country_of_citizenship laarbi batma
Gnawa music ( Ar . ) is a rich North African repertoire of ancient African Islamic spiritual religious songs and rhythms . Its well - preserved heritage combines ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing . The music is performed at " lila ", entire communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer and healing guided by the Gnawa " maalem ", or master musician , and their group of musicians and dancers . Though many of the influences that formed this music can be traced to sub - Saharan West - Africa , its traditional practice is concentrated in ___MASK50___ and the Béchar Province in southwestern Algeria . Nowadays , Gnawa music has spread through many other countries in Africa and Europe , such as France . Laarbi Batma ( 1948 , in Oulad Bouziri ( Chaouia ) -- 1997 ) was a Moroccan musician , author , and the front man of the group Nass El Ghiwane . The leader was since the beginning the singer and bendir player , Omar Sayed . ___MASK50___ (', lit . " The West "; '), officially known as the Kingdom of ___MASK50___ (', lit . " The Western Kingdom "; '), is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa . Geographically , ___MASK50___ is characterized by a rugged mountainous interior , large tracts of desert , and a lengthy coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea . Casablanca ( local informal name : " Kaa ") is the largest city in ___MASK50___ , located in the central - western part of the country bordering the Atlantic Ocean . It is the largest city in the Maghreb , as well as one of the largest and most important cities in Africa , both economically and demographically . Nass El Ghiwane are a musical group established in 1971 in Casablanca , ___MASK50___ . 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 ___MASK50___ .