ON TOUR
In South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique

From the 7 March to the 14 March : Residence of artists in Maseru

On the 17 March : Residence of artists in Pretoria

For more info : Marion
culture.jhb@alliance.org.za
011 646 1169

THE BAND :

Fethi Tabet : Voice, luth, banjo, percussions
Bénilde Fodjo Foko : Bass, voice
Trajano Ferreira Caldas : Drums, voice
Jerome Dufour : Saxophone, voice
Tony Bruneau : Keyboards, voice
Benasser Ghorbal : Percussions, congas, derbouka, voice
Frédéric Tari : Violin, voice
Philippe Verdier : Sound engineer

MORE ABOUT FETHI TABET :

Born at Sidi-Bel-Abbès in Algeria at the beginning of the 1950s in an affluent family from Tlemcen – cradle of Arabo-Andalusian music, Fethi Tabet grew up in Oran, the tumultuous capital of Western Algerian. In this Mediterranean Chicago crossed by French, Spanish, Sub-Saharan and Moroccan influences, town elders, local gangsters and the lower classes all lived together to the tune of grand, Chaabi and Rai music. Life as a whole was permeated with music : celebrations, marriages, theatres, cafés and radios broadcast it all around. In Fethi’s family house, his father was always listening to Arabo-Andalusian singers and orchestras. When Fethi was six years old, he watched one such orchestra on television and, that day, knew that he would be a musician. From then on, his life changed and everything he did became an opportunity to play music.

At the age of eight, the young self-taught musician caught the attention of his teacher, Mr Hafiane who, amazed, realised that Fethi had an ear for music and ability for percussions. Mr Hafiane introduced him to instruments and taught him the basics of music. After his father offered him a violin, Fethi, eleven years old, entered the grand Arabo-Andalusian School of Cheikh Sekkal. There, every day, he studied singing, poetry, the violin, the viola, the lute and percussions. The traditional oral teaching he received in that school, based on rigour, hard work, humility and respect, determined the rest of his life. Isolated in a world of adults who could be kind one minute and ruthless the next, this child violinist revealed exceptional talent. Despite his young age, his natural leadership abilities brought him, within a few years, to lead the Orchestre Renaissance and to manage the school of his master.

Having become singer, musician and a famous composer, Fethi Tabet lived splendid years, toured the country with his orchestra, organised several festivals in the region of Oran and filled important responsibilities in Algeria during the period following decolonisation. Gloomy circumstances forced him to leave his country for France in 1980.

He began a new life in Paris, then settled in Montpellier in 1983 with company Garagouz and Jérôme Savary for whom he composed the soundtrack of Tartarin de Tarascon. At first musical director of Ballet Naïli and sought after performer of medieval music, Fethi Tabet rapidly became a reference on the French then international music scene as lutist, percussionist and hurdy-gurdy player. An open and eclectic musician, he plays as easily with singers such as Equidad Bares, Miguela Cesari, Françoise Atlan or Pedro Aledo as with Corsican polyphonic group Cinqui So or jazz orchestra Sud Ensemble. It was only from the 1990s that Fethi Tabet decided to come back on stage as the leader of ensembles Asswate and Toléré, and later under his own name. He then began a third career by touring the world under the aegis of Musique Sans Frontières, with a caustic group whose communicative energy has been sparking the enthusiasm of crowds. From India to China, via Africa, the United States and the Middle East, Fethi Tabet has always received a warm welcome. When speaking to the thousands of spectators attending his concerts, to the children in schools or to underprivileged populations, he tirelessly delivers, thanks to music, the same message of peace and fraternity.

His group is fashioned in his image, i.e. a multicultural and mixed family used to all sorts of experiences. The group is based on a strong friendship, gathering musicians who are all orchestra leaders with diverse musical influences, from France, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali and Brazil.

Fethi Tabet offers a hot and powerful Andalusian-style dance music that immediately distinguishes him from singers such as Khaled or Cheb Mami. The percussions and the choirs hold a central place while the violin, the guitar, the accordion and the saxophones play bright melodies carried out by his wild lute.
His incomparable voice sings life with emotion and humour, crossing different traditional and popular Maghrebian styles under the joint influence of Africa, South America and the Mediterranean.