UNESCO’s International Jazz Day Comes to Tangiers, Morocco
TANGIERS, Morocco: The Moroccan city of Tangiers, known for its rich history as a hub of inspiration for American jazz musicians, is set to host UNESCO’s International Jazz Day for the first time on Tuesday.
Throughout the last century, legendary jazz artists like Randy Weston, Idrees Sulieman, and Max Roach made their way across the Atlantic to perform and record music in this North African port city, perched on the edge of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Philippe Lorin, the founder of an annual Tangiers jazz festival, stated, “The city has had a fascinating power of attraction on a wave of intellectuals and musicians.”
This year’s Jazz Day will span over four days starting on Saturday, featuring talks and open-air performances in Tangiers.
The highlight of the festivities will be an “All-Star Global Concert” on Tuesday led by jazz icon Herbie Hancock, including bassists Marcus Miller and Richard Bona, as well as guitarist Romero Lubambo.
Tangiers’ cosmopolitan artistic reputation is deeply rooted in its location between Africa and Europe, coupled with its colonial history under various powers from 1923 to 1956, the year Morocco gained independence.
This melting pot of influences attracted visits from international writers, poets, and African American musicians, seeking to connect with their African roots, noted Moroccan historian Farid Bahri.
Lorin emphasized that Tangiers “was a haven of freedom — just like jazz music.”
Legendary Moments in Tangiers’ Musical History
A pivotal moment in the city’s musical legacy occurred in 1959 when Tangiers jazz promoter Jacques Muyal, then a teenager, recorded a session with trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, pianist Oscar Dennard, bassist Jamil Nasser, and drummer Buster Smith at the Radio Tanger International studio.
Decades before its release as the “The 4 American Jazzmen In Tangier” album in 2017, this recording garnered acclaim in jazz circles.
Bahri, the author of “Tangiers, a world history of Morocco,” highlighted that “the presence of American musicians in Tangiers was also linked to a very active American diplomacy.”
Renowned US pianist Randy Weston resided in Tangiers for five years after a tour of 14 African countries in 1967 organized by the US State Department.
Weston played a significant role in shaping the city’s musical reputation, dedicating his 1973 album “Tanjah” to Tangiers.
Collaborating with Moroccan gnawa music legend Abdellah El Gourd, Weston pioneered the fusion of jazz and gnawa music, leaving a lasting impact on Tangiers’ musical heritage.
Their work together culminated in the celebrated 1992 album “The Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco.”
Weston also established the African Rhythms jazz club in Tangiers, where musicians would gather, rehearse, and perform, creating a vibrant musical scene in the city.
With El Gourd’s assistance, Weston launched Tangiers’ first jazz festival in 1972, featuring renowned artists like Max Roach, Hubert Laws, Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and Dexter Gordon.
The festival was a unique experience for both musicians and audiences, setting the stage for future jazz events in Tangiers.