Hamid El Kasri - Maâlem of Gnawa
Hamid El Kasri is a Moroccan Gnawa musician who is traditionally considered a maâlem or also known as a ‘master musician’. He is a legend in Gnawa culture, and is praised for rejuvenating the genre while keeping its authenticity alive. He is to the guembri what Jimmy Page is to the guitar.
His charisma, powerful voice and mastery of the guembri instrument make his trademark, recognised and respected by all his fellow contemporary musicians. Maâlem Hamid El Kasri is one of the best Gnawa artists when it comes to combining genres. He can effortlessly improvise with his guembri on jazz, afro-beat, reggae, rock, qawali and other styles of music.
Hamid El Kasri was born in Ksar El Kebir, after which his surname -a stage name- is named: it simply means ‘from Ksar El Kebir’. Gnawa was not in the family, but Hamid did grow up amid Gnawa culture. He looked up to his grandmother's husband, an old slave of Sudanese descent, who taught him a lot about the magical instrument that only the true grandmasters are allowed to touch: the guembri.