Rachid Taha رشيد طه

Rachid Taha   is an Algerian singer and activist  based in France  who has been described as "sonically adventurous."  His music is influenced by many different styles such as rock, electronic, punk and raï.

Taha was born in 1958  in Sig (Mascara Province), Algeria,  although a second source suggests he was born in the Algerian seacoast city of Oran. This town was the "birthplace of raï" music, and 1958 was a key year in the Algerian struggle for independence against French authority.  He began listening to Algerian music in the 1960s,  including street-style music called chaabi.  And music from the Maghreb region was part of his upbringing.

He moved with his parents to France when he was ten years old, settling in an immigrant community around the French city of Lyon  in 1968 .His father was a textile factory worker,  with long hours and low pay, such that his life was compared to that of a "modern slave", according to one account.When 17, Taha worked during the day at a central heating plant, described as a "menial job",  and hated this work, but at night worked as a club DJ playing Arabic music, rap, salsa, funk and "anything else that took his fancy."  The contrast between menial work during the day and fun during the night may have helped to develop his musical sensibility.  In the late 1970s, Taha founded the nightclub called The Rejects or, in French, Les Refoulés, where he would spin mashups of Arabic pop classics over Led Zeppelin, Bo Diddley and Kraftwerk backbeats.
 
In the 1980s, Algeria's indigenous pop music known as raï began to achieve international attention.  Originally raï music was based on "city slickers adapting music from the sticks" and was described as ribald, but it became more of a medium for political protest when young people in the 1960s and 1970s used it to "express their anger and desires."  Taha has suggested that Algerian musical styles and rock are "closely linked".  Taha was influenced by the North African raï band Nass El Ghiwane which was described as "Morocco's answer to the Beatles or the Stones."


In 1981, while living in Lyon, Taha met Mohammed and Mokhtar Amini and the three of them, along with Djamel Dif and Eric Vaquer would soon form a band. In 1982, Taha was the lead vocalist for the Arab-language rock group which they named Carte de Sejour, meaning Green Card or Residence Permit depending on the translation.  He sang in both English and Arabic, but usually in Arabic. Taha was inspired by the group The Clash:
“ The Clash were militant and hedonistic in equal measure ... And that was exciting to me. You could be a rebel and be in the biggest rock'n' roll band in the world! It was also clear that they loved music. Joe Strummer had nothing to do with that terrible punk cynicism. By the time of Mogador '81 they weren't just a rock'n'roll band, they were doing hip-hop, reggae, ska, country and western, disco, but making it sound their own. I think that's what gave French musicians the confidence to do the same with whatever music they were into. In some ways, they introduced us to the world. -- Rachid Taha, in The Guardian, 2007 ”


Taha met members of the group The Clash in Paris:
“ It was September 1981, and Taha bumped into all four members of the band just before they were due to play at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris. Taha gave them a copy of a demo tape by his band, Carte de Séjour (Residence Permit), an outfit from Lyons who combined Algerian raï with funk and punk rock. "They looked interested," remembers Taha, "but when they didn't get in touch, I thought nothing of it. Then, a few months later, I heard Rock the Casbah." He cackles mischievously. "Maybe they did hear it after all." The incident has since gone down in French rock legend. -- report in The Guardian, 2007 ”



Taha believes his early recordings helped to inspire The Clash to create the song Rock the Casbah.  A New York Times music reporter wrote:
" Is Rock El Casbah, with its images of sheiks gusting through the desert in Cadillacs and cracking down on 'degenerate' disco dancers, an indictment of the oil-choked, religiously fanatical Arab world, or a wry comment on the West's cartoonish vision of the region? No listener to the recording can doubt that it is both, or that in Mr. Taha, a rumpled North African with a buzz saw voice, the Clash has an unlikely heir. -- Jody Rosen, 2005  "


