Cheb Nacim and DJ Naz

The Magnet, Hardman Street
15th July 2006

Reviewed by Alicia Rose

As part of the 2006 Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival, a flavoursome party night took place last Saturday, featuring Cheb Nacim and DJ Naz. A small gathering of around sixty people of mixed culture and age enjoyed and celebrated a fusion of North African and Arabian music.

Cheb Nacim is a six piece collective with musicians from Morocco, Paris and London who come together to form and play their music. The lead vocalist Nacim is termed a Rai singer, his brother Sofiyan (who lives in Paris) plays keyboards. Rachid is the drummer who has beat skins for eighteen years and states he can play any drum. Dan plays a mean bass whilst Ben lives the percussion section. Yboalam, seated, plays a hand made Arabic tabla darboka drum. The sound is altogether ‘experienced skill’, from a group of performers who have worked together for many years and know each other so well that they only rehearse just before they play a live gig. People watching and listening jigged and swayed on the dancefloor and there was the air of comradeship apparent amongst the youth present.

Superflow hip swinging girls got on the floor for DJ Naz, resident music maestro for World Music Promotions with his style of good ground level of mixed chill ambience and high vibrancy keeping the energy up tempo.

There were too few revellers to stir the real magic that was bubbling at this event, and the absence of authentic eastern dancers in costume was perhaps an ‘oversight’, but it would have added that extra ‘spark’. The potential for ‘the scene’ is there.

For more information sneak a peak at World Music Promotion at www.worldmusicpromotion.com