Extracts "Memories" by Moulay Ahmed Hadj Benkrizi
As for the desire to defeat the forces of inertia that seemed to paralyze the release of all initiatives to work towards an affirmation of the potential and spontaneous qualities endogenous innate buried in the depths of each individual, it will be the result of an exceptional man and admirable in him felt an irresistible urge to give a little, and often much of himself in the person of the late Hajj Bouzidi BENSLIMANE .
- Squatting: Kara Mostefa Mahmoud - Benbernou Yahia - Hamdani Tayeb - Benhaoua AEK - Benatia Nordine - Benbernou Mohamed Forlou Kheirdine - Benkrizi Fodil - Bentounes Amine- Benguendouz Ali - Mohamed Benhaddouche
- Seated: Ghali Ould El-Bey - Chali Ahmed - Karakache Mustapha - Ould El-Bey Smaïn - Belkhouane Mohamed - H'mida Guellati - Kaddour-Benguendouz - Maat-Mohamed Abdelkader Belayachi Benameur-Abed - Moulay Benkrizi
- Debout: Boukredia-Aissa Benyahia Benyahia - Hocine Benguettat - Roubai Chorfi Kouider - El Hadj Ferhat - Maam Benatar - satisfies Messaoud - Belbachir Abdallah - Bensiali M'hamed - Benghali Mansour Bentounes-Houari-Chalabi, Mohammed Lakhdar-Tahar Benslimane Bouzid - Ali Benatar.
ce qui est Personnage providentiel that in Mostaganem enfanté? Un homme dans toute heart of the acception the term, steeped in a vast culture learned in school life, and with a sensitivity and an open mind to all forms of beauty.
Also, he liked above all Andalusian music that was at the top of the firmament through first-hand knowledge gained from 1947/48 to contact no less regretted If BENTRIA Habib.
In any case he had at heart to take over and continue the painstaking work begun by his teacher killed prematurely by the mower in 1950.
Thereupon we saw the events and milestones through during the night turbulent colonial and difficulties that impeded any attempt to revive the cultural process in the country. But once they regained independence, now the Andalusian virus broke out again the meaning of Hajj and entrails Bouzidi, if indeed he had left one day.
His first attempt was in 1966 when he began to climb, in a rush it is true, an Andalusian orchestra intended to take part in the first ever Music Festival, under the leadership of singer Chaabi Maâzouz Bouadjadj, Box among others by the late BELADJINE Abdelkader said Mustapha Benmansour Boucif and more known Houari CHALABI we will find below. So the orchestra was he dubbed "Ettouria" in homage to the precursor BENTRIA If Habib.
Unfortunately this experiment was cut short without even surpassed the regional qualifying, which took place in Tlemcen region for Western countries for the Center in Blida and Constantine for the Eastern Region.
Our purpose here is not to make the analysis of this failure, but we can only meet one of the causes The most prominent, an obvious lack of preparation due to the precipitation mentioned above, coupled with an inadequate impregnation for a style savant requiring absolute control to be able to compete with the heavyweights in contention.
It should be noted that this aspect had not escaped the perspicacity of Hajj Bouzidi which, far from being discouraged, silently waiting for the right moment and the favorable opportunity to return to the charge with increased chances of success, building on lessons learned, lived and unhappy, why not take revenge Honourable which is able to erase bad memories.
Was it a coincidence that he invited me one evening in Ramadan of 1967 through the Haj Benyahia, to come and take tea in the room which was used for rehearsals of the group Ettouria . I do not know.
But I felt that my visit had generated some interest among the few people present, among which I can quote from memory of course Bouzidi Hajj, Hajj and the late Benyahia BENYAHIA Houari CHALABI also united by of relationship with my immediate family. I feel that he was considered the right arm of Sheikh Maâzouz which was also absent from that first contact.
I also remember that our conversation was of a technical character focuses mainly on "Chambar Sika" he wanted to incorporate into his repertoire, even me asking him to interpret his own guitar.
After gaining his wish two or three times to allow it to absorb all its different passages this difficult piece, I was literally grabbed by Hajj Bouzidi who offered me point blank nothing less than to collaborate in the creation of an "association of Andalusian music" within the Circle Crescent and I remember he was a member for many years.
This idea reminded me of when a similar proposal made a few years earlier, around 1950, another music lover, a MARAFA Abdullah, but that I had not thought it necessary to subscribe to the time for reasons personal. But this time the context was totally different and I was in El-Mossilia Algiers is still too recent to leave me indifferent to the power of persuasion Bouzidi Hajj. Besides, the idea seemed attractive, even for a generous intentions were devoid of ulterior motives or mercenary down to earth.
