Master Musicians of Joujouka
Morocco's legendary trance music
Book Now for Master Musicians of Joujouka Festival 4-5 June 2010 with optional extra night 6th June, 2010
Master Musicians of Joujouka Festival 4-5 with optional extra night 6th June, 2010 Place Joujouka, (Jajouka), Morocco.The Master Musicians announce their summer festival will be held 4-6June 2010 in their village in Morocco. Guests will stay with the musicians and their families and experience three days and nights of ritual Sufi music in its natural setting. On Saturday 5 June the musicians will perform the Boujeloud ritual in the village square through the night. In July 2008 the Master Musicians of Joujouka hosted the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival in their village in the southern Rif Mountains of Northern Morocco. The festival was a celebration of fortieth anniversary of Brian Jones’ recording the iconic LP Brian Jones presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka (Rolling Stones Records 1971). The festival brought the families of old Masters now passed on and a group of visitors from abroad including old friends of the errant Rolling Stone.
In 2009 the Master Musicians festival moved to June as the tempreture at the end of July can be above 40C. The festival was a great success and was reported on in The Wire magazine October, 2009.
Guests will experience life in Joujouka staying with the musicians and their families in their isolated village. The Master Musicians of Joujouka will play in intimate sessions around their madrassa/school. The highlight of the festival wwill be the village’s celebration of the Boujeloud ritual in the village square.
Places at the festival are strictly limited as due to accommodation limitations with the families in Joujouka/Jajouka. Guests will be collected from Ksar El Kebir the nearest town to Joujouka on Friday 5th June and will be brought to the village. Full board will be provided. Food will be prepared in traditional Joujouka fashion from locally sourced produced. Joujouka is a farming community well as Sufi trance music the village is famous for its beautiful olives and olive oil.
The festival is booking now. The price for the main two days of the festival 4-5 June is €250 euro.
Accommodation for 4, 5, and 6 June is €300 (Euro)
Guests will be collected at Moulay El Mehdi train station in Ksar El Kebir on June 4th and transported to Joujouka/Jajouka. For Moroccan trains see www.oncf.ma
Full board lunch and evening meal on Friday 4 June
Breakfast, Lunch and traditional Moroccan mountain feast on Saturday 5
Breakfast (all guests) plus lunch, and evening meal on Sunday 6th (for those with three day bookings)
For payment by credit transfer please email me for details joujouka@gmail.com
Places are limited to 75.
If you have any questions please do get in touch. joujouka@gmail.com
Joujouka 2-day €250, 4-5 June 2010
Joujouka 3-day €300 4-6 June 2010
The Wire, October 2009, Lisa Blenning on Master Musicians of Joujouka Festival 2009 in Global Ear, plus free exclusive MP3 and video downloads
Lisa Blenning reports in The Wire, October, 2009 on Master Msuicians of Joujouka Festival 5/6 June 2009.
The Wire also have an exclusive free MP3 dowload of music from the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary festival in Joujouka.
Download an MP3 featuring two tracks performed by The Master Musicians of Joujouka (as featured in this month’s Global Ear) recorded live at the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival in Joujouka/Jajouka 29 July 2008. The performance began exactly forty years to the hour from when Brian Jones recorded The Master Musicians in 1968. The resulting LP Brian Jones presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka was the first release on Rolling Stones Records in 1971
The tracks featured are:
“Habibi Wan Amali” (“My love what more have I”) and “L’Aita” (“The Call”)
The Master Musicians of Joujouka on this recording are
Ahmed El Attar drums
El Kahil Radi drums
Mustahpa El Attar drums
Ahmed Bouhsini rhiata
Mohamed Mokhchan rhiata
Abdelslam Errtoubi rhiata
Abdellah Ziyat rhiata
Mohamed El Attar rhiata
Mohamed El Tahami rhiata
Produced by Frank Rynne
Engineer David Slevin
Available here
Plus Video download from The Wire, a preview of Daragh McCarthy’s movie on the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival.
The Wire “Brian Jones Joujouka Very Stoned”
Master Musicians of Joujouka announce festival dates for Joujouka/Jajouka 2010: Master Musicians of Joujouka Festival. 4-5 June, 2010
Started in 2008 with the Master Musicians of Joujouka Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival on July 29 and 3O. The festival moved to June in 2009 as the dates in July coincide with the Fete de Throne of King Mohamed VI which the Master Musicians attend and perform at every year. The June date also ensures a more temperate climate in Joujouka/Jajouka rather than the typical 38 C at the end of July.
