IF YOU IGNORE THE AMAZING CHARM OF RAI MUSIC...
YOU ARE MISSING AN ENORMOUS TREASURE.
TRY LISTEN TO THESE MUST ITEMS OF RAI !!!
1,2,3 SOLEILS, live album of the epochmaking
event of French-Algerian pop music on September 26, 1998 at the Palais Omnisport
de Bercy, Paris. Khaled, super-star of Algerian raï ; Taha, rock singer,
ex-member of the immigrant group Carte de Séjour in '80 ; Faudel, star
of all French youth, first initiated to music by his grandmother living in
the region of Oran : these "Trois Soleils", with both Occidental and Oriental
musicians, realized an excellent fusion style music. The performance of the three was held in front of over 16 000 effervescent
youths of all origins : blacks, blancs, beurs -- Blacks, Whites, Arabes...
and Orientals, like me.
You have also video and DVD of this historical concert.
KHALED, the king of raï. He was born in
Oran, West of Algeria, homeland of raï music. From the age of 14 when
he started a career of singer, all the history of modern raï cannot
separate itself from Khaled's ascending fortune. His album Kutché
(1988), made in collaboration with Safy Boutella and Martin Messonnier, marked
an evolution of the genre. His biggest hit tune Didi goes around
the world from Indonesia to Brasil. Why don't you listen to Imagine
of John Lennon sung in arab and hebrew by Khaled and Noa ? In his latest work,
Ya Rayi (2004), he attempts to reveal the richness of popular
music in Algeria.
CHEB MAMI is not an anonymous singer whom Sting
"discovered" somewhere in the Sahara desert, but a super-star of Algerian
raï music, famous all over the world, and it was in Paris that Sting
has known him. You have certainly heard that Desert Rose, duo
with the ex-Policeman. You have also to know that his voice is far more
attractive in his solo opus. Let me rai, Saïda,
Meli meli and his latest album Dellali take you
to the "Pays des Merveilles"(Wonderland).
FAUDEL, as I mentioned above, is a big star of
youngsters living in suberbs of French cities at first, and then of all youth
in France by his album Baïda. Born in Mante-la-Jolie near
Paris in a family of Algerian immigrants, he opened a new perspective in
the world of raï made in France, even though in Samra,
his second album, he persuits his musical adventure too far away from the
raï in its strict sense.
FARES, elder brother of Faudel, is the most hopeful French raï singer of 2001. Frech pop music scene is now full of artists of Arabic origin like him.
French people abuse the word "raï" by calling
any Arabic flavored music (or even Turkish) under this etiquette. French-Moroccan
star ABDY suggested (in vain so far) the name of "magh-oc" (Maghreb-Occident)
to characterize their music : music who finds its essence in the encounter
of two cultures and civilizations. Also I don't want to call RACHID TAHA
a raï singer. Since early '80 his musical carreer is based mainly on
Occidental rock music. And still he is to be considered as one who represents
in the most persuasive manner the new generations of immigrants. Note that
the word raï entered into an every day vocabulary of French to signify
the way of living of youth of arab origin in France (ex. Raï,
title of Thomas Gilou's movie)
You can find many groups or singers who can be called "enfants du raï"(children of raï). They mix up, each one in their manner, all the musical influence they accepted. RAI KUM is one of such groups. In addition to raï you can find feelings of rock, chaâbi, etc. This richness of variety make the present French music scene so attractive.
Late CHEB HASNI will be the eternal number
one in the heart of Oran people. His love songs -- "raï-love" -- are
the very expression of Algerian youth suffering from all sorts of difficulties.
I recomend you to listen to albums of CHABA ZAHOUANIA, the queen or raï, at least for three times, after which you will recognize that it is she who is to be called a real blues singer of nowadays.
CHABA OUARDA, though regarding herself as medehat
(traditional female singer), has also accomplished an excellent raï album.
NOUREDINE MARSAOUI, with his gangster like appearance, makes himself a particular figure in the raï scene. I love his Petitates, Jamais noughda, or Zine el Kamel ! These two artists seem to owe much their success to their producer, Mohamed Maghni.
CHEB ABDOU, CHEB HOUARI DAUPHIN, CHEB DJELLOUL, CHABA
KHEIRA, CHEB HASSAN, NANI... You can find a number
of talents in Oran or Algier of today. In 2004 Algerian people recognized
the talent of CHEB REDA TALIANI, and their heart was seized by his
big tune Josephine.
We can call nowadays CHEB BILAL as a super star of raï. After
years of illegal stay in France, he started to compose, in a tremendous speed,
songs which reflect all kinds of difficulties and pains of Algerian people
as well as of Algerian immigrants living abroad. His popularity comes from
his powerful verbal expression.
RAINA RAI remains the reference
of rock-raï or group style of raï. In some way or another, groups
like ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE BARBES, SEBA, etc. are their successors,
and cover some tunes of the group of Sidi Bel-Abbes like Taïla
or Hagda. Recently Lotfi Attar, guitarist of Raïna Raï,
has come back to the scene with his new unit, NEW AMARNA.
CHEB AISSA seeks to keep up raï-trab or traditional bedouin style of raï, with modern flavor. How much his live performance is excellent !
CHEIKHA REMITTI, the mother
of raï. She started, not only her own carreer but also the entire adventure
of raï, in Oran of '40, with her radically scandalous tunes like Charag
gada, etc. Many of her songs are covered or cited by "Chebs", raï
singers of younger generation. She's now over 70 years old and still very
creative. After an European tour with Mohamed Maghni, she has just stepped
on the soil of New York for the concert at the Central Park, June 30, 2001...
and we will never forget her historical performance in Tokyo, July 10, 2004.
Raï is also moroccan. Try listen, for exemple, to this great singer
from Oujda, HAMID BOUCHNAK, or this female singer from Casablanca,
CHABA ZINA.
If you can read Japanese, you can find more informations and explanations in this
Of course you have also
Januray 1st, 2005
CONTACT : YUICHI -- kasuyaATMARKkenroku.kanazawa-u.ac.jp