Les Sheikhs Shikhats & B’net Chaabi

In Les Sheikhs Shikhats & B’net Chaabi, eighteen vocalists and top musicians with very diverse backgrounds are brought together under the guidance of Laïla Amezian and Laurent Blondiau. Explosive chaabi groove combined with enchanting vocals and astonishing brass players. Together they create a contemporary musical performance built on the tradition of Ghanayats and Shikhats, musicians fighting for freedom of speech in 19^th-century Morocco.

The Ghanayats and the Shikhats are emblematic figures in traditional Moroccan culture. Their songs are based on the art of Aïta (literally “call” in Arabic) and were used to communicate common stories and sometimes even revolutionary ideas. Chaabi (literally “popular”) has become an urban genre of popular and traditional Moroccan songs, dedicated to dance, still performed nowadays during all kinds of festivities.

Laïla Amezian and Laurent Blondiau surround themselves with vocalists and top musicians from diverse backgrounds to reinterpret fragments from these chaabi and traditional repertoires. In addition to some members of the Mâäk collective, we also recognise B’net Chaabi, a band of female vocalists-percussionists of Moroccan origin. Together they form Les Sheikhs Shikhats & B’net Chaabi.

They will release a new album this year in honour of International Women's Day.

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artistic coordination Laïla Amezian compositions, arrangements & musical direction Laurent Blondiau
with Laïla Amezian, Emanuela Lodato, Farida Zouj, Marie-Ange Teuwen & Fatou Traoré (vocals), Jamila Gogo, Karima Arabi, Kawtar Koki & Mehdiya Sultana (B’net Chaabi) (vocals and percussion), Laurent Blondiau & Pauline Leblond (trumpet) ,Toine Thys & Grégoire Tirtiaux (saxophone), Michel Massot, Nabou Claerhout & Adrien Lambinet (tuba en trombone), Jean Gnonlonfoun (drums), Ahmed Khaili (percussion)