Remembering Brian Jones – Born On This Day 28 February 1942

 Brian Jones and the Master Musicians Of Joujouka featured in Shindig! magazine January 2019
Brian Jones and the Master Musicians Of Joujouka featured in Shindig! magazine January 2019

Today (28th February) marks what would have been Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones 77th birthday.

Jones, born in Cheltenham, England and who formed the Rolling Stones in 1962, visited the Joujouka on 2nd August 1968 during a visit to Morocco.

In Joujouka, Jones made recordings that he mixed on his return to London for the album Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka, released after his death in 1971 on Rolling Stones Records.

In his liner notes for the LP Jones said: “I don’t know if I have the stamina to endure the incredible constant strain of the festival.

“What exists here is a specially chosen representation of the type of music which is played and chanted during the festival.”

Mohamed Hamri, the artist from Joujouka and Painter of Morocco, accompanied Jones to the village, with artist Brion Gysin, Jones’ girlfriend Suki Potier and Olympic Studios recording engineer George Chkiantz.

Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka – The Master Musicians Of Joujouka

 

A Requiem For Brian Jones

The Master Musicians Of Joujouka host a festival in their village this summer in memory of Brian Jones on the 50th anniversary of Brian Jones’ death on 3rd July 1969.

A Requiem For Brian Jones will be held in Joujouka, Morocco from Friday, 5th July to Sunday, 7th July 2019.

The previously announced 12th annual Master Musicians Of Joujouka festival to be held on 21-23 June 2019 is sold out.

The second edition of the Master Musicians Of Joujouka Festival in July is limited to 50 full ticket holders.

Guests will be collected at Ksar El Kebir train station on Friday, 5th July and dropped off after the festival on Monday, 8th July before 12 noon.

Places include accommodation and full board.

For more information about the festival and to book tickets visit here

The Master Musicians Of Joujouka headline the Beat Hotel Marrakech festival on 28th March 2019. For more information click here and to book tickets visit The Beat Hotel website

Master Musicians Of Joujouka On Arte TV Documentary

The Master Musicians Of Joujouka are featured in a documentary film for European culture channel Arte, Un thé dans le Sahara de Paul Bowles: Invitation au Voyage (A tea in the Sahara of Paul Bowles: Invitation to Travel).

Originally broadcast on 15th February 2019, the 14-minute film directed and written by Yvan Pierre-Kaiser follows the footsteps of American writer and musician Paul Bowles from his arrival in Morocco in 1949 and explores the influence his travels and the music of the Master Musicians Of Joujouka had on his writing.

The Master Musicians Of Joujouka are filmed performing live in the Rif Mountains at Joujouka and group leader Ahmed El Attar is interviewed for the French film.

Watch the film on the Arte website here

Booking is open now for the Master Musicians Of Joujouka Festival A Requiem For Brian Jones from 5-7 July. For more details visit here

RIP Mustapha El Attar

Mustapha El Attar of the Master Musicians Of Joujouka – photo credit Syd Howells
Mustapha El Attar of the Master Musicians Of Joujouka – photo credit Syd Howells

It is with great sadness that we confirm the death of Mustapha El Attar, 43, drummer with the Master Musicians Of Joujouka.

Master Musicians Of Joujouka Manager Frank Rynne said: “It is with great sadness that we announce that the body of Mustapha El Attar drummer with Master Musicians of Joujouka was found today (25th December). Mustapha had been missing for three months. All my thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a master drummer and father of three young children. Beloved of his wife and family he will be missed by all in the community.”

Top