Sidi Bémol Presents Guellal Montréal

Sidi Bémol, the stage name of Algerian-born singer-songwriter Hocine Boukella, brings his 13th album "Guellal Montréal" to life at Cabaret Sauvage in Paris. The project fuses the ancient Berber percussion instrument guellal with the poetic traditions of melhoun and the spiritual heritage of Quebec's Indigenous cultures. Boukella, backed by a band including Youssef Boukella on bass and Abdenour Djemaï on guitar, creates a dialogue between North African and First Nations musical worlds.

Attendees can expect a concert that weaves together Arabic, Kabyle, French, and English lyrics, drawing from both traditional melhoun poetry and contemporary Indigenous texts. The album, released digitally and on CD, also coincides with a book of lyrics, translations, and sheet music. This performance marks the launch of a cross-cultural journey that Boukella has been exploring for years, blending the deep rhythms of the guellal with the emotional intensity of blues and rock influences.

The evening offers a rare opportunity to experience a musical conversation between Algeria and Quebec, where ancestral memory meets modern creation. With special guest Mehdi Askeur on guellal and vocals, the concert promises an immersive exploration of shared human experiences across continents.