Nea Jazz Master Randy Weston To Receive His Majesty King
Mohammed VI's Honor
FOR HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO MOROCCO'S
GNAOUA MUSIC TRADITION
ON MAY 11
"...a lifelong scholar of Africa, (Randy Weston's)
playing has always had a ring of the ancient in it; his percussive, resounding bass-clef
chords are among the great pleasures in jazz piano." - Ben Ratliff, The New York
Times
The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French
cultural center, welcomes leading Moroccan cultural and intellectual figures for
a series of talks from May 1-21 on the occasion of the fourth edition of its annual
World Nomads Festival, which this year celebrates the arts and culture of
Morocco. On May 11, Randy Weston will receive His Majesty King
Mohammed VI's honor for his lifelong engagement with Morocco and deep commitment
to bringing Morocco's Gnaoua music tradition to the attention of the Western world.
His collaborator of over 50 years, Gnaoua maestro Maleem Abdellah El Gourd
will be present for the occasion and will also be honored. Mr. Azoulay will represent
His Majesty the King for this occasion.
The great NEA Jazz Master, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship winner, and Chevalier
in France's Order of Arts and Letters Randy Weston has contributed six decades
of musical direction and genius to the world. He remains one of the world's foremost
pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast
rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and
inspire. He has had a deep commitment to Morocco and the Gnaoua culture since the
1960s when he was introduced to the world of the Gnaoua by maestro Maleem Abdellah
El Gourd who represents the Tangiers Gnaoua tradition. Maleem Abdellah El Gourd
and Mr. Weston have collaborated together in concert presentations throughout the
world including at an unprecedented concert at the Canterbury Cathedral in England.
In African Rhythms: The Autobiography of Randy Weston (Duke University
Press, 2010), Mr. Weston recounts his experiences living in Morocco for seven years,
where he ran the African Rhythms Club from 1967 to 1962, and describes the beauty
of Morocco and its people. Weston's latest CD, The Story Teller (Motéma
Music), was released in November 2010.
For additional information on Randy Weston,
http://www.motema.com/press/thestoryteller/
For more information, please contact:
DL MEDIA
Don Lucoff
Natascha Bodemann from FIAF
Natascha Bodemann · nbodemann@fiaf.org
DL Media | 124 N Highland Ave | Bala Cynwyd | PA | 19004
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