Michael
Dean Odin Pollock
Reflects of Joujouka 2009
Reel
back...eary April of this year i am invited to do a guest appearance
onstage with Honeyboy
Edwards , visit his home and hang out in Chicago´s
blues mecca two days and nights.
Reel forward...early June sitting in Boujeloud/Pans cave overlooking
the beautyfull lush fertile grounds of Joujouka in the hills of
Morocco i feel like i have died and gone to paradise feeling humbled
and blessed with a powerful sense of inner peace and strength.
I first encountered the healing music of The Master Musicians
of Joujouka via recordings Brian Jones founding member
of The Rolling Stones had made during a visit to the village
in 1968...immediately enchanted by the otherworldy exotic sounds
pouring out of the speakers i am compelled to search further encountering
several collaborations between Ornette Coleman and the
Master Musicians released on vinyl 1973.
I had
also hearing soundbytes of The Master Musicians incorperated into
taped audio cutup experiments by Brion Gysin and William
S. Burroughs quickly realizing that the only way i was going
to experience this music full throttle was to some day visit Joujouka
and experience it live so when i received a call from Frank
Rynne early last year telling me the musicians would be celebrating
the 40th anniversary of Brians visit to the village i immediately
recognized NOW is the time!
I have traveled to many places in my life´s journey but
little did i imagine how stunning and powerful Morocco is...rife
with magic unfolding right under under yr nose at all times. Something
changed inside of me forever for the better. It's hard to find
words to describe the power of the music. I have listened to a
lot of traditional and contemporary Morrocan music but no way
was i remotely prepared for the music i was about to hear in Joujouka...these
cats are genuine bad ass´ playing with an intensity way
beyond the norm breaking all barriers as Jimi Hendrix and
John Coltrane for example did in their own time in the
western world and beyond.
My son, Marlon Pollock
and i arrived in Tangiers early June of this year staying at Hotel
El Muniria , Tangier's Beat Hotel where Burroughs lived for
months creating his ground breaking novel "
Naked Lunch " When we arrived in Joujouka
we were delighted to find ourselves welcomed into the home of
master musician Muhamed El Attar and his family who showered
us with love and hospitality for three days and nights.
It was a different scene from my visit the previous year. Having
Marlon with me i came into full contact with the youth of Joujouka
who were almost invisible last year the town square filled with
flood lights , filming and recording gear that most of the villagers
tend to shy away from.
Though it was necessary to document last years event for release
on dvd & cd ( soon coming ) this time around all filming and
recording was banned which made for less distractions and the
peoples of Joujouka joyfully filled the town square on a full
moon saturday night to dance and celebrate. Not only did i experience
some of the greatest music i have ever heard but i also experienced
some brilliant dancing as well an integral part of the ancient
timeless festivities as Aisha cast her spell and Boujeloud
/ Pan whipped the dancers into a frenzy urging the musicians
to further heights of ecstacy i felt in that moment i was at the
greatest universal jazz concert in the universe as the band pulled
out riff after riff riding a tidal wave of variating beats for
hours...
i
have never witnessed such power , passion and stamina in any group of musicians
before...i surrendered to the music as the flames from the bonfire leapt into
the sky...as dawn was approaching Marlon and i walked or rather floated back to
our sleeping quarters bathed in a luminous light as a star raced across the sky
disappearing behind the hills on the horizon i made a silent vow to return to
Joujouka at every opportunity up to my last breath...
inshallah
Michael Dean Odin Pollock - 2009
Also
Of Note . . .
To
Learn More about this wonderous celebration of Music, Spirit and the Master
Musicians of Joujouka Click
Here and visit www.joujouka.net
.
Be sure
to visit the Master Musicians of Joujouka MySpace
Page for more Info, Photos, Videos and Mp3's!
Also
Learn More about 2009's celebration and future plans for 2010 and visit the
Master
Musicians of Joujouka Festival 2010 BlogSpot.
The
October 08' issue of Mojo Magazine carried Mark Paytress' feature
article on the Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival in Joujouka,
"You Should be Trancin" Click
Here To Read!
Frank
Rynne was interviewed by The Irish Times, Click
Here to Read, A
Rolling Stone's Moroccan Odyssey .
To
Learn More about Michael Dean Odin Pollock, Click
Here!
