Tag Archives: Bachir Attar

Le Poisson Rouge – Legacy of Robert Palmer/Benefit Concert for the Master Musicians of Jajouka

Text by Jim Hoey

 

Robert Palmer (photo by Cherie Nutting)

Robert Palmer (photo by Cherie Nutting)

On November 16, 2009, musicians, family, friends, and fans of the late Robert Palmer gathered at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC to celebrate the music writer’s legacy. Robert Palmer (not to be confused with Robert Palmer of “Simply Irresistible” fame) was one of the first rock music critics for The New York Times, author of Deep Blues (an examination of the roots of the blues), and an accomplished flute, clarinet and sax player who could sit in with The Rolling Stones, Ornette Coleman, and the Master Musicians of Jajouka.

This night was a celebration of his legacy and also marked the release of Blues and Chaos, Palmer’s collected writings, and The Hand of Fatima, a film documentary by Palmer’s daughter examining his life, their relationship, and his obsession with the music of the Moroccan Master Musicians of Jajouka. The night was also a benefit for the musicians of Jajouka, and all proceeds went to their cause. Continue reading →

If the Moon Loves You – A Meeting with Bachir Attar of The Master Musicians Of Jajouka.

Bachir and John (photo by John Kruth)

Bachir and John (photo by John Kruth)

by  John Kruth

It had been quite some time since THE MASTER MUSICIANS Of JAJOUKA last came to town. In fact they hadn’t been around much at all once W laid siege to the White House. For most Americans the Bush “error” came to an end when the fat lady (Aretha Franklin) finally sang at Obama’s inauguration on the cold morning of January 20, 2009. But for a couple hundred New Yorkers the deal was finally sealed on Saturday, February 28th when THE MASTER MUSICIANS  climbed on to the small stage of the Knitting Factory, draped in green djellabas, wielding their piercing pipes and thundering drums.

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The Hand of Fatima – a feature length documentary by Augusta Palmer

Hand Of Fatima DVD cover

Hand Of Fatima DVD cover

The Hand of Fatima is a feature-length documentary structured by two parallel journeys to the remote Moroccan village of Jajouka, where a hereditary band plays music older than history.  

The first journey begins in the 1960s, when critic Robert Palmer uncovers “cryptic allusions” to Jajouka in the novels of William Burroughs. On assignment for Rolling Stone in 1971, Palmer finds the place where the musicians spend their days smoking kif, playing music, and “driving possessed tribesmen into mass Dionysian frenzies.”  

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