These were difficult years since record stores often refused to stock their records "because they didn't want Arabs coming in to their shops." There was little money; the band performed in suburbs of Lyons.  Taha took a standard patriotic French song entitled Sweet France (in French: Douce France) which had originally been recorded by Charles Trenet in the 1940s, kept the lyrics, but sang it with "furious irony" which irritated many French listeners, particularly coming from a "scruffy, bohemian-looking Arabic singer," to the point where Taha's version was banned from French radio.  The "acerbic" song created a "splash", nevertheless, and won Taha some recognition as a serious artist.  The group never achieved much commercial success and, as a result, Taha had to work a series of day jobs in a factory, then as a house painter, a dishwasher, and later as an encyclopedia salesperson.  They recorded their first maxi album Carte De Séjour in 1983. In 1984, with the help of British guitarist Steve Hillage, the group achieved a "sharp, driving sound" which played well on the radio, and the LP was entitled Rhoromanie.  In his songwriting, Taha wrote about living in exile and the cultural strife associated with being an Algerian immigrant in France.  In 1986, his "sneering punk-rock cover of Douce France" was seen as an "unmistakable protest against the nation's treatment of its immigrant underclass," and caused consternation in French political circles. His song Voilà, Voilà, protested racism. Taha has had to cope with anti-Arab sentiment and confusion; for example, the New York Times stated in a front-page story that Taha was Egyptian rather than Algerian, but later posted a correction.  Later, in 2007, Taha-as-an-immigrant was mentioned in France's National Center of the History of Immigration.


When performing live, Taha wore various outfits, including at one point a leather fedora hat, then later a red cowboy hat.Their second and last LP entitled Ramsa (Five) was released in 1986. The band dissolved in 1989.

In 1989, Taha moved to Paris to launch his solo career. At one point he was invited to Los Angeles to record with musician Don Was, who had been a producer associated with the Rolling Stones. Taha mixed a variety of instruments and styles for his sound. With a drum instrument called a doumbek or darbuka, his new group played Arabic-style beats. It appeared at one point that Taha might become an "overnight success", but after the release of the album Barbès, sales were disappointing in the United States, possibly because Americans were not keen on Arabic-sounding music during the time of the first Gulf War.

In 1993, Taha again worked with Hillage who helped produce his second solo album, the self titled Rachid Taha and helped him achieve "the kind of clubland-raï synthesis." Hillage worked on three solo Taha albums from 1993 to 2001, helping Taha return to his "north African roots".  In 1995, he released the album entitled Olé Olé with Taha looking like an "Aryan androgyne" with dyed blond hair and blue contact lenses, to make a point about anti-Arab bigotry and at the "homophobia of North African culture." Valencia features the singing of Kirsty Hawkshaw. In 1997, his song Ya Rayah became a hit. He performed in the Canary Islands.

In 2001, Taha released Made in Medina, and a music critic commented that he used a "full and varied instrumental palette" along with "a dizzying vocal facility that transcends whatever style he's plugged."  The album was recorded in Paris, New Orleans, and London with input from the American jam band Galactic.  Taha saw parallels between African and American music and said "New Orleans is like Algiers ... They were both French colonies at one time, and there's even an area there called Algiers," and he noted that Louisiana Zydeco drum patterns were similar to raï music.  Made in Medina combined Algerian roots, techno, pop music, and early rock and punk influences with "remarkable consistency" with previous works, according to Hillage.There were elements of political protest in his music leading a BBC critic to describe him as a "shit-disturbing artist who risks challenging his own culture as undemocratic."  He wanted to record in New Orleans "because I see parallels between African and American music, and between the music of the African slaves who came to New Orleans, and that of the Gnawas, the black desert tribes who became slaves of the Arabs in north Africa. And New Orleans is like Algiers. They were both French colonies at one time, and there's even an area there called Algiers." He was delighted to find that some of the local Louisiana Zydeco drum patterns are remarkably similar to raï.  A report in The Guardian suggested that Taha had achieved a cult status in pop music.


