Welcome to the Beat of LaaouamFlow!

Currently, there is no available information about Baba Jalil Band’s participation in Mela Festival 2025.

In the previous edition, on August 17, 2024, the band performed at the Main Stage in the Town Hall Square at 16:45.

Baba Jalil Band blends various musical traditions, from Gnawa music and Saharan blues to Issawa and Dakka Marrakchiya, creating a rhythmic and captivating sound.

The band consists of musicians with backgrounds in Moroccan folk music, reggae, indie, jazz, and pop.

For updated information on Mela Festival 2025 and Baba Jalil Band’s potential participation, I recommend checking the festival’s official website or social media channels closer to the event date.

The Baba Jalil Band consists of the following musicians:

• Khalid Laaouam: Born in Morocco, he started his musical career in Sufi folk music during childhood. Later, he learned to play the Ghaita flute, various percussion instruments, and the saxophone.
• Raciel Torres: A drummer and rhythm genius from Cuba.
• Erlend A. Tredal: A bassist known for his involvement in various pop and indie projects.
• Olav Torget: A highly versatile guitarist.
• Othman Hmimar: A distinguished Gnawa musician with experience in the band Hoba Hoba Spirit.

This lineup blends various musical traditions, from Gnawa music and Saharan blues to Issawa and Dakka Marrakchiya, creating a rhythmic and captivating sound. (mela.no)

To experience their music live, check out:
BABA JALIL BAND at Oslo Mela Festival

My personal dance is inspired by the traditions of Gnawa and Issawa, two deeply rooted cultural expressions in Moroccan heritage. Gnawa dance is known for its hypnotic rhythms and flowing movements that create a contemplative and spiritual experience, while Issawa incorporates ritualistic gestures and symbolic movements from Sufi healing practices. By blending these two styles, my dance becomes a personal expression that celebrates ancient traditions, evoking trance-like states and transforming the body's energy into a language of freedom and spirituality, linking the past and the future to release negative energy."

Zawya Band is an Oslo-based ensemble that blends the spiritual rhythms of Moroccan Gnawa and Aissawa music with Nordic jazz and other influences. Their performances, often featured at cultural events like Oslo Culture Night, are known for their energetic and soulful fusion. Inger Hannisdal, a renowned Norwegian violinist and composer, contributes her unique style—merging traditional Norwegian folk with Arabic maqam and modern improvisation—to create a distinctive sound that resonates with diverse audiences.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnlDjtpztn8

This is the instrument where I learned to move my fingers when I was 14 years old.