Born in Salé, Zagora native Majid Bekkas has been a pioneer in Gnaoua-jazz fusion since the 1980s. Creator of the “African Gnaoua Blues” concept, he allies Gnaoua trance to jazz and African blues. His charisma, enchanting voice, and guembri_as well as ngoni and guitar—virtuosity make him an unforgettable artist. Nominated at the Golden Django in 2004 for his album “Mogador”, he collaborated with jazz figures such as Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders and Joachim Kühn, as well as African icons like Salif Keita and Bassekou Kouyaté. His song “Daymallah” represents Morocco in his compilation “Desert Blues 2”.

His innovative play and talent for composition enables him to explore exclusive sounds while also staying loyal to his Gnaoua music roots. He is the recipient of UNESCO’s Al Farabi Prize (2011), silver medal from the Academy of Arts of Paris (2012) and Coup de Coeur from Académie Charles Cros, and has released a series of innovative albums. After “Magic Spirit Quartet” (2020) and “Joudour” (2022), recorded remotely during Covid, he recorded a trio with Peter Brötzmann and Hamid Drake in 2023. In 2024, he released an album in London with Waaju under the BBE Music label, voted best fusion album in England.

Between tradition and experimentation, Majid Bekkas continues to explore the multiple facets of Gnaoua Blues, confirming his role as global ambassador of Moroccan music.