The Katibala Music Project

02/06/2023

In honour of Black History Month and in honour of our Eggun (Ancestors) who graciously transmitted these incredibly profound musical and spiritual traditions, The Katibala Music Project shares the first track of debut album From Africa to Cuba and Back, entitled Introduction.

In this song, the Katibala Music Project welcomes listeners, taking the audience on a sonic trip from Africa to Cuba and back with the mystical sounds of the Moroccan Gnawa Guembri and Qraqeb, combined with the Shofar, an ancient Jewish ritual instrument and traditional Cuban and Afro-Cuban instruments such as the Cuban Tres and Bata drums.

Song: Introduction by Katibala Music Project ()
Artwork by Karim El Kamli
()

To learn more about the Katibala Music Project, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Bandcamp

All rights reserved © Bella Ríos & the Katibala Music Project 2020

02/04/2023

Gnawa Nights of Tetouan, Morocco.

Led by Ma’alem Zouhair Afailal and the Gnawa of Tetouan, this video showcases aspects of the traditional Gnawan ceremony referred to as Lila (‏ليلة) including the tuning of the Ganga drums, preparation for the Lila ceremony by the lighting of Jawi Bukhoor (incense), the ceremonial offering of milk, dates and salt proceeded by the Dakhla and clips of Ma’alem Ba Rais playing the Ganga and Ma’alem Zouhair Afailal leading the ceremony in song and dance in a call and response style accompanied by the Guembri.

To learn more about The Katibala Music Project, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Bandcamp

Video credit: Bella Ríos () and Karim El Kamli ()
Location: Tetouan, Morocco
November 1, 2021

All rights reserved © Bella Ríos & the Katibala Music Project 2020

02/03/2023

The Katibala Music Project is a musical collective and cultural heritage project founded by the Cuban-Canadian musician and multifaceted artist, Bella Ríos (). Dedicated to the promotion of Moroccan Gnawa music (Enlisted as Intangible Cultural Heritage to Humanity by UNESCO, Dec. 2019) alongside the immensely rich African musical and cultural traditions inherited in Cuba, the Katibala Music Project showcases cross cultural similarities such as the preservation and transmission of cultural identity through oral tradition and the healing of people through spiritual music.

To learn more about the Katibala Music Project, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Bandcamp

Artwork: Karim El Kamli ()

All rights reserved © Bella Ríos & the Katibala Music Project 2020

03/04/2022

The Katibala Music Project presents An Evening of Spiritual Songs at Institut français de Tétouan

February 25th, 2022
Tetouan, Morocco

Photo credit: Karim El Kamli, Moad El Aribi

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Hit Radio Medradio Chada FM RadioTetouan Medi1 Radio Radioaswat.com Radio 2M Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde Jazzablanca Festival - Morocco (Official) TANJAzz | Festival de Jazz de Tanger Maroc (Officiel) HIBA_Lab Visa For Music Festival Mawazine Fez Festival of World Sacred Music - Festival de Fès des Musiques Sacrées L'Boulevard لبولفار Boultek, Centre de musiques actuelles Live Room Moga Festival Festival Timitar Festival Internacional de Merzouga Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal Karane Presstetouan Chouftv Embajada de la República de Cuba ante el Reino de Marruecos Embassy of Canada to Morocco and Mauritania Consulat général de France à Tanger

02/09/2022

The Katibala Music Project presents: A Night of Spiritual Songs at the Institut Français of Tetouan, Morocco.

Founder, singer and musician Bella Ríos will be representing The Katibala Music Project at the Institut Français of Tetouan, Morocco, in collaboration with local musicians on February 25th, 2022.

FR: Katibala Music Project présente: Une nuit de chants spirituels à l'Institut Français de Tétouan.

La fondatrice, chanteuse et musicienne Bella Ríos représentera Katibala Music Project à l'Institut Français de Tétouan au Maroc, en collaboration avec des musiciens locaux le 25 février 2022.

Bella Rios: Voix, Qraqeb M’aalem Zouhair Afailal : Voix, Guembri, Tabel Koyo El Arabi : Qraqeb Ahmed El Fakir: Guitare Mustapha Loulanti: Ney, Percussions Khalid Makhloufi: Piano Outman Youness: Percussions

07/22/2021

The Katibala Music Project would like to wish all our Muslim brothers and sisters a happy and blessed Eid! Many blessings, health and peace to all!

Eid l’Adha Mubarak!

The Katibala Music Project
Photo credit: Karim El Kamli
Model: Maalem Zouhair Afailal

02/14/2021

Samawi, the fourth song from our album From Africa to Cuba, and Back! has been featured as part of Rachel Notley's Art From The Unknown 2021 event!

Samawi is officially available on all streaming platforms.

Artwork by Karim El Kamli

01/24/2021

Samawi, the fourth song from our debuting album From Africa to Cuba, And Back is officially available on Spotify and all other streaming platforms!

The Katibala Music Project · Single · 2021 · 1 songs.

01/21/2021

Bella Ríos, founder of the Katibala Music Project, has been nominated as one of the three musicians that will be featured in Rachel Notley’s Art From The Unknown 2021 Event and has been invited to speak about her music and artwork including the Katibala Music Project in a live showcase which will be broadcasted on January 25th, 2021 via Facebook live.

01/14/2021

Samawi

Samawi, the fourth song from The Katibala Music Project's debuting album From Africa to Cuba and Back. Samawi, meaning heavenly or of the skies, is represented by the color celestial blue and forms part of the Mhala d'Mluq (“Mhala of the colors”), one of the spiritual repertoires played during the traditional Gnawa ceremony known as a Lila. This song depicts a bird flying in the skies, symbolizing the heavens and freedom. The ex*****on of this song varies from one region to another and from one Maalem to the next. The Katibala Music Project comes together, incorporating Rumba Flamenca and Cuban Son into this traditional Gnawa song, as a sonoric representation of the Andalucian and Spanish influence on the music of both cultures.

Samawi by The Katibala Music Project

Artwork by Karim El Kamli

AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS ON JANUARY 24, 2021

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