Taha's breakthrough album as a solo artist was his bestsellerDiwân, featuring remakes of songs from Algerian and Arab traditions. The album featured  traditional instruments like the oud but with a "contemporary veneer of programmed percussion and samples added in." Taha mixed the oud with strings using a contemporary beat along with guitar work, according to one account. Taha's album Tékitoi, produced by Steve Hillage and released in 2004, brought acclaim and recognition from other rock musicians. The title track is "street slang" meaning, roughly,Who the Hell Are You? (from the French Tu es qui, toi ? shortened into T'es qui, toi ?) and the music had "echoes of Joe Strummer", according to a review in The Observer.  In 2005 Taha performed with Robert Plant, Patti Smith and Brian Eno. He covered The Clash song Rock the Casbah which he retitled with the Arabic name of Rock El Casbah. This song appeared in the 2007 film about Clash frontman Joe Strummer entitled The Future Is Unwritten.  The song suggested rock music as "banned but unstoppable."  Taha has performed the song along with The Clash musician Mick Jones.  The Guardian selected Rock El Casbah as one of the top 50 cover songs.

Taha played in Morocco in 2006  In 2007, Taha performed in Canada and a reporter from the Montreal Gazettedescribed his performance while wearing a "pewter pimp suit" which was "stunning"
“ Rachid Taha did not disappoint. ... Taha leaned into his cheerfully louche street persona. Taha dropped his hat on the mic stand. The percussion undulated in, the trumpet and keys re-creating a North African swirl. Ste. Catherine St. was a sea of clapping hands. Some fans tried to get an Algerian flag waving and abandoned it to dance. Taha brought the crowd down and then back up for coute-moi camarade, an irresistible bounce about female treachery from the Diwan 2 album. But given there is always a subtext to Taha’s music, the girls in the casbah danced to the blocked trumpet. Then Taha fell on his ass. -- Montreal Gazette, 2007 ”



In 2008 he performed with the band Dengue Fever. He was described as a ""wild Algerian punk fan" performing among a lineup which read like a "Who's Who of west African music", and was part of "Africa Express", a response to the lack of African musicians at Bob Geldof 's Live 8 musical extravaganza.

In 2008, Taha was growing increasingly prominent, with greater audiences in places such as Canada, although there were reports that his music had "trouble getting airplay" in France. He performed with Nigerian artists Fela Kuti,Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti. as well as Brian Eno in an anti-war concert in London.

In 2009, Taha released Bonjour which The Guardian music critic Robin Denselow described as "calmed down" under a new producer, Gaetan Roussel. Denselow wrote: "The result is an unlikely set in which Taha appears to be deliberately courting a new, wider market by playing down that wild rebel image."  Denselow felt the music was more "commercial" and "not his most exciting."  st Joe Strummer. In 2010, Taha played in Toronto to large audiences. Taha performed with Algerian artist Mehdi Haddab who plays the oud. Taha's song "Habina" was featured in the 2010 film, "It's Kind of a Funny Story." Guitarist Carlos Santana recorded his song Migra which went on to sell over 25 million copies. In recent years, Taha toured nations including the United States  and Dubai.

In 2013 Taha released the Zoom album, which was produced by guitarist Justin Adams and featured guests Mick Jones and Brian Eno; and Jones toured with Rachid Taha as part of the Zoom project.  The album included a new recording of "Voilà, Voilà". Taha also recorded "Now or Never" (words & music by Aaron Schroeder / Wally Gold and previously recorded by Elvis Presley), which features Jeanne Added singing in English


Taha has been described as "gregarious" and "quick with a smile" who likes to party throughout the night. He has a cosmopolitan group of friends including a French girlfriend who recently attended Brown University in the United States. Taha was quoted as saying "I've never wanted to just stay in my own neighborhood, my own community ... It's a kind of conformism. You have to be adventurous." He does not like contemporary French cinema and said "I'd much rather watch some dumb Hollywood movie than another haute bourgeois auteurist piece of crap. " He has been a critic of the Bush administrationalthough he has made comments favoring a bombing raid on Iran, and said that "Iran shouldn't be allowed to have nukes." 

