It's a musical Monday for the Christmas holiday. And what better way to celebrate than to explore the Rai compositions of an Algerian Jew. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy your holiday with the soundtrack of Oran-native pianist-composer Maurice El-Medioni:
El Medioni absorbed a whole range of musical idioms: Black soldiers taught El Medioni the boogie-woogie, Puerto Ricans the rhumba. Every new style that came through the club's doors, El Medioni would blend with his own "orientale" style. To demonstrate... a grinning El Medioni plays a standard rhumba riff, then one re-made with his Arabic touch. When he was 18, three young Arab musicians convinced him to accompany their exuberant, energetic raï music. El Medioni was hooked. He would become famous in Algeria and later in the nightclubs of Paris, as a pianist who played Arabic-influenced jazz.
Now that's some diversity! Follow the link above for sound clips.
You will find an interview with Maurice, including some piano, in Andy Kershaw's feature program from Marseille at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/onlocation/marseille.shtml
Click the Marseille link. Needs Real Player.
Posted by: Don Cox | December 27, 2006 at 10:02 AM