The cover of the Mokhtar Double CD

The new double CD.

Maâllem Mokhtar Gania - the new radiant master of the gnawa sufi culture of Essaouïra in Morocco.

Standard Records are proud to present the first international record from the splendid master of gnawa culture, Maâllem Mokhtar Gania, of the costal town of Essaouïra, famous for it's strong spiritual climate. Maâllem Mokhtar Gania was born out of a strong dynasty of gnawa maâllemin (masters), the youngest of the children of the great late master Boubker Gania and his wife, the famous healer Aïcha Qabral. Children that also include the masters Mahmoud Gania, Abdelah Gania and the late Lahzen "Zitoune" Gania, as well as the moqadeemas Zeïda and Chmaia Gania. When Maâllem Boubker died during the moslem month of fasting, Ramadan, a couple of years back, his baraka - or blessing - was passed on to Mokhtar Gania, then already a master, initiated during his whole life of performing and working trances with the family. For many years an incredible dancer, singer and karakab-player (metal castagnettes) with his father and older brothers, mentored by his father and big brother Maâllem Mahmoud Gania, a giant in contemporary gnawa with performances all over the world as well as star attraction of the annual Festival d'Essaouïra. An education that culminated the night at the sacred site of the saint Sidi Abdallah ben Hsain in Tamesloht near Marrakesh, where Mokhtar Gania was finally declared maâllem, now mastering the whole repertoire and styles of gnawa: Gharbaoui, Marsaoui, Marrakshi and most importantly, the Souïri, the style and chants of his hometown Essaouïra. As well as fully competent in leading leelahs, the nights of trance.

Since Mokhtar Gania has risen to incredible heights, a thing that we seek documented on this album recorded at a family house in Essaouira. And which also has been a secret among the initiates of the gnawa circles in the hometown since his astounding performances during the leelahs or nights of trance in the sacred month of Chaâbane, where he evoked very deep trances in perfect companionship with his older sister Zeïda, who is one of the strongest moqadeemas around.

The leela - night of trance
Together they evoke the nine spirits of the trance of the Gania family during a ritual, that lasts three consecutive nights starting with the traditional opening procession of the islamic sufi mystics to which the gnawa belong, bringing along with them the animals, that are to be sacrificed, usually sheep, bull or roosters. Here respect is paid at the zawiyas or shrines of the saints of the other sufi brotherhoods, the Hammadtcha and the Regraga, with whom the gnawa are related, after which the party returns to the house of the ritual. Here the master and his group commences with the sacrifice on the floor of the house, where the yu-yu's of the women and the repeated chants of "Laâfou" gets the sacrifice under way. Here the series called Kuyou, consisting of the parts Oulad Bambara and Nuksha gives way to the artistic dances of the group in front of the master until it is time for Ftuh errahba, the "opening of the place", the port of the trance. This is done through a prayer to Allah and His Prophet and with the master blessing the tbiga, a tray containing seven boxes of inscence and the bmal containing the sacred accesories. Now everybody sits down, and you only rise, when the music and the presence of the spirit transports you into the trance and you just have to answer the calling of the spirit and enter the floor in front of the master and his group. Here the spirits, or mlouk (sing. Melk), and their companions are evoked one by one, colour by colour with each their own incense burning to enhance the trance of the people possesed, that dance before the master and his group like sleepwalkers with the colored scarves covering the upper part of their bodies, while the helper, often the daughter of Zeïda Gania, makes sure that the leelah commences according to the rules and assists her mother with the healing work, when individuals on the floor connect with the spirit. A trance that often fills the floor with locals in trance, with the women reacting the strongest, traveling with the trance to the end and ending in the arms of comforting friends gasping and shaking like a fish out of water. All the time with Maâllem Mokhtar Gania in the center stearing the possesed with the exact notes on the three strings and the beats on the surface of the gimbri, made from the skins of a camel. Sounds and beats that communicate directly with the mind of the possesed. Try it, it works. Among the mlouk are Moulay Abdelkhader Jilali, Sidi Moussa, Sidi Hamou, Lalla Mimouna and the famous Aïcha Qandisha.