 (Source : Wikipedia)

Rachid Taha رشيد طه ‎– Barbès

01 Confiance  
02 Barbès
03  Gazelle  
04 Lela (Album Version)
05 Je Le Sais (Je Le Sens)  
06  Arab Rap  
07  Lyeh 
08 Bled 
09 Enti Wa Ana  
10 Partir 

HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه ‎– Rachid Taha

01  Yamess 
02  Malika  
03 Voilà Voilà  
04 Hitiste  
05 D'abord D'abord
06 Indie  
07  Hasard 
08  Dinaha  
09  Ya Rayah  
10 Woulla  
11 Menek  
12 Laisse Moi  
13 Yamess (Instrumental)


HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه ‎– Olé, Olé

01 Valencia
02 Nokta 
03 Baadini 
04 Comme Un Chien 
05 Boire 
06 Zaâma 
07 Tabla Motown 
08 Jungle Fiction 
09 Kelma 
10 Olé, Olé
11 Non Non Non (Multinational Version)

HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه - Diwan

01 Ya Rayah
02  Ida
03  Habina
04 Bent Sahra
05 Ach Adani
06 El H'mame
07 Enti Rahti
08 Menfi
09 Bani Al Insane
10 Malheureux Toujours
11 Aiya Aiya

HERE



Taha / Khaled / Faudel - 1,2,3 Soleils

 
Disque 1 

01 Khalliouni Khalliouni (Instrumental - Hossam Ramzy et The Egyptian Orchestra, Composé par Abderrahmane Amrani)
02 Menfi (Taha, Khaled, Faudel )
03 Eray (Faudel, Khaled)
04 N'Ssi N'Ssi (Khaled)
05 Ida (Taha)
06 Baida (Faudel)
07 Omri (Faudel, Taha)

08 Voilà Voilà (Taha, Faudel, Khaled)
09 Indie (Taha, Khaled)
10 Chebba (Khaled, Taha, Faudel)
11 Sahra (Khaled)

Disque 2
 

01 Madeeh (Khaled)
02 Wahrane Wahrane (Khaled)
03 Les Ailes (Khaled)
04 Le Camel (Khaled, Faudel)
05 Abdel Kader (Khaled, Taha, Faudel)
06 Bent Sahra (Taha, Khaled)

07 Aicha (Khaled, Faudel)
08 Tellement N'Brick (Faudel)
09 Didi Khaled, Taha, Faudel)
10 Ya Rayah (Taha, Khaled, Faudel)
11 Daiman (Taha, Khaled, Faudel)
12 Comme D'Habitude (Taha, Khaled, Faudel)


HERE









Rachid Taha رشيد طه - Made In Medina


                                

 
01  Barra Barra 
02  Foqt Foqt 
03 Medina 
04 Ala Jalkoum 
05  Ai Ai Ai 
06. Hey Anta
07. Qalantiqa 
08 En Retard 
09 Verite 
10 Ho Cherie Cherie 
11 Garab


HERE




Rachid Taha رشيد طه - Tekitoi

01 Tékitoi
02 Rock El Casbah 
03 Lli Fat Mat! 
04 H'Asbu-Hum 
05 Safi 
06 Meftuh
07 Winta 
08 Nah'Seb 
09 Dima
10 Mamachi 
11 Shuf 
12 Stenna
13 Ya Rayah
14 Voila Voila


HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه ‎– Diwan 2

01 Ecoute Moi Camarade 
02 Rani
03 Agatha
04 Kifache Rah
05 Josephine
06 Gana El Hawa
07 Ah Mon Amour
08 Mataouel Dellil
09 Maydoum 
10 Ghanni Li Shwaya

HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه - Bonjour

01 Je t'aime Mon Amour
02 Mokhtar 
03 Ha Baby 
04 Bonjour (with Gaetan Roussel)
05 Min Jai 
06 Mabrouk AAlik 
07 Ila Liqa 
08 This is An Arabian Song
09 Sélu 
10 Agi 

HERE



Rachid Taha رشيد طه ‎– Zoom

01 Wesh (N'Amal) 
02 Zoom Sur Oum 
03 Jamila  
04 Now Or Never 
05 Fakir 
06 Ana  
07 Les Artistes 
08 Khalouni 
09 Algerian Tango 
10 Galbi 
11 Voilà Voilà (Album Version)

HERE

Dahmane el Harrachi دحمان الحراشى - Elli Fat Mat اللي فات مات / Ya Rayah يا الرايح

Vinyl 7 "published by French label Pathe Marconi. It collects two beautiful songs of the Algerian musician Dahmane el Harrachi, especially "Ya Rayah  on B side . The song has become, over the years an anthem for many generations of immigrants.

