{"id":7411,"date":"2025-05-15T15:35:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T15:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scottarchibaldmusic.com\/?p=7411"},"modified":"2025-12-30T03:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T03:34:13","slug":"exploring-gnawa-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scottarchibaldmusic.com\/fr\/exploring-gnawa-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Cross Cultural Fusion : My Creative Journey in France."},"content":{"rendered":"
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P\u00e9rigueux \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83d\udcf8 @scottarchibaldmusic <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Arthur ( audio engineer at Sans Reserve) and Scott 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Collaboration with UK percussionist Simon Webster and Moroccan Sufi Singer M<\/strong>ouna Eddrou<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My collaboration with Simon, a master percussionist schooled in Arabic , Moroccan and Afro-Cuban styles and Mouna Eddrou , a Moroccan Sufi singer and percussionist, brought a unique cultural depth to this music. Our partnership began recording in 2022 in Perigueux, France, at Sans Reserve Studios, where we reimagined traditional North African percussion layered on top contemporary fusion arrangements, creating the ultimate cross cultural \u201ceast meets west\u201d project with the help of engineer and producer Arthur DeCossette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Simon Webster and Arthur DeCossette at Sans Reserve Studios, P\u00e9rigueux 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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In 2025 , after recording and filming in the UK with Simon and other UK musicians for the “Live At The Fortress Sessions” (see my 2025 blog The Making of “Sol Caravan<\/a>“), I re-visited Sans Reserve and we recorded an arrangement around some traditional Gnawa (Moroccan) text entitled \u201cHamouda,\u201d plus some percussion and vocals for another collaboration called “Le Caravanserais.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mouna\u2019s background in Sufi musical traditions and Simon\u2019s decades-long immersion in Moroccan\/Maghreb rhythms created a unique foundation for my composing style and bass and guitar contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mouna\u2019s vocals and Simon\u2019s percussion provided the foundation, while I navigated the challenge of harmonizing Western instruments with North African rhythms. This collaboration not only expanded my own musical repertoire but also highlighted the beauty of cross-cultural artistic exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Simon Webster at Sans Reserve 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Mouna Eddrou at Sans Reserve 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cross Cultural Fusion: My Creative Journey in France (vlog).<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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