Sidi Moussa, Sidi Hamou, Oulad Rahba & Shorfa
On this album we enter right in the middle of the trance with the trance of Sidi Moussa, the sea spirit. Listen here to Maâllem Mokhtar Gania and the way he steers the group through the waves of the ocean in total control, like the fishermen of the extremely rough sea outside of Essaouïra, with so many rocks and cross currents. The spirit leads the way to the safety of the port. Listen to his authentic african frazings and his energetic and virtuoso playing - true Gania. He is the bearer of a promise that is rare, and the trance of Sidi Moussa always catches him at his best sharing a natural affinity with Zeïda Gania in the nights of trance, the leelahs. Listen to the last chant, which leads the way into the upcoming trance with the gimbri playing a haunting solo at the end. The second CD presents the incredible section of Sidi Hamou, the butcher who leads the sacrifice, his colours red as blood. Consisting of nine chants it shows dazzling virtuosity on behalf of Maâllem Mokhtar Gania and the group, that follows him with the intensity of a monsoon shower. For years it was in this trance, that Mokhtar was presented at the leelahs of his father or his older brother, Mahmoud. Here he always shines when he displays his dazzling skills, with the calls of the women on top of the thundering karakabs and the voices of his group, who follow him like an echo. After the trance of Sidi Hamou we shortly enter into the socalled Trance of The Sons of the Forest (Oulad Rahba) with two chants from the spirits of the african past from the time before slavery brought the gnawa to Morocco. Always played with much blues feeling and a longing for the lost lands south of the Sahara dessert. Here Mokhtar Gania offers his special present, a chant that comes directly from the family and never has been presented to the public. The color of the trance is black, and it is here that you find the trance at it's most intense. When he takes you home to his Fulani ancestry, the nomadic people that is spread out in countries like Senegal, Guinea and Mali. The records end with an incredibly beautiful section from the trance of the Shorfa, the spirits that are descendants of the Prophet Mohammed. Again Maâllem Mokhtar takes the listener on an incredible journey in a track consisting of four pieces. Again with true Gania, the work that has a direct line back to his ancestry. To Maâllem Boubker Gania and to Maâllem Samba, the father of his famed mother. Enjoy the journey of the trance of Maâllem Mokhtar Gania.

Torben Holleufer


CD 1:
Moussawine & Semawine (light blue and celestial blue)

Al Mousawine (17:37)
1. Wayi ya lay (6:25)
2. Bali ya rkoubou (4:17)
3. Moul katib allah (4:28)
4. Allah baba Matinba (2:27

As-samawine (7:15)
5. Achhadou wa la ilaha illa allah, Moussa (2:10)
6. Allah Allah baba Moussa (1:48)
7. Al babri baba baba Moussa (3:17)
8. Sidi Aboulandi Assamawi (12:21)
9. Bouri Bouri wah yalmine (12:25)

Total time: 49:38

CD 2:
Sidi Hamou (red), Ouled Rahba(black) & Shorfa (green)

Sidi Hamou (20:41)
1. Arrahb Alahmar Essaouiria (3:14)
2. Essalah wa nabina Mohammadi (1:25)
3. Ya labania Albacha baba Hammou (4:03)
4. Allah ya baba Hammou (1:37)
5. Hammouda (2:29)
6. Hammouda essalah wa nabi (2:03)
7. Noussou Yourki Hammoudani (1:37)
8. Sidi Koumai (2:12)
9. Marhaba ya sidi (2:01)

Ouled Rahba (Fils de la Forét/Sons of the forest)
10. Soudani mama yourki (6:37)
11. Mama Fulani Sadiey (6:20)
Shorfa (14:47)
12. Wallah yal hadi (4:34)
13. Al hadi ya baba (3:10)
14. Allah ya baba el yourki (3:13)
15. Ali ya marhaba (3:50)

Total time: 48:25

All compositions are traditional gnawa music arranged by Maâllem Mokhtar Gania..
Recorded at the house of Mohamed Outanine and Zeïda Gania in Essaouïra, Morocco, april 2003.
Produced by Peter Chilton & Torben Holleufer with René Albers in Copenhagen, Denmark, june 2003.
Photos by Peter Chilton & Torben Holleufer.
Liner notes by Torben Holleufer.
Arabic translation by Lamya Louise Shahabi.
Credits to: Gania family, Henrik O. Larsen(DR), Peter Hvalkof, Lars Rex, Peter Littauer, Søren Friis & Jamila Holleufer.
Album dedicated to the memory of the great Maâllem Boubker Gania.
The musicians:
Maâllem Mokhtar Gania - vocals, gimbri;
Mohamed Outanine - vocals, qaraqab;
Mohamed "Houmani" Abdelaouï - vocals, qaraqab;
Abdelatif Abdelaouï - vocals, qaraqab;
Abderahmane Dadi - vocals, handclaps;
Mohamed Laroussi - vocals, handclaps;
Abdel Majid - handclaps;
Khadiya Gania - vocals;
Saïda Battache - vocals.

Maâllem Mokhtar Gania contact:
Torben Holleufer: Tel: (+45) 22 94 50 19, e-mail: torben@holleufer.com
Other titles from Standard Records: "Jilala - Music of Morocco"(GSR1) - limited numbered edition on vinyl.