Tekchbila Pod. #5 : Ismgan n' Souss (talk with Ali Faiq and Bouhssine Bakari)
As we were recording a musical session with the Ait Bakari Ismgan band during the Tekchbila residency, we sat down on the side with our host and accomplice Ali Faiq to talk about Ahwach n'Ismgan as a music style. He enlightened us further on what distinguishes this Soussi genre from the Gnaoua music found in Essaouira or Marrakech (instrumentally, historically, linguistically, etc.), as well as how it embodies the deep-seated roots of Morocco's African identity.
The Isemgan (a reappropriated term designating black slaves) genre is similar to that of the gnawas of Essaouira in terms of rhythm and sound, except for a slight difference that doesn't fail to catch the ear.
Like most vernacular art, it embodies a reference of identity and a collective memory of ethnicity. Religious chants are nowadays a major element in the lyrical compositions of Isemgan, as they are for Gnawa.
The pod. ends with an interview with Bouhssine Lahcen Bakari, who recounts his journey with the band.
