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Nass El Ghiwane

Nass El Ghiwane
Origin Casablanca, Morocco
Genres Moroccan
Years active 1971 (1971)–present
Members Rachid Batma, Hamid Batma, Redouane Raifak, Allal Yaala, Omar Sayed
Past members Abd El-Aziz Tahiri, Abderahmane Kirouche (Paco), Boujemaa Brahim, Larbi Batma

Nass El Ghiwane (Arabic: ناس الغيوان‎‎) are a musical group established in 1971 in Casablanca, Morocco. The group, which originated in avant-garde political theater, has played an influential role in Moroccan chaabi (or shaabi). Nass El Ghiwane were the first band to introduce Western instruments like the modern banjo. Their music incorporates a trance aesthetic, reflecting the influence of local Gnawa music.Khaled, a prominent Raï singer, began his career performing Nass El Ghiwane songs at weddings and parties. They are also credited for helping bring a new social movement to Morocco.

The band is the focus of music documentary Transes (Trances), directed by Ahmed El Maanouni, who described Nass El Ghiwane as Morocco's soul music. Originally released in 1981, it was restored in 2007 by the World Cinema Foundation at Cineteca di Bologna /L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory. The film was picked specifically by Martin Scorsese for the World Cinema Foundation's first release and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and at Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakesh, Morocco. The film has since been distributed by the Criterion Collection.

The band's song "Ya Sah" appears in the film The Last Temptation of Christ and on the associated album Passion – Sources.


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