ARAB SONG JAM goes Maghreb
Thursday 10.10.2019 8pm | Saal
Admission: pre sale 5 € plus fee / box office 10 €, 5 € (reduced)
Organizer: Werkstatt der Kulturen
Co-Operation Flyer
Amazigh Traditionals WITH Momo Djender
We celebrate the variety of North African Amazigh music. Amazigh (‘the free man’) is the self-designation of a North African society. Amazigh music incorporates differing styles depending on geographic and historical focus: ‘Atlas music’, ’Soussi music’ in Agadir (South Morocco), as well as ‘Kabil music’ are rhythmical, melodic and thematically different, yet all three different music styles belong to the same big Amazigh family.
ARAB SONG JAM aims to introduce this ancient type of music as an important component of North African music to Berlin. Momo Djender, who hails from Kabylie (Algeria) will present a special Amazigh-programme accompanied by musicians and attendants of his master class.
Line-up:
- Momo Djender: guitar, vocals
- Valentina Bellanova: flute
- Richard Müller: bass
- Alaa Zouiten: oud
Momo Djender
Born and raised in Algier Momo Djender´s ancestors are Kabyle People, a North African Berber tribe. Today he lives in Berlin. His music combines soul, pop and jazz music with sounds from his home country.
Grown up with Chaabi music, a traditional Algerian music style of Arabic and Andalusian origin, he discovered his love for soul, jazz and pop music when he was young. In 1991, the civil war forces him to leave his home country. He moves to Morocco and starts working as a musician at the reputable Le Fouquet’s Agadir restaurant. Expanding his Arabic vocabulary whilst in Morocco, he deepens his understanding of Chaabi music, which is part of his cultural heritage. Simultaneously he starts recording his second album “Rayha Ouine”, which is published in Algeria in 1994. The title song becomes another hit for Momo. This album makes Momo one of the country’s first musician to attract a younger crowd by modernising traditional Chaabi music. His style becomes soon known as “bled music”, Algerian for country music.
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In 1994, he moves to Berlin which is now his second home. His curious nature and openness towards other cultures leads him to work with different artists, namely Ramesh B. Weeratunga (Sri Lanka), Hussein Kili (Morocco), Eda Zari (Albania), Jocelyn B. Smith (USA), Hans Lüdemann (Germany). 2003, when he releases his third album “Experience”, Sting discovers Momo through his friend Rhani Krija. In the winter and autumn of 2003 they tour together to promote Sting’s album “Sacred Love”. Originally, Momo was supposed to play Darbouka, but after hearing him sing, Sting insisted on Momo singing alongside him. In 2005, Momo meets German reggae and soul singer Mellow Mark. Together with Rhani Krija they become “Mellow Maroc” and record their DVD, “Mellow Maroc live & unplugged”. In addition to concerts throughout Germany, the trio also tours Morocco, Egypt and Iraq. |
Between 2006 and 2011, Momo takes on new assignment. He becomes the host for the Algerian version of a successful French TV game show “Fort Boyard” (“Bordj El Abtal” in Algerian). The show is set up in the French fortress of the same name. With record viewing rates, the show becomes a huge success in Algeria.
In the autumn of 2012, Momo makes an appearance during the second season of the TV show “Voice of Germany”. With his battle partner Vinh Kuat he amazes the audience with his version of Sting’s “Desert Rose”.
Rhani Krija (percussion) and Momo Djender (vocals, guitar) launch the duo “DUOrient” in early 2013. Together, the two world class musicians compose modern versions of music from their rich mutual North African repertoire.
The ARAB SONG JAM goes Maghreb concert series brings new interpretations of both popular and traditional Arab songs onto the stages of the WERKSTATT DER KULTUREN.
The concert series bases its format on the Black American jam session culture of the 1940s. The first set of the evening was presented by a regular trio or quartet, while the second set had musicians new to the city introduced by the band leader.
Akin to jazz jam sessions in cities around the world which often borrow from The Real Book’s jazz standards, the new concert series ARAB SONG JAM goes Maghreb improvises over folk songs and the rich treasures of the Arab song repertoire, made famous throughout the Arab world by legendary singers such as Oum Kalthoum from Cairo and Fairuz from Beirut.
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