Rachid Taha
Ilka Schlockermann is thrilled by Rachid Taha's superlative performance at the Barbican.
I admit I had come to the show mainly to see Vieux Farka Toure perform. Of course I was going to stay for Rachid Taha, I had never seen him perform before but for no reason in particular I hadn't paid too much attention to him and his music before. Of course, I loved his version of 'Ya Rayah' but I guess there's so much great music around and sometimes you just miss something.
Well, shame on me, for doing so. Rachid Taha is certainly one of a kind. He walks on stage, dressed cool and stylishly in suit, tie and hat - he certainly looks the part of a real entertainer, and he even changes his suit half way through the set (all red, no shirt). And what an amazing showman he is, confident with a rock'n'roll attitude but he also comes across as incredibly charming (he certainly was charming the ladies he invited on stage to dance with him during a few occasion during the set).
Born 1958 in Oran, Algeria, but having relocated to France at a very young age (Alsace initially, now resident in Paris), Rachid may have shared the stage with Khaled and Faudel at the famous 1, 2, 3 Soleils concert in Paris in 1998 but he is not a rai artist, and it's understandable why he hates the rai tag, it's far too easy and limiting. He is not your regular world music artist either - the influence of Rock and even Punk is too omnipresent (his electric guitar player and bass player both sported black leather trousers). There's something unmistakably French as well (for instance the performance of 'Écoute Moi Camarade'), plus of course the North African influence (the band featured Hakim Hamadouche on mandole and Rachid Belgacem on percussion). Rachid's band was tight and there was a real vibe between the musicians on stage. The band were later joined by special guest Mick Jones from The Clash who performed on 'Rock El Casbah' and then stayed on stage for the remainder of the show.
Needless to say that after the show Rachid Taha has been pretty much all that I have been listening to. A 15-track colection of some of his best tracks 'The Definitive Collection' (Wrasse Records/ WRASS 182) is has just recently been released - it features some the most significant tracks of his career too: 'Ya Rayah', 'Rock El Casbah' and 'Douce France' (his classic track with former band Carte de Séjour ). The compilation comes with a DVD with interesting footage from his recent return to Algeria. It's a limited edition, so best to get a copy very soon. The rest of Rachid's back catalogue is worth exploring too: 'Made in Medina/ Ole Ole' (WRASS 150), 'Diwan/ Live' (WRASS 151), Tékitoi (WRASS 148) and especially the brilliant 'Diwan 2' (WRASS 181), all available on Wrasse Records.
Let's see if anything can top this as my favourite show of 2007.