Driss Filali

As the son of mâalem Selam, Driss Filali grows up in Morocco in a community where the gnawa-culture is omnipresent. From an early age, he learns to play music with his father and his nephew, mâalem Hamid. Together they perform at different lilas, traditional gnawa ceremonies, in Morocco and at festivals in France and Belgium.

As the son of mâalem Selam, Driss Filali grows up in Morocco in a community where the gnawa-culture is omnipresent. From an early age, he learns to play music with his father and his nephew, mâalem Hamid. Together they perform at different lilas, traditional gnawa ceremonies, in Morocco and at festivals in France and Belgium.

In 2005, Driss played with his cousin at the Essaouira festival, the most famous international gnawa festival. He then came to Belgium for a musical project, eventually settling there permanently. He soon met Luc Mishalle, who invited him to join the Gnawa jazz group Marockin' Brass in 2008. They played concerts in Belgium and abroad and wrote the group's fourth album, Beats & Pieces, together.

As a mâalem, Driss has mastered traditional Gnawa songs and instruments such as the guembri, krakebs, and t'bel to perfection. Together with Mohamed Saïd Akasri, he enjoys sharing his passion and expertise with a wider audience through projects such as Karkaba, where they introduce young people to Gnawa music and dance. Driss and Mohamed also form the Gnawa backbone of several other MetX productions, such as Remork & Karkaba and the recently formed Banda Quetzal.