Vinyl 7"  Pathè  2C 016 11296 M


Side A - Elli  Fat Mat  اللي فات  مات
Side B - Ya Rayah  يا الرايح

HERE

Arab tunes mixtape # 28 The many souls of Morocco

Among sounds Arab / Andalusian and Amazigh music, the fantastic sound of the music scene in Morocco .... I repeat it: another state of mind !!

Dedicated to all the brothers and sisters

01 Mohamed Rouicha - inass inass
02 Najat Aatabou - Ras el Ain 
03 Mimoun Ousaid - Urzough GhesaÌd Inou 
04 Abdessadek Chekkara - Ya bint bladi
05 Archach - Aghrum abazyn
06 Hamid Zahir - Lalla Fatima
07 Adil el Miloudi - Banet liya felkasse
08 Jil Jilala - Sfina
09 L-Hajja L-Hamdawya - Allah Ya'tik B-Sber


Cover by Hassan Hajjaj

HERE

Arab tunes mixtape # 28 The many souls of Morocco from lazyproduction on 8tracks Radio.

Izenzaren إزنزارن - Arc 1 Arphone

Tape  Arc 1 /  Arphone 

I found this tape in an old shop in Marrakech, among other nice things that I will publish soon.


The tape is a bit old and the quality is not great, but it's a great album.
The tracklist is a little different from what is written on the cover, which shows only 4 songs while the songs are actually 5. If anyone knows the name of the mysterious song I would be pleased to know it and I would be very grateful.




A1 Gar Asmoun ڭار أسمون
A2 Agass اڭاس
A3 Donit Tazri الدونيت تزري .
B1 Awdasse عاوداس
B2 ????

HERE

Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر

Figlio della sua città , più precisamente del suo quartiere Zahiriya Arsat dal quale deriva il suo soprannome , Hamid Ben Taher, in arte Hamid Zahir, è una delle figure fondamentali della canzone marrakchie. Suonatore di Oud e cantante , ha portato avanti nel corso degli anni uno stile musicale personale basato in larga parte sul patrimonio musicale della sua città natale, che ha come basi la Dakka e la trance della tradizione Gnawa, al quale ha aggiunto una buona dose di allegria e gioia di vivere .

Nato da una famiglia proprietaria di una macelleria, affianca da adolescente i genitori nei lavori di bottega. Ha la sua occasione in ambito musicale in seguito alla conquistata indipendenza del Marocco nel 1956 e all'ondata di giubilo che pervade il paese. Tra feste spontanee e cerimonie ufficiali poche città furono immuni all' euforia collettiva che contagiò l'intera popolazione.

Hamid Ben Taher , giovane uomo sempre sorridente, pieno di gioia e capace musicista vaga ogni notte per la città rossa ,a bordo della sua Solex, in cerca di buon umore. Stringe amicizie e incontra persone finendo per creare un gruppo fedele ai principi musicali del tempo . Composto , oltre che da Hamid, da due donne e due uomini che applaudono e danzano nell'accompagnare le canzoni, il gruppo propone brani tratti dal repertorio popolare miscelando zajal, melhoun e poesia araba. Le esibizioni a matrimoni , battesimi e feste popolari e i siparietti comici che il gruppo inserisce all'interno della propria scaletta contribuiscono all'acquisizione di una grande notorietà. Vengono apprezzate sopratutto le qualità musicali di Hamid , sia come cantante che come suonatore di Oud.


Verso la fine degli anni 50 ad Hamid Zahir viene offerto di registrare alcuni dei suoi brani più conosciuti. Vengono cosi date alle stampe le canzoni "Awin Awin", "Ruach Li Bgha Yzour" e "Lila Sidi Aâmara" che aprono a questo trovatore di Marrakech le porte del successo nazionale.

L'incoronazione ufficiale come nuova stella del firmamento musicale marocchino avviene nel 1962, quando Hamid Zahir realizza il famoso brano "Marrakech Sidi Flotambo Fareh Lik" composto in onore del giovane Hassan II, incoronato re in seguito alla morte del padre Moḥammed V. Grazie a questa canzone ,presentata per la prima volta in pubblico durante una parata militare a Marrakech, Hamid Zahir viene chiamato per registrare le sue canzoni nei nuovissimi studi della Radio Nazionale Marocchina a Casablanca.

