Kader Fahem was born in a modest and large family, with a taste for music. Fahem started learning guitar early at the age of 7. His first approach of the instrument was dedicated to the traditional music of his Kabyle origins, much appreciated then by his parents. Two years later, he took part to a cultural event where he mesmerized his audience and the local press: that was an eye-opener.
Aware of the abilities of this young virtuoso, Kemji Fahem, his elder brother, decided to teach him the fundamentals of guitar. Even though he was himself an amateur, his relationships with Gypsies from the South of France had allowed him to discover Gypsy rumba. A long apprenticeship period followed where he learnt chords and techniques, acquired velocity, which naturally led him to create his own amateur Gypsy flamenco band, the Flamenco Kids, at the age of 12.
As time went by, Kader Fahem acquired his own style, his personal touch. His love of flamenco combined with a strong will to learn pressed him to go deeper and discover on his own the different hidden sides of the “flamenco puro”, the roots. He then dedicated his teenage years to study the soul and strength of this deep music. Outside the frame of any teaching system and with the sole inspiration he got from the great names of the genre (Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, etc.), he became familiar with the compas (flamenco rhythms) and styles such as buleria, alegria, tango until he mastered them and finally created his own sound.
After he reached a certain maturity, he deemed necessary to travel to Andalusia, not only to immerse himself in the history and countryside that this region has to offer, but also to meet other “aficionados” (flamenco amateurs).
He is now a composer and performer in a flamenco-jazz style that stems from a cultural crossbreeding, influenced by his own life, childhood, travels and origins. Far from the Hispanic grounds, he expresses through his works, his great sensitivity and his love for flamenco. Far away from Hispanic lands, his works express his great sensitivity and his love for flamenco: “Flamenco guitar is the reflection of the soul“.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
