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Sami Yusuf performs at the World Sacred Music Festival in Fes, blending Sufism and universal sounds
via Le Matin3 min read
British artist Sami Yusuf delivered an intense artistic and spiritual performance at Bab Al Makina during the 29th World Sacred Music Festival in Fes. Yusuf, a prominent figure in contemporary spiritual music, presented a repertoire that combined Sufi chants, Andalusian muwashahat, and contemporary compositions, reflecting his artistic journey focused on cultural dialogue and universality. He was accompanied by Moroccan singer Nabila Maan, monchid Ismaïl Boujia, and an orchestra featuring musicians from Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, China, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Morocco. The program included works from spiritual heritage and newer creations, with some compositions from Yusuf's latest album performed for the first time. The audience connected with his performance from the opening notes of "Madad," and he revisited career-defining titles like "Mawlana" and "Hasbi Rabbi." A highlight was the artistic collaboration between Sami Yusuf, Nabila Maan, and Ismaïl Boujia on Arab-Andalusian poetic and musical pieces such as "Al-Fiyachia" and "Lamma Bada Yatathanna." The evening concluded with Yusuf introducing the audience to qawwali, a South Asian spiritual music form, performing "Mast Qalandar." This performance underscored the festival's aim to foster dialogue between heritages, bring cultures together, and highlight music's unifying power. Sami Yusuf will also participate in the closing night of the 29th edition, alongside the Konya Ensemble of urban Sufi music and the Voices
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
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