M'allem Hmidah (Ahmed Boussou)

Biography

Second of the two deans of the Casablanca Gnaoua (with M'allem Sam); inheritor of the Mersaoui style from the 1960s–70s onward. Born in Casablanca to a Black mother from the Souss; father from Ouléd Sbai (Sahara), a member of the Boussou kabyla originally from the Lake Chad region (brought to Mauritania by the Tuareg). Introduced to the Gnaoua brotherhood at age 5 by his maternal uncle. At age 7, on pilgrimage, the local Marabout came to him in a dream and gave him the guembri. First master: Ahmed Ould Hija. Subsequently introduced by the palace slave Khalthoum to the Marrakech masters Layachi Bagbou, Moulay Abdelaziz, Ben Omar Kaya and Majub Ould Fdila. Summoned to Casablanca by Sam in the early 1960s; their collaboration ran until 1968. Practises as a 'musicotherapist' between Casablanca, Marrakech and El Jadida; documented collaboration with American jazz pianist Randy Weston.

Lineage

• Father of Hassan Boussou
• Initiated by his maternal uncle (age 5)
• First master: Ahmed Ould Hija
• Studied with Marrakech masters Layachi Bagbou, Moulay Abdelaziz, Ben Omar Kaya, Majub Ould Fdila (introduced by Khalthoum, palace slave)
• Summoned to Casablanca by M'allem Sam (early 1960s)