A living legend of Moroccan music performs in London for a one-off, sold-out evening

The concert was opened by the warm-up act 3yin (pronounced ‘eye-in’), a sextet of London-based musicians playing Iraqi, Egyptian and other Arabic or Judeo-Arabic music on Western and Arab instruments. Did I say warm-up? More like ‘heat-up’, as this enthusiastic group of musicians showed off the contribution that a cello, accordion and electric guitars can make to an ensemble that also features an oud (a lute-like stringed instrument that’s plucked), darbouka (hand-played drum, similar to bongos) and qanun (zither-/dulcimer-esque, also plucked).

The enthusiastic audience then waited patiently for the main attraction, Haim Botbol and his accompanying ensemble. An indication of Botbol’s significance was the introduction by His Excellency Mr Abdesselam Aboudrar, Morocco’s ambassador in London. Singing and playing professionally since the late 1950s, Botbol certainly has a keen following in London. As he ran through his repertoire of Moroccan folk, classic and pop songs, many his own composition, the audience of largely ex-pats joined in lustily.

His last concert in London was 10 years ago, so this evening stimulated a release of pent-up emotional support for a Sinatra-type icon of North African music. At first he seemed somewhat bemused by this, but then embraced it, encouraging the audience to sing along, making for a warm, friendly evening that most in the audience did not want to end.

By Ian Lancaster

Haim Botbol performed at the inaugural Yallah: Judeo-Arabic Music Conference hosted by JMI in London, Sunday 9 February. Find out more about Botbol and watch a video of him leading a music workshop in our report on Yallah: Day One.