🇩🇿🥁🎶🎓📀 Abdelmajid Guemguem moved to France in the early 1970s. The Algerian percussionist, better known as Guem, was already an accomplished musician, and had just been hired by the American Center in Paris, where he taught. He was signed by le Chant Du Monde and released his first album in 1973. As is often the case in this series, the discs are as much documentary as they are entertaining, which is perfectly in keeping with the teaching spirit instilled by Guem. Entitled ‘Les Percussions Africaines’, it reviews six rhythms from the Maghreb, with explanations of the instruments and how to play them. Guem went on to release a number of records on le Chant du Monde, and in particular wrote his signature track, Le Serpent, in 1978, with the Zaka ensemble. The song was re-recorded in 1996 as the theme tune for the TV programme Ça se discute. Guem died just four years ago, on 21 January 2021.
Les Percussions Africaines – Guem, 1973