The dates allow for visitors to Morocco to also attend events at the Festival of Sacred Music in Fes.
Booking will be available here soon but anyone who wants to reserve a place should email joujouka@gmail.com
Short clip from the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival from a film currently in production below.
Visitors will stay in the homes of The Master Musicians of Joujouka in their home village and enjoy a weekend of life in the Sufi village in the Ahl Srif Mountains near Ksar El Kebir, Morocco.
Info and advance bookings contact joujouka@gmail.com
See The October 2009 issue of The Wire for Lise Blanning’s report on the 2009 Festival.
Download 10min MP3 in exclusive with The Wire http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/3035/
Mark Paytress reported on the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival in The Guardian and Mojo see
Guardian
Take me into insanity
In the Moroccan mountains, village musicians gather each year to worship the goat-man Boujeloud … and Brian Jones. Mark Paytress joins in the wild party
………
As the ceremony begins, I follow the nine magnificently attired Masters – resplendent in yellow hats, white collarless shirts and dark, one-shoulder robes – as they make their way down a long, dusty track to a gently lit corner of the village square, where some 120 villagers and visitors are gathered. Without realising it, I perch upon the same rock Jones sat on 40 years ago, as the Masters hit their transcendent stride.
A group of watching youths, some dressed in baseball caps and logo-emblazoned T-shirts, bounce boisterously in front of the bonfire. Women huddle in the shadows. When the rhaitas, sounding something like a herd of aroused elephants, nudge up a semitone, the tingle factor really kicks in. A trick long favoured by a generation of superstar DJs is, it seems, as old as time itself.
Then out hops the sprite-like Boujeloud. Hours ago, he was the soberly attired master of the house where I slept. Now, this apparition in a straw hat and goat-skin is mad-eyed and rubber-necked; he thrashes me with a pair of olive branches. My fertility apparently secured, at least for another year, I leap to my feet and join in this primal scream of a party. For five long hours, these rhythms and rituals play out against a backdrop of spitting bonfires, screams and the endless high-jinks of Boujeloud. At about five in the morning, it winds down. “Boujeloud“ is back in his bum-freezer jacket and handing out cups of mint tea to the small handful of us who have survived this exhilarating, extraordinary but exhausting musical endurance test……….
Read More http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/may/29/master-musicians-joujouka-festival-morocco
Mojo October 2008 PDF http://media.mind2hands.com/insom/MJMM01.pdf
Further Info advance booking email joujouka@gmail.com
"Joujouka Black Eyes" - CD available again
Following the successful Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival at the village in July, we now have a new pressing of the acclaimed “Joujouka Black Eyes” album, which has recently been hard to get.
The CD was the first production by Frank Rynne of The Master Musicians of Joujouka and was the first release by the Masters on the Sub Rosa label. Recorded over a nine-week period in 1994, it features both large ensembles and small groups of the Sufi masters playing in informal settings. The CD contains 16 tracks including Brian Jones Joujouka Very Stoned. This tribute to Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones is a standard in the musicians repertoire.
Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide:
The contrast between the earthy drum rhythms and the delicate filigree of the flute work, sounding like some avian fantasy, is luscious. Listeners who only know this genre through recordings like Apocalypse Across the Sky owe it to themselves to hear Joujouka’s flip side, the one without one ear tilted toward the world music market.
Get the CD in our shop for EUR 15 (including shipping).
Brian Jones festival a huge success – First report
The excitement had died down in Joujouka this morning as the Master Musicians relaxed after a sleepless week. The last guests, two Land Rovers from the film crew got safely placed on their articulated truck by Mark at Ksar El Kebir yesterday afternoon.
On last Saturday a wedding took place in Joujouka and the Master played until dawn. Sunday saw the arrival of the first journalist, as well as sound engineer Dave Slevin, a film crew, plus director Daragh McCarthy and the first guests.
On Monday the guest of honour, Anita Pallenberg, arrived, accompanied by John Dunbar and James Birch. They were accommodated by Hamed El Attar in the house where Brian Jones stayed when he was in Joujouka on 29th July 1968.
