Driss El Maloumi Trio & Watar Quintet

Born in 1970 in Agadir, Morocco, Driss El Maloumi is a musician renowned for his talent and virtuosity. He is probably one of the most sought-after oud players of his generation, with his assertive and delicate technique and the depth that characterises this major instrument of Arab-Andalusian music.

After having obtained a degree in Arabic literature in 1983 and having studied a philosophical approach to music in a thesis, Form and Content in the Artistic Discourse, Driss El Maloumi followed in parallel a solid training in classical Arabic and Western music. He was subsequently awarded at the national examination of the oud the First Prize of the Oud, the First Prize of Improvement and the Prize of Honour at the National Conservatory of Music in Rabat in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Since 2010, he is director of the Conservatory of Music in Agadir.

While Driss El Maloumi knows and interprets traditional Berber music to perfection, his work is furthermore enriched by encounters with artists of international fame such as Jordi Saval & the Ensemble Hesperion XXI (Spain), and Montserrat Figueras (Spain), with whom he has collaborated on several albums, Pierre Hamon (France), Keyvan Chemirani (Iran), Françoise Atlan (France), Debashish Bhattacharya (India), Omar Bachir (Iraq), Prabhu Edouard (India), Carlo Rizzo (Italy) in ancient, traditional or classical music as well as Paolo Fresu (Italy), Claude Tchamitchian (Armenia), Paf Trio (Italy), Daniel Mille (France) and Xavi Maureta (Spain) in jazz.

He has written and participated in the composition of stage music for numerous shows such as Isabel I, Reina de Castilla (musical direction: Jordi Savall), L’Amour Sorcier by Manuel de Fallã (direction: Antoine Bourseiller), Caravane de Lune (musical direction: Gérard Kurdjian) and Oiseau de Lune (direction: Antoine Bourseiller).

Not to forget the music for films such as La Source des Femmes (directed by Radu Miahileanu) or Le Maroc vu du Ciel (directed by Yann-Arthus Bertrand).

Driss El Maloumi also plays alongside great poets such as Abdellatif Laâbi (Morocco) & Adonis (Syria).

In 2000 he recorded the jazz album Tawada, which he has co-written with Alban Darche (4 stars in Jazz Magazine), 3MA with Ballaké Sissoko and Rajery, named best World Music album at the European Charts 2008, Makan in 2014 (“Masterpiece!”, according to the French magazine Les Inrockuptibles) and Anarouz in 2017, again together with Ballaké Sissoko and Rajery.

Driss El Maloumi has also participated in a number of remarkable projects such as Françoise Atlan’s 1998 album Noches, which won a Choc du Monde de la Musique, or Laurent Voulzy’s Lys & Love, in 2011.

Immersed from an early age in a refined musical universe, Saïd was introduced to the world of percussion at the age of 7 by his older brother Driss, master of the oud. Very quickly, he acquired the technique and the knowledge. Since then, he plays, observes and listens, in a continuous search of new musical languages.

During his travels Saïd met amazing musicians such as Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya, pioneer of the Indian slide guitar, Prabhu Edouard, Liu Fang, Manu Théron, Abdelatif Laâbi, Thierry Roques, Guillaume Lopez, Nicolas Gardel or Ruben Dantas, percussionist of the famous guitarist Paco de Lucia…

His talent and his subtle play lead him to become one of the most gifted percussionists of his generation. Remarkable player of zarb and daf, the emblematic drums of the erudite music of Iran, this virtuoso applies himself to give to his sounds a universal dimension, while adding a personal touch to his mixed influences.

Born in 1970, Lahoucine Baqir is a self-taught percussionist.

Coming from a large family of musicians, he is one of the most gifted darbouka players of his generation.

This renowned musician is also a teacher dedicated to the transmission of his art. He has accompanied the greatest names in world music such as Jordi Savall, Driss El Maloumi who was his godfather and with whom he has performed together in various formulas ( duo, trio, quartet…)

This talented and passionate musician tirelessly questions his identities. His thoughtful and assertive artistic approach is nourished and enriched by numerous encounters that make him one of the most accomplished musicians in the mastery of his instrument and his art…

You can access all the biographies by clicking on the E.P.K. link, i.e. :

In English: https://bit.ly/3S8CjXxIn French: https://bit.ly/3TNnBGI

Driss El Maloumi – oud
Saïd El Maloumi – percussion
Lahoucine Baqir – darbouka

WATAR QUINTET

Amèle Metlini – first violin
Silvia Bazantova – second violin
Marie Ghitta – alto
Annemie Osborne – cello
Adrien Tyberghein – double bass

Javier Blanco – orchestral arrangements

• ‘Driss El Maloumi is one of those miraculous musicians whose listening, because it makes us better, quickly becomes indispensable. Every note he draws from his oud seems inspired by a very pure soul, and each of his melodies, each of his rhythmic arrows, by a necessity that transcends the ordinary musicianship’ – Les Inrockuptibles (FR)
• ‘The spotlight is undoubtedly on El Maloumi throughout, but it is the inspired percussion playing of his brother Said and LAhoucine BAquir that provides the solid foundation for the oud’s flight of virtuosity.’ – Songlines (UK)