Ayrad
world groove
Ayrad fuses the talents of musicians hailing from different backgrounds: singer, guitarist and composer of Moroccan origin Hamza Abouabdelmajid, Annick Beauvais (oboe, vocals), Anit Ghosh (violin), Sylvain Plante (drums, percussion) and Gabriel Brochu-Lajoie (bass, keyboard), Marton Maderspach (percussions). Ayrad is a band that never hesitates to transgress musical boundaries. Their brand new album III is as contemporary and accessible than its predecessor. This rock and pop album explores and integrates different genres such as Electro, Gypsy Funk, Desert Rock, Rai, Reggada, Chaabi and even latin grooves.
A cross-cultural music, combining Andalusian and Berber rhythms, reggae and Moroccan Chaabi grooves, and strains pop and rock. A unique blend that draws in adventurous listeners and excites passionate fans of World Music. Galvanized by the exceptional voice of Hamza, this group of experienced musicians is able to take their songs to the limit, infusing them with a contagious, quasi-magical energy that leaves no audience untouched. Their synergistic power in concert and on disc is absolutely extraordinary. Their homonymous album (2014) and Zoubida (2018) have garnered many awards (ADISQ, OPUS, Canadian Folk Music Awards) and mentions (JUNOS) and have allowed the group to perform concerts across Canada and abroad (Scotland, Qatar, Morocco, Tunisia, USA).
Singer, guitarist, composer and band leader, Hamza Abouabdelmajid grew up in the medina of Fez, Morocco, before settling in Montreal in 2005. For its part, Annick Beauvais (oboe, vocals) is active on the music scene Montreal for several years on various projects. The musical bond between the two is felt at their first meeting. It emerges in songs carried by the exceptional voice of Hamza (which translates AYRAD Berber language) with unique arrangements for guitar and oboe. After launching the project, Hamza (which means lion in Arabic) decide to give it its own name, but in his translation in Berber language: AYRAD ( (pronounced “hi-e-rad”) .
Soon, new members will be added to the project to tread the scenes and record first demos. The multi-instrumentalists Anit Ghosh (violin, back vocals), Kattam Laraki-Côté (percussion, back vocals), Sylvain Plante (drums) and Gabriel Brochu-Lajoie (bass, keyboards, back vocals) come into the picture, each bringing a color different. And that is where lies the uniqueness of now Ayrad.
A cross-cultural music, combining Andalusian and Berber rhythms, reggae and Moroccan Chaabi grooves, and strains pop and rock. A unique blend that draws in adventurous listeners and excites passionate fans of World Music.
Galvanized by the exceptional voice of Hamza, this group of experienced musicians is able to take their songs to the limit, infusing them with a contagious, quasi-magical energy that leaves no audience untouched. Their synergistic power in concert and on disc is absolutely extraordinary.
«[…]la joyeuse bande de Hamza Abouabdelmajid déconstruit encore plus les codes de la musique marocaine, se les approprie, en fait une lente décoction pour leur injecter un «punch» qui «kick» dans les détours.» -Sophie Chartier, Le Devoir
«Par-dessus tout, Ayrad nous offre une musique qui donne envie de célébrer la diversité. En fait, de célébrer tout court, parce qu’il y a toujours une bonne occasion de faire la fête!» – François Lemay, ICI Musique
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- III (2022)
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- Zoubida (2018)
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- Ayrad (2015)
2020 – Canadian Folk Music Awards – Best World Music Group of the year
2020 – OPUS Award: ”Concert of the Year – World Music”
2019 – ADISQ nomination : “World music album of the year”
2019 – JUNO nomination: “World music album of the year”
2018 – Nomination ”Concert of the Year – World Music”, prix Opus, Conseil québécois de la musique
2016 – Calgary Folk Festival – Top Audience Discovery Artist
2015 – Galaxie Rising Star winners at Sunfest
2015 – ADISQ Winner: “Music arranger of the year”
2015 – ADISQ nomination: “World music album of the year”
2015 – Folk Music Awards: “World group of the year”
2015 – JUNO nomination: “World music album of the year”
2015 – GAMIQ nomination: “Roots album”
2015 – Indie Acoustic Project nomination: “Best World Music CD”
2015 – Indigenous Music Awards nomination: “Best International Indigenous release”
2012-2013 – Winner of the Prix de la Diversité
2012 – Finalist Mon accès à la scène
Rouyn-Norand, Festival des Guitares du Monde – Festival International de Jazz de Montréal -Franco Fête de Toronto – Les Francos de Montréal, Mundial Montreal, Week-ends du monde – Montréal, Spectacle du 150e anniversaire du Canada – Fêtons la diversité – Montréal, Musée national du Bardo – Tunis, Tunisie, Théâtre Mohammed V – Rabat, Maroc, Edinburgh Mela Festival Édimbourg (UK), Festival du monde arabe – Montréal, Théâtre national Qatar Doha (Qatar), Festival d’été de Québec, Fête de la musique de Tremblant (QC), Harrison Festival of the Arts – Harrison Hot Springs (BC), Hamilton World Music Festival – Hamilton (ON), Rythmes du monde – Chicoutimi (QC), Festival du Maghreb – Montréal, Festival de la chanson de Tadoussac, Kicking Horse Culture – Golden (BC), Mondial des cultures – Drummondville (QC), JUNO Fest – Hamilton (ON)
Belle et bum (TV) – Montréal, Fête du Canada – Toronto, SunFest – London (ON), Music in the Park – Creston (BC), Festival Musique du bout du monde – Gaspé (QC)
Hamza Abouabdelmajid (guitar, lead vocal)
Annick Beauvais (oboe, back vocals)
Marton Maderspach (percussions)
Anit Ghosh (violin, back vocals)
Gabriel Brochu-Lajoie (bass, double-bass, back vocals)
Sylvain Plante (drum)
Booking
Les Faux-Monnayeurs
Patrick Nadon
(514) 312-7142 poste 201
booking@coopfauxmonnayeurs.com
Communication & Promotion
Les Faux-Monnayeurs
Émilie Asselin
(514) 312-7142 poste 206
promotion@coopfauxmonnayeurs.com
Booking (France)
Écoute don’ ça / EDC Spectacles
Guillaume Vincenot
+33 6 69 29 25 65
edcspectacles@gmail.com
