Saha Gnawa
PROJECTS:
SAHA GNAWA brings North African futurism to the U.S., uniting the founders of Innov Gnawa with leading figures from New York City's jazz and contemporary music scenes to reimagine modern Gnawa music.
Often referred to as “Sufi Blues,” Gnawa is rooted in Morocco’s ancient history. Over centuries, infectious rhythms and polytheistic spiritual beliefs originating from West African slaves integrated with Islam and the indigenous culture of Morocco, giving birth to a hybrid spiritual sect and musical community. The lyrics of Gnawa songs are prayers invoking saints and spirits for freedom and liberation. Gnawa music is revered and treasured throughout Morocco for its soulfulness and healing power.
The ensemble is co-led by MAÂLEM HASSAN BEN JAAFER, a master musician carrying forward generations of Gnawa tradition as the son of esteemed Maâlem Abdullah Benjaafar of Fes. Trained in his father's officially recognized Gnawa school and by master musicians throughout Morocco, Ben Jaafer earned the title of Maâlem (master) as a teenager—an honor bestowed only by consensus of other masters. He performs on vocals and guembri (a three-stringed bass lute) and has collaborated with artists like Randy Weston and leads the Grammy-nominated group Innov Gnawa.
Co-leader DANIEL FREEDMAN, a drummer and composer, brings decades of experience collaborating with artists like David Byrne and Angelique Kidjo, as well as deep knowledge of traditions from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. The ensemble also features AMINO BELYAMANI (Innov Gnawa, Dawn of Midi) and DAVID LIZMI (Innov Gnawa, Bombino) on qraqebs and backing vocals, JASON LINDNER (David Bowie, Now vs Now) on keys and synths, and GUILHERME MONTEIRO (Gal Costa, Forro in the Dark) and GILAD HEKSELMAN on guitars.
Refined via late-night sessions at LunÀtico in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, SAHA GNAWA explores trance-like states through its intuitive interplay, allowing ancestral rhythms and melodies to drift into unknown territories. What emerges is both an authentic performance of centuries-old Gnawa tradition and a bold step into new dimensions of sound—where traditional song forms dissolve into ecstatic dance tracks laced with subtle electronics.
Their self-titled debut album features guest appearances by NELS CLINE's textural brilliance on "Hamudah," ABRAHAM RODRIGUEZ's Yoruba invocations on "Tbal," and DONNY MCCASLIN's interstellar saxophone atop ROMAN DIAZ's congas on "Negshah."
SAHA GNAWA'S SELF-TITLED ALBUM WILL BE RELEASED ON PIQUE-NIQUE IN FALL 2025.
PRESS:
“Maâlem Hassan Ben Jaafer sings Muslim devotional chants in Arabic and Bambara over grooves which are as sophisticated as they are ancient.”
NY Music Daily
“Freedman has quietly, almost surreptitiously, become a primal force, creating a kind of people’s music built on rustling folk rhythms, ethnic melodies and joyous performances.”
DownBeat
[On Innov Gnawa]: “True to their name, they’re taking an ancient sound rarely heard outside of Morocco to new places, whether with their own mesmerizing improvisations, or with repertoire never before heard outside of North Africa.”
NY Music Daily
“Jason Lindner is a musical universe.”
Chick Corea
“It is obvious to me that Hekselman is one of the most intelligent, quietly accomplished guitarists I could hope to listen to. He breathes life into his music through his incomparable skill and devotion.”
UK Vibe
