresh, Too Hot (cue the crowd screaming «run for shelter»), and Get Down On It, which had everyone on their feet. The crowd loved it so much they played it twice. Nostalgic moments followed with Joanna, which Kool & The Gang dedicated «to all the ladies», and Cherish the Love, which turned into a moving singalong lit by a sea of phone flashlights. Older generations especially were touched by the timeless ballad. From there, the band took the audience on a virtual trip to Jamaica with Let's Go Dancing (Ooh La La La) before bringing it back to disco with Ladies' Night. From start to finish, it was an all-out celebration. And just when it felt like it couldn't get any better, Kool & The Gang closed their set with Celebration, a perfect finale to a night full of joy, groove, and dance. Like on opening night, the second day of Jazzablanca ended with a shower of confetti, signaling the end of the show, but not the end of the party. Tonight, the celebration continues with none other than the Black Eyed Peas on the lineup for Day 3.
Ya Biladi
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Jazzablanca day two : Seu Jorge grooves, Kool & The Gang celebrates
The second day of Jazzablanca's 18th edition set the crowd and festivalgoers ablaze, with a lineup that screamed «It's Friday, let's party». And the party started slowly but surely, first with some classical music played on guitar by Polish percussive fingerstyle guitarist, composer, and producer Marcin Patrzałek. Known by his stage name Marcin, the young guitarist blessed the crowd at Scène 21 with real guitar magic, playing arrangements of major classical pieces, rock arrangements, and original compositions. «I'm here to show that one instrument, a guitar, can fill a stage like this», he told a buzzing crowd that kept asking for more. With him, the audience a number of solo acoustic guitar arrangements, like Carmen, before he closed his set with Mozart's Requiem. Brazil's pop samba comes to Jazzablanca After that elegant and emotional start, the energy picked up. It was time for some Brazilian pop samba. And who better than Brazil's Seu Jorge to set the tone at Scène Anfa Casablanca, starting at 9 p.m. The show opened with a dazzling horn trio before Seu Jorge took the stage and the party really began. He sang a mix of his classics and newer hits, Carolina on acoustic guitar, Everybody Loves the Sunshine, which the crowd recognized from the very first note. Behind him, the trumpeters danced in sync, and Jorge himself threw in some freestyle moves. The show wouldn't have been complete without a bossa nova moment, a Brazilian specialty that blends samba and jazz. Seu Jorge's band each took a turn in the spotlight : solos on flute, electric guitar, trombone, bass, keyboard, saxophone, and trumpet gave every musician their moment to shine. Seu Jorge ended the show with a heartfelt bow to the audience that had flocked to Jazzablanca to see the Brazilian icon. Partying with Kool & The Gang Next up was primetime: American soul and funk legends Kool & The Gang, delivering a show that transported the audience through decades of groove and party energy. From the moment they hit the stage, the ambiance was pure magic. This wasn't just a concert, it was a full-blown celebration. «Are you ready to party with Kool & The Gang?» and «Let's get ready!» rang out as fans danced, clapped, and sang along all night long. Musicality took center stage, with fiery horn solos lighting up the stage, a funky bassline keeping it all grounded, and electric guitar and drum solos setting the crowd on fire. They moved seamlessly from hit to hit : Fresh, Too Hot (cue the crowd screaming «run for shelter»), and Get Down On It, which had everyone on their feet. The crowd loved it so much they played it twice. Nostalgic moments followed with Joanna, which Kool & The Gang dedicated «to all the ladies», and Cherish the Love, which turned into a moving singalong lit by a sea of phone flashlights. Older generations especially were touched by the timeless ballad. From there, the band took the audience on a virtual trip to Jamaica with Let's Go Dancing (Ooh La La La) before bringing it back to disco with Ladies' Night. From start to finish, it was an all-out celebration. And just when it felt like it couldn't get any better, Kool & The Gang closed their set with Celebration, a perfect finale to a night full of joy, groove, and dance. Like on opening night, the second day of Jazzablanca ended with a shower of confetti, signaling the end of the show, but not the end of the party.
