After more than four decades apart, El Gusto Orchestra of Algiers return with songs of family and community. They spoke to Saeed Saeed at the recent Mawazine Festival in Morocco
World music is full of artists lost and found. From the chart-topping Cuban collective Buena Vista Social Club to the American folk musician Sixto Rodriguez, the genre holds numerous tales of artists reuniting to rekindle that old magic.
For the El Gusto Orchestra of Algiers - also known simply as El Gusto - the big comeback began in 2007 when headlining a reunion concert in the French city of Marseilles.
This emotional affair was the first time the musicians had played together for nearly 45 years. The performance was captured as part of Safinez Bousbia's documentary El Gusto, which received its regional premiere at the 2011 Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
Since then it has been non-stop for the collective: sell-out tours of Europe and the United States, followed by an acclaimed album produced by Blur's Damon Albarn.
Backstage before the group hit the stage at the recent Mawazine Festival, the 63-year-old singer and mandolinist Liamime Haimoun shakes his head. "I still can't believe it," he says. "If you told me years ago I would be singing with my comrades again, I would have never believed it. God has His own ways."
The orchestra dates to the late 1940s in French-ruled Algeria. The multi-faith collective of Muslim and Jewish musicians were a hit in the kasbah, performing traditional folk songs, known as chaabi, in local bars and cafes. After independence in 1962, the group was torn apart by the resulting violence; the Jewish members sought refuge in France, the rest scattered across Algeria.
As well as the pain of separation, the vocalist and mandolinist Abelkader Chercham says the orchestra's demise spelt the initial end of the celebrated music genre.
"Not many people were doing what we were," the 67-year-old explains. "We were singing the language of our mothers and the unlettered. We all played together; we had a bond and you can hear that in the music."
To modern ears, El Gusto sound like a Middle-Eastern fusion act. They mix Berber, jazz and chanson vocal styles over a sturdy backdrop of Andalusian rhythms and melodies.
For the older generation, however, El Gusto represent the old Algeria, where community trumped politics and sectarianism.
The group, which initially included up to 15 members, was made up of Muslims and Jews who not only performed together but lived in the same neighbourhood.
Haimoun is a Muslim, as is Chercham, and says religion was never an issue in the group.
"It just wasn't discussed," he says. "It was simply a case of 'they have their religion and we have ours'. For all of us, these people were our neighbours and friends. We all lived together. That was what mattered."
That communal spirit formed the backbone of El Gusto's music. The tracks - some original and others traditional - are a mix of love songs originally performed at Algerian weddings, hymns sung by seamen and observations about local life.
It was these vintage sounds that first caught the attention of Safinez Bousbia. Touring the kasbah in late 2003, the Irish-Algerian filmmaker walked into a mirror shop run by Mohamed Ferkioui.
Upon enquiring about the music wafting out of his stereo, the shopkeeper began telling her about El Gusto. Inspired by Ferkioui's dream to see his friends again - and sensing a good film plot - Bousbia began tracking down the surviving members of the group. Many lived in poverty and exile, and had suffered personal tragedies caused by the Algerian Civil War.
After El Gusto's demise, Haimoun performed at weddings, events and on television. After his two sons were killed in the early 1990s in the civil war, Haimoun packed away his mandolin and vowed never to perform again. Walking home from the local mosque in Algiers one day, Haimoun found Bousbia waiting for him outside his front door. He said the prospect of reuniting with his friends convinced him to perform again after a decade. "I knew it was something I had to do," he says. "Once I started playing again, it was easy. I can honestly say I felt young again."
Chercham was found working as a teacher at the Algiers Conservatory of Music. He took up the academic post after deciding his heart was not into performing chaabi music. However, the promise of a reunion show with the group convinced him to entertain Bousbia's offer.
Haimoun describes the first rehearsal session in France as full of tears. "We just wanted to know each other's stories," he says. "We were grateful for the experience we shared with them."
Chercham says he was fully committed to the project after the first rehearsal session went without a hitch. "These songs were not learnt academically," he says. "There were no song sheets. You simply heard it, practised it and it's locked in your brain. We realised that when we got together, it was as if all those years apart never happened. We were in tune the whole way."
Haimoun hopes El Gusto's re-emergence will trigger new appreciation among the current generation. Indeed, the group is now led by the pianist and musical director Abdel Hadi Halo, the son of the modern chaabi composer Hadj El Anka. On stage, the 14 original members are now backed by up to 20 young performers on various instruments.
Haimoun views these youngsters as the band's future. "We are old men now," he says. "El Gusto need to continue; a new generation should take the baton and keep going. As long as we are alive, we are here to guide."
Next week: the Nigerian Afrobeat artist Seun Kuti
sasaeed@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
Company%20profile
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RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Andor
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Kibsons%20Cares
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Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4
Second leg:
Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm
MATCH INFO
Burnley 1 (Brady 89')
Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
25%20Days%20to%20Aden
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Michael%20Knights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20January%2026%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20Profile
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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