Karim Saada grew up listening to the Chaabi music wafting in Algiers where he was born. His father, a musician, was a master of the genre – an offshoot of the music of Arab-Andalusian culture based on string instruments blended with percussion, ney (a sort of reed flute) and qanûn (a type of oriental zither). They were also fired by the same passion – the term “Chaabi” simply means “folk” or “popular” in Algerian.
It was in this fertile soil that was inspired by the same fervour, turning to musical performance by patiently learning the art of the banjo, the mandol, and the guitar.
He also later added his own vocals to his music. Algiers romances, Mediterranean melancholies and colourful tales took shape in his warm voice, revealing the sea and the desert, the Maghreb and Andalusia.
He moved to, and made a name for himself on the Montreal music scene – impassioned by his roots and inspired by other cultures.
Since then, he has released recordings, won awards, and strummed his banjo on many stages, bringing audiences into the alleyways of Bab-el-Oued, into the heart of the Algiers night.
Artist links
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1lzePdoN02glxRDxKzoOz6?si=rXAmsnKzQQOHFKxifWWexg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karim.saada1
Video links
- Live at Rendez-Vous Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZSmx3sq36c
- La chanson ya rayah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC5Yd_pjq0k
- Vancouver Folk Fest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_xm1C3va6w