Initiated by the Essaouira-Mogador Association, this musical event, now a staple in the city's cultural programming, attracted a large audience of music lovers for its kickoff, all eager to discover jazzy sounds delivered with mastery by internationally renowned artists and emerging talents.
The inaugural evening was enhanced by the presence of the Advisor to HM the King and Founding President of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, Mr. André Azoulay, the Governor of the province, Adil El Maliki, the President of the Essaouira Communal Council, Tarik Ottmani, and other eminent personalities, both Moroccan and foreign, from various backgrounds.
Under the iconic vaults of the "Dar Souiri" socio-cultural space, the Australian-Moroccan artist Julian Bel Bachir opened the show with an electrifying concert where jazz harmoniously blended with the authentic rhythms of Gnaoua music, in the purest Souiri tradition.
Accompanied by the Mâalem, Abdesalam Benaddi, and other local and international talents, Bel Bachir managed, from the very first notes of his instrument, to captivate the audience and take them on a musical journey rich in emotions, colours, and melodies.
Subsequently, the stage was handed over to Aly Keita, one of Africa's greatest balafonists and a true ambassador of the most refined Afro-jazz, who treated the audience to a dazzling interpretation of the most iconic pieces from his rich repertoire.
Performing alongside Dutch drummer Marcel Van Cleef and Italian bassist Roberto Badoglio, Keita shone brightly, eliciting warm ovations and murmurs of admiration that punctuated each piece of his performance with infinite grace.
And to close this opening evening in style, the audience was treated to the first "Midnight Jam Session" of this 8th edition, an intimate show dedicated to improvisation and musical fusion, where talents from Essaouira and beyond gathered to create moments of pure sonic magic together, offering the public a series of impromptu performances blending jazz, Moroccan music, and modern influences.
In a statement to MAP at the end of the evening, maestro Majid Bekkas, the festival's artistic director, indicated that this special inaugural evening was not only an artistic success but also a true moment of sharing and musical communion, noting that this 8th edition promises to be exceptional by featuring iconic jazz figures from all four corners of the world.
"We are particularly happy to see that the festival continues to attract a loyal and enthusiastic audience, and that the interest keeps growing every year," he rejoiced.
For his part, Julian Bel Bachir said he was "honoured" to meet the audience of the City of the Trade Winds, a city known as a "unique meeting place between cultures and world music."
The 8th edition of the "Jazz sous l’Arganier" Festival continues until December 29, offering a rich and varied programme, featuring enchanting concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and nightly "Jam Sessions," to the great delight of jazz and world music lovers.
Also on the menu is a reflection forum, where musicians, researchers, journalists, and intellectuals will gather to exchange views on contemporary issues of music, culture, and intercultural exchange.
