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If you’ve been wondering what’s become of Khaled—the king of Algerian rai music—since he last toured the U.S. four years ago, here’s the scoop:he’s been spending time at home with his family in Luxembourg, and working with his band on a new album called Liberté.The album was released in France in late March, and on May 15, Khaled played his first Paris concert in 11 years at the historic Olympia Theatre.Meanwhile, a single that Khaled recorded with Ivory Coast zouglou supergroup Magic System, “KM Même pas fatigués,” has been topping the charts in France.Among the throngs at the sold-out Paris concert were Khaled’s U.S. manager, Dawn Elder, and representatives from MGM Mirage, who will together present Khaled (along with Syria diva Assala, and the most talked about young singer of Iraq, Rida Abdulla) in an unprecedented extravaganza at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 21.That event, dubbed Sahra, will follow the U.S. release of Liberté on Wrasse Records.So Afropop listeners can expect a Khaled-intensive fall this year.Watch this space for more on all of that.To kick things off, here’s a brief account of this reporter’s whirlwind trip to Paris to catch the latest Khaled buzz.
First thing to say, the man has lost none of his charm, charisma, energy and irrepressible spirit.He sauntered into the elegant bar at the George V Hotel on the afternoon of his concert, and immediately began scat singing to a jazz number the bar pianist was playing.The George V is one of Paris’s most posh hotels, and the pianist—used to tinkling for titans of industry, heads of state, and Saudi royals—seemed both stunned and amused at the specter of this animated Algerian man, with a small pony tail and his trademark “banana smile,” bringing in the atmosphere of a cosmopolitan bistro in 1960s Oran, the freewheeling, Algerian coastal town where Khaled grew up honed his craft.Khaled proceeded to host a press conference in his suite—discussing his new album, his feeling for Paris and the Olympia, how rai and rock ‘n roll share the “same story,” and his excitement about the coming doings in Las Vegas, which he hoped might include him engaging in a few rounds in the ring with his favorite boxer, Mike Tyson.(The MGM folks could not guarantee that.)
By the time the loquacious rai raconteur was through, it was nearly time for him to hit the stage at the Olympia, just 10 minutes away.The hall was packed almost entirely with Paris-based North Africans.Perhaps the French world music crowd were too slow getting to the box office, but they were not much in evidence.Khaled had spoken of his pride at returning to the Olympia, where Umm Kulthum once performed, and where Tabu Ley Rochereau broke Europe’s Congo music scene wide open in 1968.In fact, these and other historic Olympia moments in Afropop history actually occurred in a different theatre.When the original Olympia was scheduled to be torn down in 1993, preservationists stepped in, and a more-or-less exact replica of the Olympia was built in almost the same location.
Of course, none of that history mattered much when Khaled took the stage with his accordion and launched into a passionate instrumental and vocal intro.His powerful baritone voice tore through the roaring of the crowd as he built up the energy.Then his 12-piece band pounced, kicking into a deep rai groove that had the theatre in instant ecstasy.As Khaled led his band through new songs and polished updates on classics like “Raikoum” and “Liberte,” people sang along, overjoyed to be seeing rai’s most legendary singer once again rocking a big, Paris crowd.
The first set featured songs from Liberté, which was produced by Khaled’s long-time friend and ally, Martin Meissonnier.Meissonnier has produced classic albums for a long list of African greats, including King Sunny Ade, Amina, Seun Kuti, and also Khaled’s own breakthrough release Kutche, with Safy Boutella in 1986.Meissonnier had clear goals with this album.He wanted especially to capture the live chemistry of Khaled’s longstanding band.Many of the songs were recorded in a single take, with few or no overdubs, even for Khaled’s vocal.This is rarely done anymore, but it results in a palpably organic, very African feel to the session.And Khaled’s singing has never sounded better.The spontaneity and nuance in these performances is overwhelming throughout.A number of tracks begin with sparse intros in which Khaled, with minimal, rhythmless backing, stretches out on song’s mode and themes, improvising gloriously and showing off his utterly majestic instrument.The concert proceeded in this way as well, providing satisfying variety and flow.
Liberté revisits songs from Khaled’s early history, including the title track, which alludes to the singer’s struggle to avoid obligatory service in the Algerian military when he was a young man in Oran.There are also notable new songs, including two that draw from Moroccan Gnawa music, a fresh and fruitful direction for Khaled, also an homage to the first martyr of the Algerian liberation war (“Zabana”), and a heart-breaking ballad dedicated to Khaled’s father, who died a few years ago, at a time when Khaled could not return to Algeria.We will have much more to say about this superb recording when it becomes available in the U.S..For true rai fans who just can’t wait, it is now available as an import from Amazon.
In the second set at the Olympia, Khaled featured guest drummer Karim Ziad on the Moroccan sinter as he delved into the Gnawa material. Ultimately, Khaled got around to the hits.On cue, the crowd basically sang his mega-hit “Aicha” for him.The band moved deftly through a medley of Khaled’s funkiest numbers, “Cheba,” “Abdel Kader,” “N’ssi N’ssi,” and “Didi.”The musicians sounded tight, punchy, and animated, though they were mixed a little loud for the room, making it hard at times to pick out the many acoustic instruments.Khaled’s players moved impressively between instruments.Longtime keyboardist Moustapha Didouh took up his accordion from time to time and strolled the stage, interacting with violinist Mohamed Berkane Krachai.Two of the three brass players could switch to violin and cello, creating the effect of an entire orchestra on stage.And guitarist Alain Perez used a variety of acoustic and electric axes.The richness of acoustic and traditional players in Khaled’s band is extraordinary, and while they were not always ideally presented amid the boom and cry of the Olympia, they added greatly to the overall effect (and they absolutely shine on Liberté).
After more than two-hours of gale force singing, Khaled burst into the backstage, where a throng of friends and fans awaited him, and immediately engaged the youngest person in the room, a girl of about three.It was classic Khaled, always ready with the unexpected, always full of heart, as humble and charming a king as one could hope to find anywhere.Early the next morning, Khaled and his band flew off to Rabat to perform at the massive Mawazine Festival, where they were guests of a real king, Morocco’s Mohamed VI.No word yet on how Khaled’s new Gnawa persona went down on the music’s home turf, but my bet is he slayed with it.
Coming soon:more on our interviews with Khaled and Martin Meissonnier, the album Liberté, and also Sahra, the November 21 Middle East/North Africa spectacular at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.For now, a few images to savor from Khaled’s triumphant return to the Paris stage.
