Chellah hosts again the Jazz Music Festival

Preparations are launched for the next (15th) edition of the Music Festival held annually during the month of June at Chellah, the historic place near Rabat, in Morocco. Two months ago, organizers of this festival at the European delegation in Rabat were working on the last part of the 11-15 June 2009 edition, which consists of using the festival revenues to fund social activities.

Nadia Ben Sellam - Rabat, Al-Hayat

Slowly but surely, Jazz music was diffused to the Moroccans’ musical flavor, until it found a deep foothold in several cities of the country, becoming thus a privileged artistic occasion for an increasing number of music lovers. With its fourteen editions, the Chellah Jazz Music Festival is one of those events that offer Moroccans at the beginning of each summer local and European music genres. This unique musical platform is located at the heart of the Chellah historic and strategic area. From above the hill facing the Bouregreg river, and between the historic armlets that go back to the sixth century B.C, stands the Chellah Festival.

European jazz Music of Afro-American origins has acquired also Moroccan roots, especially after it was combined with some types of local music, such as the “Gnawa” of African origins, the “Haule” of the desert, and the Andalusia Moroccan “Malhoune” music. So, is Jazz yearning for its origins as it did when it was launched in the United States by descendants of African slaves who were compelled to immigrate in the 17th century?

European Jazz – Moroccan Music
“European Jazz – Moroccan Music” is the slogan of the festival, embodied in each of its annual editions. During the latest one, brothers and jazz musicians Ali and Hamza El-Souaissi who play bass and rhythmical instruments composed several musical tunes inspired by Moroccan music. There was also artist and pianist Touffic Ould Ammar, whose music style is Moroccan but close to Jazz. The most interesting artistic mixture experience brought together one of the giant “Gnawa” music artists, Abdel Latif El-Makhzoumi, and the very well known Spanish artist of Cuban origin Omar Sussa, whose music mingles between Cuban and African Jazz, as well as World music.



During five days, the music of 14 European and 5 Moroccan bands was warbling in the Challah area. More than 40 musicians performed the best of their innovations drawn from the cultural and the musical heritage of their countries. Unified by Jazz music, an inexhaustible source of inspiration and creativity, some of them succeeded in sharing their musical experiences and research, and hence, offering the public perfect fusion musical moments.

Bridge building and mutual understanding are made possible within this musical dialogue that can “dispel preconceptions and open one’s mind to diversity. By breaking the barriers of ignorance, we can enable curiosity towards others and yearn for knowledge”, says Ambassador Bruno De Thomas, ambassador head of delegation of the European Union in Rabat.

Social projects, thanks to Jazz music
The charm of music resides in its capacity to pierce all kinds of barriers. In this sense, the Jazz festival made itself accessible to a larger public, who was unable to be present in Challah, and who may never be able to, due to financial difficulties. With its social solidarity dimension, “the festival is the occasion to reach the heart of the people too”, affirms Jerôme Cassier, cultural attaché at the European delegation in Rabat.

During recent years, the festival was offering improvised musical encounters in unusual locations, such as a prison, a psychiatric hospital, and a school of circus for children with specific needs. Furthermore, the festival acquired the tradition of drawing from its incomings to fund social projects, indirectly reaching a specific type of public.

For instance, a part of the 2009 edition profits was spent to improve living conditions of a social center for aged persons located near the Chellah area. Another part of the festival revenues was dedicated to provide bags, books, and school kits for around 250 children residing in the nearby city of Temara.

Director of the social center for aged persons, Hisham Maarouf, says he appreciates the festival’s contribution, which, as modest as it was, allowed modernizing the equipment of the kitchen. And this improved the services provided to more than 48 guests.

The festival financial contribution allowed “Les Enfants de l’Ovale” association, whose mission is to support children living under the poverty line, to purchase school bags and books for the current school year. Mohamed Maissoum, vice-president of the association, says “families needed this kind of support to be able to afford expenses related to school entrance.”

The European delegation in Rabat is endeavoring to support prior social projects designed within the framework of the Euro-Moroccan cooperation, by implementing cultural initiatives. Cassier explains: “Culture is a tool for social development, as it allows promoting better understanding of the other. Culture also sends a message of peace and mutual comprehension between people”. Chellah Jazz Festival is a vital witness of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and a special artistic tribune for building bridges and dialogue between civilizations, according to its organizers, which are the European delegation in Rabat, embassies, cultural centers of the EU countries, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the wilaya of Rabat, Salé.

Refer to the project fact sheet: Local cultural activities: cultural dialogue through music and films (Morocco)