IDIRAD, a modern kabyle songwriting band

© Idir Aït Dahmane
Genre : Band
Principal country concerned : Column : Music
Contact details IDIRAD
Brussels
Tel. : +32479476615
Belgium
Contact by email

Idirad is the name of the band led by the singer-songwriter Idir Aït Dahmane. In an acoustic or semi-acoustic set, it offers the audience a cocktail of poetry and trance. The band, at times, turns into a power trio inviting the crowd to a dance party.

A native of Ain El Hamman (Ath Mengeullet in Kabylia, Algeria),  Idir Aït Dahamane is a  self-taught musician (acoustic and electric guitars, ethnic percussions).  He forged his own style by incorporating the creativity of the French slam, the explosiveness of  rock energy, the vibe of the blues, the hypnotic melody lines of Tuareg guitars and Morrocan gwawa trance into the Amazigh (Berber) folk of his native region. He writes in his native language, but also expands his repertoire by inegrating French lyrics.

While on a trip to Tamanrasset, a Southern Algerian city in the very heart of the Sahara desert, he met Oliver Crespel, a French guitarist with a passion for North African music.  They just clicked at an epic five-and-half hour jam session with traditional Tuareg musicians.  The dream of a project came true.  Back in Europe, they invited Mourad  Mouheb to join the band.  This Kabyle percussionist does not hesitate to mix various African polyrhythmics with the ones of his home land.
These encounters have created friendship and developed a great complicity ressulting in a musical trademark expressing the band's sensibilities.

Idirad, backed by additional musicians,  produced recently a first album entittled "Zik", revealing the treasure of various cultural contributions, experienced during their journeys on the European and North-African roads.
The album "Zik" is a musical journey that starts from the shores of the Mediterranean See to guide us deep into the Sahara desert.
The audience discovers, in the upcoming concerts, new compositions of the second album to be released in September 2016.
On stagen in an acoustic or semi-acoustic set, Idirad offers you a cocktail of poetry and trance and the band, at times, turns into a power trio inviting the crowd to a dance party.

On stage, in an acoustic or semi-acoustic set, idirad offers you a cocktail of poetry and the band at times, turns into a power trio inviting the crowd to in dance party.




Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

With the support of