Saha Gnawa by Saha Gnawa

The self-titled debut from Saha Gnawa pairs Moroccan Gnawa with NYC jazz and groove, channeling North African futurism through cross-cultural improvisation. Refined via late-night sessions at LunÀtico in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Saha Gnawa explores trance-like states through intuitive interplay, allowing ancestral rhythms and melodies to drift into unknown territories. What emerges is both an authentic performance of centuries-old Gnawa tradition and a bold step into new dimensions of sound, where traditional song forms dissolve into ecstatic dance tracks laced with subtle electronics.

Saha Gnawa builds on the legacy of Innov Gnawa, who were nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Electronic Dance Track for their 2017 collaboration with Bonobo, "Bambro Koyo Ganda." The ensemble is co-led by Maâlem Hassan Ben Jaafar, a master musician carrying forward generations of Gnawa tradition as the son of esteemed Maâlem Abdullah Benjaafar of Fes. Trained in his father's officially recognized Gnawa school and by master musicians throughout Morocco, Ben Jaafar earned the title of Maâlem (master) as a teenager, an honor bestowed only by consensus of other masters. He performs on vocals and guembri (a three-stringed bass lute) and has collaborated with artists like Randy Weston.

Co-leader Daniel Freedman, a drummer and composer, brings decades of experience collaborating with artists like David Byrne and Angelique Kidjo, as well as deep knowledge of traditions from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. The ensemble also features Amino Belyamani (Innov Gnawa, Dawn of Midi) and David Lizmi (Innov Gnawa, Bombino) on qraqebs and backing vocals, Jason Lindner (David Bowie, Now vs Now) on keys and synths, and Guilherme Monteiro (Gal Costa, Forro in the Dark) and Gilad Hekselman on guitars.

The album opens with "Soudani Manayou," invoking the West African Gnawa ancestors and honoring the Sahelian roots that flow through Gnawa music. Call-and-response vocals soar over ethereal electronics and driving guembri bass, while the hypnotic pulse of the qraqebs soundtracks the ancestral cross-Sahara journey.

"Baba Mimoun" summons protective spirits with infectious joy. The electronic elements work in precision with traditional instruments, angular guitar cutting through punchy synths, kick drum naturally accompanying the qraqebs, synth bass reinforcing the sintir as everything drives toward a rapturous peak.

"Bacha Hamou" invokes one of the most intense and demanding spirits in the Gnawa pantheon, the red spirit associated with sacrifice. Wilco guitarist Nels Cline features on this track, summoning the spirit through distorted, psychedelic guitar that builds waves of feedback and trance with mounting urgency.

Abraham Rodriguez's Yoruba invocations join the conversation on "Tbal." The album reaches its interstellar peak on "Negshah," where Donny McCaslin's saxophone soars atop Roman Diaz's congas.

Early praise for Saha Gnawa:

“Whereas previous Gnawa-jazz fusions have seemed to ruminate on concepts of ancientness, this project instead revels in taking listeners on a voyage to the sound of a future New York, a future Essaouira, and a future of inspired imaginations from nowhere-in-particular. Saha Gnawa is a remarkable collaboration and a brilliant album.” Jim Hickson, Songlines

"Saha Gnawa does what the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s motto always promised — move from Ancient to the Future with swift, holy dispatch." A.D. Amorosi, JazzTimes

“Ben Jaafar’s guimbri leads proceedings in traditional fashion, but the tracks eventually open out into wider spaces, as canonical Gnawa songs are stiffened with Afro-Brazilian percussion (“Tbal”), soaked polychrome by synth pads (“Sandiya”) or embellished by saxophone (“Negshah”).” Francis Gooding, The Wire

"Whether one is familiar with the transcendent sounds of Gnawa music or not, Saha Gnawa conveys an undeniable energy that will be felt by anyone willing to open themselves to its rhythms." Amuna Wagner, OkayAfrica

"A mix of tradition and Afrofuturism, acoustic and electronic, east and west fumigating in a cauldron of rhythms, chants, solo explorations and full ensemble blow-outs." Tim Cumming, The Arts Desk

"A vehicle for pushing gnawa into new spaces, for bringing it into conversation with other elements and champions of entrancing psychedelia." Big Ears Festival

"Gnawa music, with its looping, cyclic grooves and pentatonic scales, lends itself easily to “fusions” with Western music [...] for all that, Saha Gnawa brings something new to the table." Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide

"Well, you can't beat a little bit of Moroccan gnawa with a little bit of New York free jazz." Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 6 Music

"Beautiful energy with nicely judged cosmic and dub touches." Quinton Scott, Strut Records

"Incredible energy!" Tina Edwards

Saha Gnawa brings North African futurism to the U.S., uniting the founders of Innov Gnawa with leading figures from New York City’s jazz and contemporary music scenes to reimagine modern Gnawa music.

sahagnawa.com
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