Maâlem Hamid El Kasri
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Hamid El Kasri, an iconic maâlem of the music of the Gnaoua, merges the rhythms of the North and South of Morocco with a deep voice that conquered the world's greatest scenes.
Born in 1961 in Ksar El Kébir, in northern Morocco, Hamid El Kasri was introduced to the music of the Gnaoua from the age of seven, to the Maâlems Alouane and Abdelouahed Stitou. His passion also came from his grandmother's husband, a former Sudanese slave who passed on the soul of this centuries-old tradition.
He became one of Morocco's most respected maallems, and distinguished himself by his unique ability to merge the gnaoua rhythms of the north and south of the country. His deep and serious voice, carried by the guembri, made each lila a trance ceremony of rare intensity.
A pillar of the Gnaoua Festival and Musiques du Monde d'Essouira, he has multiplied the memorable fusions: with pianist Joe Zawinul in 2004, on the album Yobadi (2010) with Karim Ziad, alongside Snarky Puppy for the opening of 2018, and on the BBC Proms with Jacob Collier, a collaboration that is found on the album Djesse Vol. 1.
He is the vice-president of the Yerma Gnaoua association, and works to safeguard and transmit this art, which is part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage. In 2025, the Aga Khan Music Awards crowned this exceptional course dedicated to the gnaoua heritage.