Ya Biladi
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Jazzablanca opens in style with Seal, Hindi Zahra, and village buzz
Jazzablanca, the standout event of summers in Casablanca, has returned. Now in its 18th edition, the festival spans, for the first time in its history, ten days with two spectacular music weekends. The first weekend kicked off a bit early in Casablanca, with Thursday, July 3, launching the festivities at the Jazzablanca Village. Friends, families with little kids, young and older couples, and even colleagues flocked to the village as early as 6 PM. In addition to this year's spectacular lineup, many came to fully experience what the village has to offer. Right after passing through the festival gates, one can spot entertainment everywhere: a food court serving delicacies to suit all tastes and cravings, a pop-up market for local designers, gaming stands, and multiple chill zones with seating and beanbags on the grass, perfect for taking a break between concerts. A crowd drawn by music, food, and connection Speaking to attendees, this is what makes the festival special, alongside the music, of course. «It's about the great vibes», says a young Casablanca-based festivalgoer. «It's my fourth time attending Jazzablanca, I'm a regular», she told Yabiladi while roaming the gaming and food court zones. «It's always good to see a lot of people, talk with so many fellow attendees, have good food, good conversations», she added. As for the lineup, she said she was «especially excited to see Seu Jorge», the Brazilian singer-songwriter and actor expected to perform this Friday. Other attendees came all the way from South Africa, for the love of jazz, and jazz in Morocco. «I had been researching jazz festivals around the world, but since Ibrahim Maalouf was playing here, we chose Jazzablanca. Plus, we've both always wanted to visit Morocco», said two South African sisters among the festivalgoers. Their trip was also a birthday gift. «I brought my sister for her 50th birthday. We both love jazz, it's a big part of life in South Africa, where we're from», one of them shared. Others were drawn by the artists they grew up listening to, and the chance to reconnect with old friends. «For our generation, the highlight is the Black Eyed Peas», said a young couple already lined up in front of the Village's big Scene, ahead of Moroccan star Hindi Zahra's show. In addition to the music, «The atmosphere is really nice, super well organized», they noted. «There's a village vibe : we reconnect, meet old acquaintances and friends. It's really lovely, we enjoy it a lot», they said, big smiles lighting up their faces. Where music meets makers For those who are also in the mood for a little shopping, the creators' market at the heart of the Jazzablanca Festival Village offers a vibrant showcase of Moroccan brands and entrepreneurs. Among them are best friends Yousra and Houria, co-founders of the HaïHaïVintage label from Marrakech. «Our brand is really a story of friendship, we've known each other for 20 years, we love vintage, and that's how it all began», says Yousra. Selling curated vintage pieces mainly online, this is their first time at the festival. «We came because we love music, and this gives us a chance to connect with a slightly different audience than the one we usually meet at pop-ups». Also present is Be the Artisan, a start-up blending heritage and innovation. «Our brand offers artisanal kits that promote Moroccan heritage and craftsmanship», explains founder Zakaria Loulidy. «Each kit is a semi-finished piece finalized by a craftsman, then completed by the buyer following a guide from a master artisan». And of course, no festival is complete without daring fashion and bold accessories, something Kenza Alaoui, founder of Kenza Klay, knows well. She brings her hand-sculpted clay earrings, necklaces, bracelets and charms to Jazzablanca. «This is my third time at Jazzablanca. I've done the creators' market before, but this year we're in a new space, and I love it», she told Yabiladi. «Jazzablanca is perfect for me, it's exactly my clientele. People who come here love jewelry that's bold and a little out of the ordinary. It's one of my best-selling events in Morocco». Hindi Zahra and Seal light up the opening night While many enjoyed shopping, gaming and food, Cuban jazz was filling the air, echoing through the village and into the ears of the buzzing crowd. El Comité, a Cuban-formed Latin jazz ensemble made up of top musicians from Cuba's jazz scene, had the crowd moving at Scene 21 with a high-energy mix of Afrobeat, funk, montuno, bolero, traditional jazz, and even Gnaoua fusion with Maâlem Khalid Sansi. It was just the warm-up to what was next on the main stage, Scene Casablanca Anfa. First on the lineup was the one and only Hindi Zahra, the Moroccan singer-songwriter known for blending Amazigh sounds with jazz, singing in Tamazight, English, and Darija. At 9 PM, the show began. Zahra graced the crowd with newer and older songs, opening with Gnaoua-inspired rhythms before launching into her classics. The crowd sang along to «Imik Si Mik», a romantic blend of Tachelhit and English, and danced to «Beautiful Tango», with a real couple performing tango on stage in a touching tribute to her loyal fans. There were piano solos, reggada-inspired dances, and plenty of emotion from Zahra. «You are my beautiful strangers. I missed you so, and I love you so», she told her audience before ending with a powerful rendition of «Stand Up», infused with an oriental touch that got the crowd on their feet. After a brief break to recharge, it was time for the long-awaited headliner, Seal. He launched the show with «All I Know Is Now», before switching to French: «Comment ça va tout le monde?» The crowd roared, chanting his name: «Seal! Seal! Seal!» He treated them to both new material and timeless hits. «It's been ten years since I came to Morocco», he shared between songs. «Not to perform, just to stay in this beautiful place in Casablanca». He recalled landing and being offered tea: «It wasn't just about the tea. It was about how it was presented, the warmth». The audience cheered. Then came the hits: «Kiss from a Rose» (1994), and «Bring It On», with an acoustic guitar session in the middle. Seal ended his show in spectacular fashion, with white confetti raining down on the crowd, a festive goodbye and the perfect wrap-up to Jazzablanca's opening day.