Mallim Ali Attar joined the Masters each morning. At 94 he is the oldest musician in the village; he recalled Brian Gysin and Brian Jones to the delight of all.
On Tuesday morning the sheep were killed for the feasts at the Mosque and the guesthouse. At 9am Kalil the festival driver began ferrying guests from Ksar El Kebir. The first performance of the day took place in a large tent at the musicians’ new guest house.
After lunch everyone visited the sanctuary of Sidi Ahmed Schiech and made donations at his tomb.
Relatives of the Mujdoubie brothers, Mallim Fudal, and all the old Masters of the Brian Jones period attended for the feasts and the festival.
After midnight everyone made their way to the ancient stage, a stone in the centre of the village, where the Masters played for hours non-stop. The Aishas and Boujeloud joined them and danced the night away.
©Joep Bremmers 2008
More photos in the Photos section and on our MySpace Festival blog
Thanks to everyone who came, to everyone who helped especially Jaouad Hilali, Yvonne-Marie Rogez, the Association for Co Operation and Development Sidi Ahmed Sherk de Zahjouka, and the Caid at Tatoft.
A special thanks to all the people of Joujouka who made the festival possible.
Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival Joujouka, Morocco, 29th July 2008
Booking Now Sold out
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience a day and night in Joujouka as guests of the Master Musicians of Joujouka and their families in their mountain village on 29th July 2008, the 40th Anniversary to the day of, the Rolling Stones founder, Brian Jones’s famous visit to the village. Read on
The History
On 29th July 1968 following in the footsteps of William Burroughs, Robert Palmer and Paul Bowles, Brian Jones came to Joujouka with Brion Gysin, Mohamed Hamri and engineer George Chkiantz to record an album with the Master Musicians of Joujouka.
The resulting LP was the first release on Rolling Stones Records in 1971 “Brian Jones presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka”.
Mick Jagger:
I remember Brian playing tapes. We had this engineer we were working with, George Chkiantz, and George was one of the first people to be heavily into phasing, which was like the scratching of the middle ’60s. So Brian took all of the Joujouka tapes and put them through phasing, which was really quite before its time.
The following year Timothy Leary visited Joujouka and in 1973 Ornette Coleman recorded here. In 2006, Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan stayed in the village with The Master Musicians. The musicians are renowned for their Sufi trance music and the Boujeloud rite (Rites of Pan).
The Festival
To mark the 40th anniversary of this historic recording, the Master Musicians of Joujouka are staging a celebratory festival on 29th July 2008. The musicians will perform the Sufi healing music of Joujouka. There will be a a visit to the 8th century sanctuary of Joujouka’s patron saint Sidi Ahmed Schiech. It will also be possible to visit the cave of Boujeloud, Magara, which is a short trek outside the village.
The evening and night will be devoted to the healing trance music of Joujouka. After dinner, the night will be filled with a full performance of the Boujeloud Rite, which is likened to the ancient Rites of Pan.
Joujouka is a farming community with strong Sufi traditions, located in the Ahl Srif Mountains some 80 km south of Chefchaouen and 20km from Ksar El Kebir. It is a halal village; therefore, both the presence and consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden.
Food and board
Accommodation will be provided in traditional Joujouka houses with the musicians’ families. This is a unique opportunity to experience a festival in the village and Joujouka life.
Full board will be provided: lunch on arrival on the 29th, a celebratory meal in the evening including charcoal roasted sheep and a wide variety of mountain dishes including vegetarian specialities, and breakfast will be provided on the morning of the 30th. All the dishes will be prepared by the villagers and will be traditional Moroccan fare for a celebratory feast.
The people of Joujouka are renowned for their hospitality, their music and their cooking.
Places are limited
This once-in-a-lifetime experience is available to a strictly limited 50 places. This is due to accommodation limitations in the village, which is 20km from the nearest urban centre.
Travel arrangements
Ticket holders must make their own way to Ksar El Kebir which is 90 km south of Tangier. Ticket holders will be transported from Ksar El Kebir’s main train station (“Mouley Mehdi”) at a designated time on the morning of 29th to the Ahl Srif mountains and Joujouka 20km and 30 mins away. Return transport to Ksar El Kebir will be provided on 30th to meet connecting trains, buses and grand taxis. Ksar El Kebir is served by the main ONCF train services from Tangier, Marrakesh, Fez and Oujda. It is also serviced by buses and Grand Taxis.