Il successo delle nuove registrazioni è tale che questo amante di Marrakech è costretto, con la morte nel cuore, ad abbandonare la propria città per trasferirsi a Casablanca. Nella metropoli Hamid Zahir conduce una doppia vita divisa tra i macelli, dove continua a lavorare la mattina, e gli studi dove registra le sue canzoni. Continua ad esibirsi in locali, feste private , matrimoni e cerimonie ufficiali. Diversi funzionari del regno, tra i quali il re Hassan II , utilizzano i suoi servizi in occasione di sontuose feste a corte.

La consacrazione del successo gli consente di dismettere i panni di garzone di bottega per dedicarsi completamente alla carriera musicale.

A metà degli anni '70, Hamid Zahir gode dello status di stella nazionale. La fama di canzoni come "Lalla Fatima" e "Ach Dak Tmchi Lzine" trascende i confini del Marocco e consente al suo autore di essere acclamato in tutto il modo arabo. Nel corso degli anni 80 Hamid Zahir porta la sua musica ai quattro angoli del globo . Effettua tournèe in tutta l'area araba e si spinge in luoghi lontani come Giappone e Australia. Divenuto il beniamino dell'intero popolo del Maghreb , viene decorato in Tunisia, per meriti musicali , dall'allora presidente Habib Bourguiba.

Tuttavia negli anni '90 improvvisamente Hamid Zahir decide di uscire di scena. Le sue apparizioni pubbliche si fanno sempre più rare. Tornato a vivere a Marrakech, dove possiede una casa e un caffè nel quartiere di Guéliz, frequenta più assiduamente la moschea e si esibisce in rare occasioni private. La rottura con il mondo della musica è completamente consumata nel 2004; costretto a letto da un infiammazione del nervo sciatico, il musicista è obbligato a ridurre i suoi movimenti al minimo . Ma il trovatore della kasbah ,gioviale ora come trent'anni fa ,continua a mantenere quel sorriso che lo ha fatto amare dal grande pubblico. Della notorietà di un tempo Hamid Zahir è oggi orgoglioso e rievoca con nostalgia i momenti di gloria che gli permisero di stare spalla a spalla con leggende della musica araba come Umm Kulthum, Abdel Halim Hafez, Mohamed Al Mouji e Oulaya , diva tunisina da lui adorata .

Fondamentale per lo sviluppo dell'identità musicale nazionale , con canzoni come "Al Gnawi Sidi Mimoun", "Andi Miaâd", "Lalla Zhirou" e "Ach Dak Tmchi lzine" Hamid Zahir è stato uno dei precursori del moderno Chaabi marocchino. 

Hamid Zahir (حميد الزاهر) ou Hamid Ben Taher pour l'état civil est un oudiste et un chanteur populaire marocain. Est une figure emblématique de la chanson marrakchie. En effet, son jeu musical demeure particulier en ce sens qu'il prône le patrimoine musical de sa ville natale, à savoir les styles dakka, gnawa respirant les transes musicales utilisées pour donner à ses chansons un air de festivité.
Biographie et évolution musicale

Son surnom Zahir est inspiré du nom du quartier Arsat Zahiriya où il grandit à Marrakech.

Depuis qu'il a intégré le domaine de la chanson populaire qui l'avait tellement séduit depuis son enfance, Hamid ne cesse de promouvoir un style personnel, alliant paroles, musique et joie de vivre. Il figure comme l'un des principaux artisan de la la chanson populaire au Maroc, alors que ce crooner se dédiait à une carrière de boucher comme ses parents.

