Abdelli is a Kabyl Berber, born on the 2nd of April 1958 at Behalil in the Great Kabyl (Algeria). Author, composer and interpreter, he mixes his native traditional music with modern elements. With an open mind, he does not hesitate in accepting other musical forms however distant they may be from his own.

Abdelli's first professional performance took place in Dellys (Kabyle). He won several awards in Algeria for amateur singers and eventually moved to Belgium where he met producer Thierry Van Roy, who was so fascinated with Abdelli's music that he spent two years exploring the roots of the Berbers' musical tradition at the University of Algiers. In 1995 Van Roy produced the New Moon album and it came out on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. Abdelli's career took off and he started to perform at major festivals in Europe, including WOMAD. 

Abdelli and Peter Gabriel at the RealWorld Recording Week. Photo courtesy of Thierry Van Roy

Abdelli's lyrics express strong and poetic images of his culture which is threatened from all sides. He expresses himself essentially by symbols which are parts of his traditional culture. He tries to make known the ancient Berber culture which, by its tolerance and openness, is an example to follow in our troubled world.

Abdelli's music is a reflection of the Kabyle culture open to the world and to its differences. His music is the meeting of the quarter of a tone with the tempered scale. Using traditional Algerian instruments such as the mandola, the bendir and the darbuka, he has collaborated with musicians from South America and the Ukraine, inviting in the usage of the cajón (Peru), the tormento, the quena (Chilean), and the bandura (Ukrainian) resulting in the creation of unique and colorful new rhythms.

The band:

Abdelli (lead vocals, mandola)
Roberto Lagos (charango, guitar, bombo)
Said Mohammed (ney)
Jazouli Azzedine (darbuka, tar, bendir)
Louis Ivan Leiva Alguinta (Latin percussion)
Abdelmajid Makrai Lamarti (violin)
Thierry Van Roy (keyboards)

Official Web Site: http://www.abdelli.com

New Moon (Real World CDRW54, 1995)

Among Brothers (Real World 7243 5 81313 2 1, 2003)

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