Samir LanGus Band / Moroccan Sounds of New York (1)

Samir LanGus Band / Moroccan Sounds of New York 

Presented by Terraza 7  

Date: Saturday, June 1st, 2024

Time: 10:30 pm

Admission: $20: Cover at Mezzanine

Featuring:

• Samir LanGus / Lead vocals and Guimbri
• Nizar Dahmani / Drums
• Omar Bouady / Karkaba
• Sivan Arbel / Backing vocals
• Rich Stein / Percussion
• Eden Bareket / Saxophone

About Samir Langus:

Samir LanGus, a Grammy-nominated musician from Agadir, Morocco, grew up immersed in the rich street sounds of his city, from the calls of merchants to the spiritual summons of prayer. From a young age, he learned the traditional Gnawa music—a spiritual trance music known as "The Moroccan Blues"—from masters like Maalem Hamid El Kasri.

Gnawa music, rooted in the history of enslaved peoples from Mali and Mauritania, captivates with its hypnotic rhythms and unique instruments like the sintir and metal castanets called karqaba. More than music, Gnawa is a healing culture, essential in ceremonies for those believed to be possessed by jinn.

Samir sees Gnawa as inseparable from its culture, explaining the sintir as a deeply resonant instrument that "you feel in your heart." He brings a modern edge to this age-old music with a blend of jazz, embodying the vibrancy of New York City. Eager to innovate while honoring tradition, LanGus is open to collaborating with musicians to improvise new sounds within the Gnawa legacy.