Gnaoua and World Music Festival: When the trade winds blow in Essaouira

“It is an unforgettable first quarter century, which witnessed the appearance of the biggest names in jazz and world music on the stages of the festival, alongside the Gnawa master. This year is no exception to the rule. With headliners never before seen in Morocco, the festival promises unforgettable nights as frenetic sounds from the four corners of the world sweep across the Trade Wind City. Refers to a press release from the organizers. Boyka (Spain), Saint Levant (Palestine), Breaker Brothers Band Reunion (USA) and Bocante (USA, Guadeloupe among others, are some of the headliners that will light up this 25th edition, specifically t-we.

More than ever, the festival emphasizes its eclectic character that has made it an unmissable event in the music world’s calendar.
The emotion that flows from Boyka’s raspy and powerful voice makes her one of the most distinctive and famous Spanish artists in the world. An incredibly expressive sound, blending the spirit of flamenco with the depth of jazz, transcending linguistic barriers and overcoming musical boundaries.
A rising star on the global music scene, a Palestinian rapper with multiple origins and a multi-generational audience, Saint Levant masterfully blends Arabic, English and French in his tracks. Very involved in politics, his tracks that fuse hip-hop with oriental RnB are a hit on platforms and attract millions of views on social networks.
Programmed by Randy Brecker and his group (The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion), the festival welcomes one of the biggest names in jazz of the past 50 years, who, along with his late brother Michael Brecker, conquered stages around the world and had a lasting impact on generations of musicians.
A wide range of players from a variety of backgrounds, Bokanté bears the signature of Michael League, one of the greatest jazz players of his generation and founder of Snarky Puppy. The group has a great advantage: its singer Malika Tyrolean, who perfectly masters the vocal requirements of jazz and speaks in Creole, French and English, texts that reflect the struggles facing the world.

As every year, with a perfect balance between the Gnawa master and musicians from all over the world, the artistic selection of this 25th edition presents a carefully considered programme, which presents a mixture of very diverse musical styles. The program aims to please all audiences, and aims to be pioneering, bold, harmonious, comprehensive and, above all, an invitation to live a unique experience, which only the Gnaoua and World Music Festival can imagine.