Moktar Gania & Gnawa Soul

As a worthy heir to the Gania dynasty which counted so much in the culture of Morocco, Maâlem Moktar Gania from Essaouira has self-established himself as an essential player in the today Gnawa music scene.
Nurtured by these pillars of the Gnawa tradition, namely both late father Boubker and brother Mahmoud, the young Moktar has performed all over the world with the Gania family’s maâlems but also with such figures as Randy Weston, Bill Laswell, Pharoah Sanders, Carlos Santana and many others ...
Today with the upcoming release of his "Gnawa Soul" album, Moktar Gania opens a new chapter in the Gnawa tradition saga. The album was born following Moktar decisive meeting with musicians Anoir Ben Brahim and Yacine Ben Ali, but also developed along a succession of incredible musical encounters.
Recorded in Essaouira, the "Gnawa Soul" album has been mixed in the United States by Chris Shaw and mastered by Tony Cousins/Metropolis London - the album cover has been shot by Hassan Hajjaj, the London based Moroccan Pop Art photographer .
In December 2019, UNESCO recognizes the Gnawa art and registers it as part of its intangible heritage of humanity.
In November 2020, with the release of the "Gnawa Soul" album, Moktar just continues to bring to life this music connecting the Maghreb to West Africa and offers the world this unique because new fusion of the spiritual with the temporal.