20 April 2007

For Spring and April 20th.

I D I R
"Born in the village of Aït Lahcêne in Kabylia, Idir has never turned from the path he started down with a talent contest on Algerian broadcasting in 1973 and continued to follow in Paris with his still unforgettable hit – surely one of the great songs of the century – ‘A Vava Inouva’ ..., presented in Algeria in 1973 and recorded on a Pathé-Marconi album in 1976). Sweetness, swaying melody, the use of a guitar borrowed from folk music and meaningful lyrics: that is how the Kabyles, belonging to a supposed minority group and speaking tamarzight, and not Arabic, changed the face of Algerian music, as would raï from Oran a few years later.
In Paris, Idir would watch history being made in his country: the Berber Spring, the revolt against the central authorities in 1980, the massacre of civilians in the nineties.

Idir has constantly supported national reconciliation and anti-fanaticism, organising ‘Algérie, la vie’ (Algeria, life), a concert where he performed with the Arabic-speaker Khaled in 1995, and joining the tribute to Matoub Lounès, murdered in June 1998". (ref.)
(Read more...)
My gift to all friends for "tafsut Tamazight" for life to continue....


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