Pour situer le contexte qu'il fait situer lors de l'Indépendance du Maroc en 1956, une vague de liesse populaire s'empare du pays. Entre fêtes spontanées et cérémonies officielles, rares sont les villes épargnées par l'atmosphère d'euphorie collective qui y règnait alors. À Marrakech, les tentes se dressaient dans les rues de la ville pour abriter les festivités. Une bénédiction pour Hamid Ben Taher, jeune homme plein de joie qui sillonne chaque soir la ville ocre à bord de son Solex, en quête de bonnes ambiances. De réunions festives en soirées musicales, ce boucher de père en fils se lie d'amitié avec un groupe de musiciens, qui l'initient à l'art subtil et à la virtuosité du oud qu'il parviendra à maîtriser avec dextérité. Fidèle aux standards musicaux de l'époque, le nouveau groupe compte, en plus du chanteur, deux femmes choristes et deux hommes appelés Keffafa. Spécialistes de la fameuse Dakka Marrakchia, ces derniers tapent des mains et dansent pour accompagner les chansons. Tirées du répertoire populaire, elles mélangent zajal, melhoun et poésie arabe. De mariages en baptêmes, la troupe acquiert une grande notoriété parmi les Marrakchis, qui apprécient particulièrement son jeu musical au oud, les paroles de ses chansons, leurs rythmiques prenantes, et par-dessus tout, le jeu de scène de ses danseurs qui, en purs Bahjaoua, enchaînent pitreries et mimiques cocasses.


Il faudra cependant attendre la fin des années 50 pour que Hamid Zahir produise enfin ses propres chansons. Enregistrés dans les studios de la maison de production Sabah, des morceaux comme “Awin Awin”, “Rouah Li Bgha Yzour”, “Lila a Sidi Aâmara” deviennent très vite de véritables tubes. Repris partout au Maroc, ils ouvrent au troubadour de Marrakech la voie du succès national.


Le sacre arrive en 1962, lorsque Hamid Zahir produit sa célèbre chanson “Marrakech A Sidi Koulou Fareh Lik” (Tout Marrakech est heureux pour vous, Majesté). Composée en l'honneur du jeune roi Hassan II, qui vient tout juste d'être intronisé après le décès de son père. Cette chanson est présentée pour la première fois au public à l'occasion d'un défilé militaire organisé à Marrakech. Grâce à elle, Hamid Zahir est appelé à enregistrer ses chansons dans les studios flambant neuf de la radio nationale marocaine, situés au quartier Aïn Chock à Casablanca. “Je me suis présenté avec les 18 tours et les 45 tours que j'avais enregistrés auparavant. Ils ont été diffusés sur le champ sur les ondes et on m'avait invité à en produire d'autres au sein même des studios de la radio nationale”, se rappelle-t-il, avec nostalgie.


Véritable révélation, Hamid Zahir devient le chouchou du public marocain. Le succès est tel que cet amoureux de Marrakech se résout, la mort dans l'âme, à déserter sa ville natale pour s'établir à Casablanca.


Dans la métropole, Hamid Zahir mène une double vie, partagée entre les abattoirs, où il exerce son métier de boucher le matin, et les studios, où il enregistre ses chansons. Entre les deux, l'artiste autodidacte se produit également dans des cabarets, des soirées privées et des mariages. Fréquemment sollicité par le Makhzen artistique, Hamid Zahir est aussi de toutes les fêtes et cérémonies officielles. Conquies par sa musique joviale et entraînante, plusieurs hautes personnalités du royaume, dont le roi Hassan II en personne, recourent à ses services lors de soirées fastueuses où se côtoient les personnalités de la haute bourgoisien et têtes couronnées. Confiant en son avenir d'artiste, Hamid Zahir décide de laisser tomber sa blouse de garçon-boucher pour se consacrer entièrement à sa carrière musicale.

Au milieu des années 70, Hamid Zahir jouit déjà d'un statut de star nationale. Des chansons comme la fameuse “Lalla Fatima” et “Ach Dak Tmchi Lzine” transcendent même les frontières nationales, pour s'imposer sous des cieux aussi inattendus que l'Arabie Saoudite et le Koweït. Ils valent à leur auteur d'être sollicité pour des tournées internationales qui le mèneront aux quatre coins du globe, avec des concerts dans des contrées aussi éloignées que… le Japon et l'Australie. Plus près de chez nous, Hamid Zahir devient également la coqueluche du public maghrébin. En Tunisie, où il se déplace fréquemment, son succès est tel qu'il lui vaut d'être décoré par le président tunisien de l'époque, Habib Bourguiba.

