Fez — Moroccan Gnaoua master Aziz Bakbou has died after a long illness, marking the loss of another prominent figure from one of Morocco’s best-known Gnaoua families.
News of Bakbou’s death was shared on August 31 by Neila Tazi, director and producer of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival, who paid tribute to the musician and his longstanding contribution to the tradition.
Bakbou belonged to a family deeply rooted in Morocco’s Gnaoua culture. He was the brother of Maâlem Ahmed Bakbou and the late Maâlem Mustapha Bakbou, whose careers helped make the family name closely associated with the genre.
Throughout his career, Aziz Bakbou performed at festivals and cultural gatherings across Morocco, including in Marrakech, Essaouira, and Rabat. His work introduced Gnaoua music to increasingly diverse audiences while maintaining its traditional musical foundations.
A life devoted to Gnaoua
Bakbou was a regular presence within Morocco’s Gnaoua festival scene and performed at several editions of Essaouira’s “Gnaoua and World Music Festival.”
His performances formed part of the wider movement that brought Gnaoua beyond its traditional settings and onto major stages, where maâlems have increasingly collaborated with musicians from jazz, blues, African music, and other international traditions.
That international visibility has grown considerably over recent decades. UNESCO recognized Gnawa in 2019 by inscribing it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
UNESCO describes the tradition as combining musical performances, community practices, and rituals where sacred and secular elements intersect. The organization also identifies it as an important part of Morocco’s cultural identity.
Bakbou’s death represents a significant loss for Morocco’s Gnaoua community, particularly as a generation of established maâlems gives way to younger performers.
His legacy remains tied to a tradition built around transmission, with knowledge, rhythms, and repertoire passed from one generation to another. Through decades of performances, Bakbou helped ensure that Gnaoua continued to reach new audiences without losing the cultural roots that have sustained it for centuries.
