Preview

This seven-piece band, led by Algerian-born oud player and composer, Yazid Fentazi, play a breathtakingly rootsy blend of Gnawa, Chabi and Dance, which draws on the rich musical traditions of North Africa. Built around Yazid's original compositions, and with the soaring vocals of another Algerian, Mourad Guemrod, the band includes sax, flute, violin, derbouka, bass and drums. Their joyful live performances also feature traditional North African dance from Najma. The band's irresistible grooves create a sizzling party atmosphere that soon has any audience on its feet and dancing.

Fantazia's festival appearances include Brackenell Festival, The Oris London Festival, Window on the World, Glastonbury, Brampton Live and Morcambe Worldbeat Festival. They have also made live appearances on Carlton TV's The Warehouse, BBC World Service, Charlie Gillett Show on GLR, BBC Radio 4's Loose Ends hosted by Ned Sherrin, and BBC Radio 3's World Music Day.

The band are currently at work on their new CD, which will surely gain them the recognition they deserve.

'Fentazi's compositions have breadth and atmosphere, and his oud soloing, which recalls the drive and dynamism of world oud star Anouar Brahem, is often stunning' - John Fordham, The Guardian

'An endlessly satisfying music melange.............they got the entire (Jazz Cafe) audience dancing, a rare achievement in got-to-be-seen-to-be-cool London.' - Charlie Gillett, BBC London Live

Review

Tricky blighter, Johnny oud. A persistent low-register hum emanating from the bowels of Yazid Fentazi's otherwise exemplary instrument (oo-er, Missus) proved impossible to cure, but this was the sole flaw in an evening that more than lived up to expectations. A seven-piece band was promised, but what we got was a nine-strong outfit, ten if you count their visually magnetic belly dancer. Mourad Guemrod's astonishing voice transports you straight to North Africa, while the band sets up a polyrhythmic groove that requires a little subconscious decoding - but once you've got it, it's impossible to resist; the proof of this was a dance-floor more heavily populated than we've seen in many a moon. (Another gratifyingly substantial crowd, we're happy to report.)

Drummer Sean Randle's been here before - he also plays with our friends Zubop - and, together with a fine bass player, he underpins a stunning oud/sax/flute/violin/keyboards/percussion line-up that brings an ever-inventive and jazzy slant to traditional Gnawi and Chabi material without ever threatening to corrupt or compromise it. Unexpected instruments abound - a raucous chanter one moment, a tuba the next, and much use is made of large finger-cymbals. There's always something of interest to watch with these guys, not least the sheer exuberance of their playing and their energetic involvement with their audience. And there's a narcotic continuity to their set list: 'Fatouma' rolled into 'Mul Sheshe', 'Ya Khalbi' morphed into 'Gnawi Nights', 'L'Habab' led us to 'River Path'. The night flew by: the stars twinkled, the sand was warm beneath our feet (Get a grip. - Ed.).

Fantazia were a big hit with almost all our crowd, as indeed they were at the Secondary School, where they held an extremely popular afternoon workshop. All in all, in the run-up to another ludicrous war, their visit to Tregaron was an object lesson in cross-national communication.