MAÂLEM RACHID BENTEIR

Rachid Benteir was born in 1975 in Safi, a town where Gnaoua tradition continues to vibrate to the rhythm of ritual lilas. It was with Maâlem Razouk that he learned the fundamentals of Tagnaouite music, singing, the guembri and, above all, the spirit of ritual. Very early on, he made a name for himself on the stages of traditional ceremonies, where his sincere playing and deep voice captured the attention of connoisseurs.

Present at many moussems and cultural events across Morocco, he embodies a discreet but essential generation, attached to roots and respectful of gesture. At the 2017 Gnaoua and World Music Festival in Essaouira, he took part in an intimate concert—at Dar Loubane—in duo with Maâlem Mohamed Qoraich, a rare moment of musical complicity. Maâlem Rachid Benteir continues his journey far from the spotlight, faithful to the lilas and to the transmission of an art lived on a profound level, between humility and fervour.