A few weeks before the Gnawa Festival in Essaouira (Central Coast of Morocco), music fans are grieving the loss of Gnawa icon Maâlem Allal Soudani, the artist died at age 72 following a long illness, said media quoting the late musician’s family.
The late Maâlem, with Sudanese origins, was born in Essaouira in 1952 and comes from a prestigious line of Gnawa from the Wind City.
He learned the fundamentals of Gnawa when he was a child under his father’s guidance and at Sidi Bilal Zawia school, he later became known as a Maâlem at the age of 18.
His quest for perfection led him to attend other renowned schools, such as Boubker Guinea, Ahmed El Haddad, and Belkheir.
“With the smiling elegance of his appearance, Maâlem Allal Soudani was, alongside his siblings, the generous and talented embodiment of tradition and the Mogador-style Tagnaouite school,” said Advisor to King Mohammed VI and Founding President of the Essaouira-Mogador Association André Azoulay.
Late Maâlem Allal Soudani distinguished himself through his unwavering devotion to the traditional practices of Gnawa music, becoming an indispensable reference in Morocco and one of the most true defenders of this cultural heritage, scrupulously ensuring respect for its traditions.
Allal Soudani was an eloquent speaker and an eminent historian of Gnawa culture in Essaouira and Morocco, having won his place among the great figures of this emblematic art through his expertise, strong personality, and unique charisma.
Maâlem rubbed shoulders with many of the world’s leading artists during the hippie era of the 60s and 70s and took part in meetings with other renowned musicians at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival.