MAÂLEM HAMID EL KASRI

Maâlem El Kasri is an essential figure of Gnaoua music, and one of Morocco most popular artists both at home and abroad. Born in 1961 in Ksar El Kebir, he was initiated at the age of 7 by Maâlems Alouane and Abdelouahed Stitou. But it was his grandmother’s husband, an old Sudanese slave, who transmitted his passion for this ancestral art. His singular talent enables him to merge Gnaoua rhythms from the north and south of Morocco, creating a unique musical signature anchored by his deep, resonant voice.

Maâlem Hamid El Kasri is one of the pillars of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival of Essaouira, where he has performed for years. His 2004 performance with the legendary Joe Zawinul made Festival history, followed by collaborations with renowned artists such as Karim Ziad, Hamayun Khan and Shahin Shahida in 2011.

In 2018, he performed at the Festival’s opening concert in fusion with Snarky Puppy, a famous jam jazz group based in Brooklyn. Vice president of the Yerma Gnaoua Association, he is commited to the transmission and preservation of this musical legacy. Considered one of the greatest Gnaoua musicians, he continues to make the world’s stages vibrate with his virtuoso performance and unmatched charisma.