Date: October 14, 2015
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Venue: Dusk Dawn ClubSon of the Franco-Algerian novelist and playwright Kateb Yacine, founder of the modern Algerian literature, Amazigh Kateb was born in Algiers in 1972. He was immersed in a poetic and musical atmosphere but also in a culture of resistance and insubordination. He started to perform on the stages of several theaters in his early age.
His name, Amazigh, means “the free man” in Berber language and indeed, he was inspired by one of his father’s quotation: “Always be against the government, and you will never go wrong.” On June 27, 1992, he created the band Gnawa Diffusion.
Amazigh also claims Africanism and the mixture of cultures of the Algeria which is neither white nor black. Amazigh Kateb left the band from its beginnings, and launched a solo career since 2007, devoted more to his personal projects. During Gnawa Diffusion’s separation, Amazigh Kateb produced a solo album “Marchez Noir”, which is an autobiographical work representing our current world. “This album is an obvious representation of love, revolution, laugh, dance, sweating and resistance. It is the outcome of a need to make a recap of 20 years of exile and grief, roads and stages, loneliness and collectivity.” Faithful to his origins and roots, Amazigh is still playing with the same poetic cadence. He plays the North African rhythms between tradition and modernity, combining gnawi, chaâbi and rai tones with other contemporary ones like hip-hop, rock, reggae, ragga and electro.
Additionally, Amazigh is working on music compositions for theaters. Amazigh also leads multiple workshops such as writing and composing workshops, singing workshops, writing and artistic expression workshops in high schools and also in prisons.
Since 2012, he as the leader of the band Gnawa Diffusion, has led the band world tour with their last album “Shock El Hal”. In 2016, Amazigh will begin a new collaboration with Karim Ziad. The release of the album is planned in February.
Address: No. 14, Shanlao Hutong, Near the China Institute of Fine Arts Gallery, Dongcheng District, Beijing (北京市东城区近中国美术院美术馆山老胡同14号）
Tel: 010-64078969; 18611730692
Source: thatsmags.com
