Fusion of African-Brazilian Rhythms and Gnaoua Music in Essaouira

October 24th,  Silvana plays abê and dances 

 Fusion  of 

African-Brazilian Rhythms and 

Gnaoua Music

in Essaouira

October 20th, discovering moroccan sounds 

Since October 13th, the Wind Rose - Center of Cultural Movement, in partnership with the Alliance Franco-Marocaine de Essaouira and the Cultural Delegation of this city, is promoting free workshops of african-brazilian rhythms opened for everyone that wants to share their music with brazilian styles. The propose of these workshops is to develop it into an Artistic Residence between brazilian music and the moroccan Gnaoua style.  

October 20th, our masters playing...

We have been learning with Ana Maria Fonseca brazilian styles such as Maracatu, Ijexá (or Afoxé) and Côco. We are having the participation  of artists from the Gnaoua comunity (the musicians Aziz, Halid and Limini) and also from other styles, like Hamadcha (the artist Benhamou) and Moroccan Sufi Music style (with the collaboration of the singer Abdelhak) . These workshops are opened for all those who love music, even if they never played any instrument before: the idea is to share. Our group is discovering and studying the similar origins  of many brazilian, gnaoua and african styles. 

We will continue the workshops through the month of november and december. 

In december this project is bringing, in partnership also with the brazilian program Música Minas, the musician Mônica Elias, for a week of Artistic Residence of Brazilian Rhythms and Gnaoua Music. Coming from Brazil, she will give an intensive week of Brazilian Rythms Workshops, sharing with the group some percussion styles and learn more about Gnaoua Music. 

Monica Elias is singer, flutist and percussionist. She has been traveling all over the world researching music and dances (such as Flamenco, Arabic, African, Gnaoua and Brazilian styles). Nowadays, her band  Vira Saia is playing around on the brazilian regions of Minas Gerais and Bahia. Take a look at Mônica Elias' music at http://www.virasaia.tnb.art.br/ and http://terreirodegriots.blogspot.com/ .

Jorge playing Maracatu on the Tabal

October 20th, Fabiola taking pictures 

African-Brazilian Music Workshops

The wind brings inspiration: the activities of the last months

Land-art Mandala

We have been creating some meetings and activities since April... 

Last Saturday, October 13th, Wind Rose promoted a public Brazilian Rhythm Workshop on the Bastion of Bab Marrakech. This workshop is the beginning of a project for integration of brazilian music with moroccan styles. We had the great participation of a public from different ages and nationalities, and the presence of musicians from the Gnaoua and Hamadcha traditional moroccan music. With Ana Maria, we learned Maracatu (a Afro-Brazilian performance genre from the northeastern region) and some dances: 

 From may to august, women visited once a week Wind Rose to create cloths, toys and accessories with recycle materials on the sewing afternoons with the australian artist Colleen Cassar -    

The therapist Kasha Zeltzer came in june to Wind Rose to talk about energy and the influences in our lives: 

In August, Colleen Cassar proposed a collective Mandala construction on the Essaouira's beach:

Beautiful summertime!

Some activities printed on our hearts good feelings of friendship and inspiration. The time passes slow and fast  - we keep writing our steps on the sand, the wind blows and the sea take them away...we continue walking!