Mehdi Nassouli

From southern Morocco, Mehdi Nassouli positions himself within the Gnawa tradition as a singer, guembri player and composer, while opening it to more contemporary forms. His trajectory unfolds between the spiritual and rhythmic Gnawa heritage, Amazigh culture and exchanges with jazz, blues and various African musics. Mehdi Nassouli first appeared on Moroccan stages associated with traditional music before performing at international festivals and in projects where his work took on a more transversal dimension. Solo as well as with ensembles, he constructs music grounded in the deep bass of the guembri, percussion polyrhythms, call-and-response singing and arrangements that leave clear space for improvisation. His aesthetic remains rooted in Maghreb repertoires while incorporating concert formats frequented by the world, jazz and folk scenes. This path places Mehdi Nassouli at the junction of several musical spaces, without breaking with the Gnawa matrix that structures his entire musical language.