Hassan Hakmoun - Unity
From the album, “Unity,” due out 04/12/14.

Marrakech-born Hassan Hakmoun has musical roots in the traditions of the Islamic Gnawa sect, descendants from West African slaves brought to North Africa several hundred years ago. At the center of their spiritual practice is music and dance that fuses Islamic mysticism with sub-Saharan African traditions, particularly in all-night trance rituals meant to praise God and heal bodies and minds.

On his latest record, “Unity,” singer and musician Hassan Hakmoun, the 'Godfather of Gnawa’ has fashioned a record of deep bass grooves and ritual music that rides the wave of Moroccan roll. Co-producers Yossi Fine and Chikako Iwahori, together with Hakmoun, have amped the 3-stringed sintir, combining guitars, harmonica and Fula flute to make this one joyful, inviting, and danceable offering of Gnawan trance music that also rocks.

“The word ‘unity’ just came out,” he says from his new home in Brooklyn, NY, noting that this album is dedicated to Nelson Mandela. “There are so many people of the same religion in the world killing one another because of small differences in their beliefs. Just look at what’s happened recently in South Africa, the Middle East and West Africa. It’s made me pray that one day we all have unity.”” (excerpted from Society of Sound.) Listen to Hassan Hakmoun’s entire set from globalFEST 2014 at NPRmusic.