The village is also accessible by road.
NB: It may also appear as Jajouka or Zahjouka on maps. Car drivers will be provided with detailed instructions and a map.
Language
The people of Joujouka speak Moroccan Mountain Arabic. The younger people learn French in school.
There will be people on hand who speak French/English and Arabic!
Visitors will enjoy the full hospitality of The Master Musicians and people of Joujouka.
The price for this unique experience is €250 per person.
Information available from joujouka@gmail.com
Update: Some people have requested to pay by credit transfer this is also acceptable contact Frank Rynne email: joujouka@gmail.com for details or Phone 00353 87 6254901
Sold out
Master Musicians of Joujouka, Brion Gysin , William S. Burrroughs Exihibion at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
The Master Musicians of Joujouka album “Joujouka Black Eyes” is the soundtrack for the Brion Gysin Dreamachine currently on show at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin. The Dreamachine is an art object that is viewed with the eyes closed. Its alpha waves produce a trance-like /hallucinogenic experience. Brion Gysin was the first Westerner to focus attention on the significance of our Sufi music. We are proud to be associated with this exhibition.
The exhibition runs from 9 April to 29 June 2008.
Interview with Joujouka producer, Frank Rynne, at Brink.com
Brink.com have published the most extensive interview to date with Frank Rynne on his 16 years visiting and working with Master Musicians of Joujouka. Click here to read article
Who are the Master Musicians of Joujouka?
The Master Musicians of Joujouka are legendary Sufi trance masters from North Morocco. They have been associated with Beat Generation writers Paul Bowles and William Burroughs and the painters Mohammed Hamri and Brion Gysin. Their first album was produced in 1968 by Rolling Stones founder and lead guitarist Brian Jones and is commonly regarded as the first “World Music” album.
The Master Musicians have collaborated, performed and recorded with artists as diverse as Ornette Coleman, Marianne Faithfull, Scanner, Lee Renaldo and Bill Laswell. The musicians prefer to live and play near the sanctuary of their saint, Sidi Achmed Shiech, and rarely perform outside Morocco.
The current line-up of the Musicians is as follows: Mohamed El Attar, Mustapha El Attar, Ahmed El Attar, Abdeslam Boukhzar, Abdeslam Errtoubi, Muiner Mejdoubi, Radi El Khalil, Abdullah Ziyat, Mohamed Mokhchan and Ahmed El Bouhsini.
"Destroy All Rational Thought" 2007 DVD release
Available now at our store
Destroy All Rational Thought
Featuring The Master Musicians of Joujouka live in concert at The Here to Go Show in 1992.
The Here to Go Show celebrated the lives and work of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin.
The Master Musicians of Joujouka travelled to Dublin, Ireland to participate.
The DVD features William Burroughs in a rare interview about Brion Gysin.
Brion Gysin painting, Hamri the Painter of Morocco, who first connected his village’s musicians – Master Musicians of Joujouka – with the Western avant garde.
Rare footage by Antony Balch of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin in New York, Paris and Tangier from the 1950s and early 1960s.
Writers Ira Cohen, Joe Ambrose, Terry Wilson, Peter Lamborn Wilson/Hakim Bey.
Music from Bill Laswell’s Material, The Master Musicians of Joujouka, Thin Lizzy’s Brian Downey, and The Baby Snakes.
New features on this DVD.
Interview with directors, Frank Rynne and Joe Ambrose, who discuss Master Musicians of Joujouka, Hamri, Burroughs, Gysin and the Here to Go Show.
Slideshows of artwork and literary tributes to Burroughs and Gysin.
Extra music: William Burroughs don’t Play Guitar by Islamic Diggers.
Endorsing the film with reference to The Master Musicians of Joujouka performances as featured in Destroy all Rational Thought, William S. Burroughs wrote in 1994:
Feb 28, 1994
I have seen the Dublin videos and they look very impressive. I am sure the actual performance must have been a real knock-out. We need more ‘diabolic music’ everywhere.
Not destroy all rational thought but put in proportion the 1/10 of the iceberg that appears above the water.
All best
William S. Burroughs
Available now at our store