But from this point of view, the personality of this character could not lead to any ambiguity, so an initial meeting was arranged to meet again, this time at Circle Crescent, duly accompanied of my good old mandolin purchased in 1938 by my father for the sum of forty francs.
And so, at D-Day our first meeting was attended by around Hajj Bouzidi: Ismet Benkritly a viola in hand and I armed with my Italian mandolin, three people in total and for everything.
I must say still that despite his vast knowledge on the subject, Hajj Bouzidi not practiced any musical instrument. Hence it follows that the first rehearsal of what was going to give birth in less than five years at the prestigious Nadi El Hilal Ettaqafi "boils down to an instrumental duet between me and my friend Ismet in a kind program based Istikhbarat Inqilabate and in the presence of a single auditor-spectator-witness in the person of Hajj Bouzidi Rahimahou Allah. We note finally the absence of Benyahia Hajj, one of the foremost architects of this incredible adventure, this initial contact.
Moreover, it is worth noting that, on advice but very quiet this year, members of what was still called the "Crescent Club" welcomed us with open arms and did everything possible to put us at ease by providing us with one of five parts the room for our rehearsals ahead independently.
From there, we have established a weekly schedule for our work meetings always limited to "duet" Benkrizi - Benkritly pending new potential recruits. Because during this time, our mentor had started quietly a prodigious effort to raise awareness in the community of musicians more or less sensitive to this form of artistic expression. He was helped by Hajj Benyahia which, while not practicing any musical instrument still was engaged in prospecting in order, to flesh out the skeletal initial cell.
Thus, the first to reach the nucleus of the late start will Houari CHALABI armed with his legendary guitar. It will soon be followed by the late Hassaïne Benghal who had an old four-string banjo, very weird.
Then comes the turn of BENDAMECHE and Abdelkader Abdelkader BENHAOUA each accompanied by a mandolin, Mansour Benghal with a mandolin like mine, Aoued BACHA who had an old guitar English Mohamed Bouadjadj, Harrag MEZADJA and two or three other young people I can not remember names.
In this initial group, we will report the absence of any percussion instrument. How can we seriously consider the effect of performing Andalusian Nuba without tar or darbuka?
Well, never mind! Hajj Bouzidi an old darbuka hand will do the rhythm and cadence during rehearsals before the late Harrag MEZADJA takes over. Then it will be himself, shortly afterwards, replaced by young Tayeb HAMDANI accompanied by another young, Yahia Benbernou the tar. Thus, barely older than fifteen years alone, the latter two became the youngest member of the ensemble.
Things really began to take shape and look more or less quickly yielded early folk instead seriously now that characterized our rehearsals.
front row, left to right:
Hamdan (Tar) - Bacha Benaouda (Guitar) - Benghal Mansour (mandolin) - Benghal Hssaine (Bonjo) - Benkritly Ismet (alto) - Benkrizi Moulay-Ahmed (Mandolin) - Houari Tchalabi (Guitar) - Bendaamache Abdelkader (Mandola) - Mezaga Harrag (Derbouka)
Second row, Choral
Tarbouche Hajj Bouzidi Benslimane, Abed Benameur, Benyahia Benyahia , Lakhdar Bentounes Sheikh Khaled if Bentounes, Fodil Benkrizi, Bentounes Amine, Benyahia AEK, Habib Benameur (extreme right)
And as the appetite comes with eating it is true, the idea came to us to give ourselves some semblance of paternity by choosing a name that is able to give us some credibility within Mostaganem population at least. So at my suggestion that the newborn will be named "Section of Andalusian Music Circle Crescent Mostaganem.
To the delight of the valiant members of the institution that gave us so generously hospitality and among which we quote in the story: Hajj Gentlemen Bouzidi Benslimane course, Mustapha Karakache Hajj, Haj Sadek Benghal, Hadj Kaddour Benguendouz, Maamar Benatia Haj, Haj Abdelkader Belayachi, Haj H'mida Guellati, Tayeb Benmaamar Hajj, Hajj Belbachir Abdallah, El-Hajj and Si Belkacem Ferh Benghal under the chairmanship of Ahmed Hadj Shali. Or twelve people in all and for all.
Regarding the "Section Andalusian Music Circle Crescent" is unanimously agreed that Hajj Bouzidi Benslimane was elected President of course. Who else would have been better able to claim such a distinction, however, was his by right.
In this respect also, the future was not long before we prove the correctness of that choice, with a total commitment and totally selfless man who had decided to sacrifice all his time and energy to the sustainability of the legendary Crescent Circle, and consequently, to the flowering of Andalusian music in the town of Mostaganem.
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