Essawira – World Music Central

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Events

Essaouira Prepares for Gnaoua Festival 2026 With Carlinhos Brown, Richard Bona and Yasmine Hamdan

World Music Central News Room June 12, 2026 No Comments 47Soul African heritage African music African rhythms Afro-Brazilian music Afro-diasporic music Ahwach alternative Arabic music Amazigh culture Amazigh music Anthony Morgan Arabic music artistic residency Asmaa Lmnawar AZMZ Bahia music bass Bnat Louz Bob Maghrib Bob Marley Brazilian popular music Carlinhos Brown Casablanca choral music concert series contemporary fusion contemporary music cross-cultural dialogue cultural event cultural exchange cultural tourism dabke electronic music electronic pop Essaouira Essaouira events Essawira experimental music festival lineup fusion music Ganavya global artists Gnaoua and World Music Festival Gnaoua Festival 2026 Gnaoua music Gnawa music gospel heritage music hip-hop Hoba Hoba Spirit improvisation international artists Jazz Levantine music live music Maghrebi music Moroccan heritage Moroccan music Morocco Morocco festivals multicultural festival music collaboration music festival musical collaboration Oudaden percussion post-rock Raskas Reggae Richard Bona rock samba-reggae Shamstep Souss region South Asian devotional music spiritual jazz spiritual music Tachelhit music Tafraout The Harlem Spirit of Gospel traditional music urban music vocal music world culture world fusion world music world music scene Yasmine Hamdan

From June 25 to 27, 2026, the 27th edition of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival will bring 460 artists from Morocco and abroad to…

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The banner for the 26th Essaouira Gnaoua & World Music Festival (June 19–21, 2025) features modernist artwork of a stylized Gnawa musician against a warm desert-sunset backdrop. The design integrates traditional Moroccan motifs—like arches and geometric patterns—with vivid blocks of color. A small boat on the ocean and a seagull perched beside the musician. Text elements clearly highlight the event's name, location, and dates in a mix of blue and red.

Events

From Trance to Transcendence: Gnaoua Festival Goes Global Again

World Music Central News Room May 22, 2025 No Comments Asmaa Hamzaoui Bnat Timbouktou Cimafunk Dhafer Youssef Essaouira Essaouira Gnaoua and World Music Festival Essawira Gnawa music Maâlem Khalid Sansi Maâlem Morad ElMarjan Moroccan music Morocco Rokia Koné world fusion world music

The 26th Gnaoua and World Music Festival returns to Essaouira, Morocco, from June 19 to 21, 2025. Since its founding in 1998, the festival has…

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