Toutefois, à partir des années 90, et aussi subitement qu'il était apparu, Hamid Zahir décide de tirer sa révérence. Ses apparitions publiques se font de plus en plus rares. Établi à Marrakech, où il possède une résidence et un café dans le quartier Guéliz, il fréquente de plus en plus assidûment la mosquée et ne se produit plus que dans quelques rares occasions privées. La rupture avec la chanson est totalement consommée en 2004 : cloué au lit par une inflammation du nerf sciatique, l'homme est forcé de réduire ses déplacements au minimum et ses prestations publiques et télévisuelles deviennent rares.

Mais le troubadour de la casbah ne cède pas pour autant à la déprime. Jovial comme à ses vingt ans, il garde ce sourire « ultra-brite » qui a fait sa réputation auprès de son public.

De sa notoriété d'antan, Hamid Zahir tire aujourd'hui une grande fierté. Il évoque avec bonheur ces moments de gloire qui lui permirent de côtoyer des monstres sacrés de la chanson arabe tels Oum Kalsoum, Abdel Halim Hafez, Mohamed Al Mouji ou encore la diva tunisienne qu'il vénère, Oulaya.


(Source :  http://musiquechaabi.over-blog.com/  )


Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Ana Handi Mihad Live  انا عندي  ميعاد

Vinyl 7"  Koutoubiaphone
 
Side A Ana Handi Mihad Live
Side B Ana Handi Mihad Live

HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Arissna Laâziz عريسنا العزيز

Vinyl 7" Koutoubiaphone


Side A   Arissna Laâziz عريسنا العزيز
Side B    Arissna Laâziz عريسنا العزيز


 HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Lagnawi / Bara   لڭناوي  /  برا

Vinyl 7" Koutoubiaphone


Side A   Lagnawi
Side B    Bara


 HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Chaïfin Lahbab Ktabat âlya  شايفين  الحباب  كتابت  عليا

Vinyl 7" La Voix Du Maghreb

Side A   Chaïfin Lahbab Ktabat âlya
Side B   Chaïfin Lahbab Ktabat âlya

HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Ina'sh El watany  الانعاش  الوطنى

Vinyl 7" La Voix Du Maghreb

Side A    Ina'sh El watany
Side B    Ina'sh El watany



HERE




Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Li Waldouni اللي والدوني

Vinyl 7" La Voix Du Maghreb


Side A     Li Waldouni  اللي والدوني
Side B     Li Waldouni  اللي والدوني


HERE





Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Zine Bent Bladi/Semâaou Ya Lahbab

Vinyl 7" Casaphone


Side A     Zine Bent Bladi
Side B     Semâaou Ya Lahbab


HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر -EH1099

Tape Hassania   EH1099

A1 Sheftha Ghir b-Nedhra
A2 Lil Lil Ya Sidi Aamara
B1 Kulshi Msha Ghafel
B2 Lawah Asi Lawah


HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر -CKTP5006

Tape  Koutoubiaphone   CKTP5006

01 Lalla Souad
02 Hada Wa'du Meskin - Lagnawi
03 Lil Lil Ya Sidi AÌamara
04 Lghorba
05 Ma Bghit Zuwwej

HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر تيق بيا راك عزيز

Tape Voix Atlas VA324


A1 Tiqi Biya Rak AÌziz تيق بيا راك عزيز
A2  Haram AÌlik ya Dunya  حرام عليك يا دنيا 
B1 Mali ou Mal Ennas  مالي ومال الناس
B2 Daba Iferrej  دابا يفرج الله


HERE



Hamid Zahir حميد الزاهر - Sawt al Atlas VA886


                                     


CD Sawt al Atlas V/A 886



01  Lalla zhiro
02  Chaifine Al Hbab
03  Rah Blani Ya Lalla 
04  Salh Ya Al Botali
05 Armit Rassi Fi Al Nar
06   Daba Eji Al Hbiba 
07 Aouicha



HERE




Hamid Zahir    حميد الزاهر  - Lalla Fatima  اللا فاطمة

01 Lalla Fatima اللا فاطمة
02 Ach Dak Temchi Le Zine آش داك تمشي لزين
03 Arouah Li Bgha Yzour رواح اللي بغايزور
04 Li Waldouni اللي والدوني
 

HERE