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Acclaimed
British trumpeter Guy Barker and producer Nick
Luscombe visited Casablanca and Rick's Café May
27-30 to record a program for BBC World Service,
"Guy Barker's World of Music." Casablanca was
the last stop on a hemisphere-busting itinerary
that covered Cuba, Jamaica, Capetown, South Africa
and Casablanca. Guy played with a traditional
wedding/party band, a young fusion group, a 16-year-old
Moroccan saxophonist, all the usual jammers at
a Sunday night jam session, several takes, and
re-takes of "As Time Goes By" with Issam and the
highlight: a visit to the house of a Gnawa master
and recording some riffs with him.
Guy and Nick sat down with us for an interview
between recording sessions.
Q: Guy Barker, what did you imagine Casablanca
to be like and how did it meet your expectations?
Guy Barker: This
was my first trip to Casablanca and I really didn't
know what to expect. I'd been to Marrakech before
but it was oriented around tourism - I knew Casablanca
would be different but I didn't know how. Honestly,
we'd had a very long and tiring trip, and when
I first arrived nothing really made sense. I suppose
I was expecting something between what's here
and Marrakech, but I was surprised it was so built
up.
Q: So you were surprised somehow, but you liked
it.
Guy: Well even
though we arrived tired, it was really important
for us to go to Rick's. I have to tell you, when
we arrived outside and I saw the door and the
entrance, I suppose it was also because I was
so tired, but I felt very emotional, very nostalgic.I
had a lump in my throat, it was overwhelming.
I know I was too tired. Then we walked through
the door into this incredible oasis. You made
us feel so welcome. I was dazed and had a feeling
I wanted to stay for days and not leave!
Q: How did you have the idea to come to Casablanca?
Guy: I did two
series for BBC called "Guy Barker's World Café"
where I'd position myself at different clubs in
London with my own band of 7 musicians and international
musicians in the country would come and jam with
us. So the production company I'd worked with
proposed a third series where I would go around
the world with my trumpet and jam with musicians
and it would be called "Guy Barker's World of
Music." Cuba was a natural choice, and I'd studied
it and played in London with some musicians, so
that was simple. Then it was logical to add Jamaica,
being only 50 miles away, with reggae and the
Jamaican influence so popular in the U.K. And
with Jazz, we had to go to Africa. Capetown has
a wealth of music and musicians. So we needed
one more place and the producers suggested Lagos
- there was lots of interesting music there. I
said ok, but then was told I'd have to be accompanied
the entire time by a bodyguard. When BBC said
I'd have to take a "Hostile Environment" course.I
said, how about Morocco! Someone said Casablanca,
knowing how much I liked old films - so this was
real appealing to kill two birds with one stone.
Q: Nick, didn't someone ask you to do a search
for the jazz scene in Casablanca?
Nick Luscombe: Yeah,
we had music set up everywhere else. I remembered
thinking it might be hard to come up with something.
I googled Casablanca and Jazz and after passing
by several French articles I found your website.
It was fantastic. I called down to the pub and
said I'd found Rick's.
Guy: Yes, this
was great. We'd joked that I'd finish the series
by playing "As Time Goes By" in Rick's Café, with
the prevailing understanding that Rick's didn't
exist. Then when Nick came on the phone and said
he'd found Rick's, that it had recently opened
and they had jam sessions.well that was just amazing.
Q: And Nick, what were your first impressions
of Casablanca?
Nick: I remember
that taxi ride from the airport. At first it seemed
relatively normal, and then got more and more
chaotic as we got closer to the city. But even
though this has been a short trip, I feel just
after these few days more involved in the rhythm
of the city. And when you took us to see the Master
today, just that area, the neighborhood around
the mosque I could see how real, warm and soulful
this place was.that's my impression of Casablanca.
Guy: I remember
when we got out of the cab in the Master's neighborhood
I thought, "this is it - this is the real Casablanca
- and it was a totally different feeling than
in the other places we'd been.
Q: And Guy, what do you think of the project?
Guy: Well it's
been great. Our job was to experience all the
places in a compressed amount of time. Some of
the work was more straightforward. For instance
I had to record Cuban music one time, so I'd studied
it. So it was easy for me to play, still a thrill
to be there. In Jamaica I'd played with the jazz
guitarist, and we all know reggae, so I knew it.
And Capetown there were just these wonderful guys
- a wide array as we already knew. But Casablanca
turned out to be the perfect place to end. It
started out as a mystery, because we had no contacts,
and then we discovered Rick's and were intrigued
by it, and the mystery got more pronounced as
we got closer. I have to say, again, the visit
to the Master and that area by the mosque I really
had a lump in my throat.I felt like I was in another
world. And playing with him, it was like nothing
else. A musician gets accustomed to playing certain
scales, and you can usually sense with the flow,
but as we were playing together I hit one note,
and thought - "that's not right" - and he looked
at me, smiled and we went on. For me that was
the most formidable moment.the Master and his
wonderful attitude and presence. I asked him about
2 well known Gnawa musicians. His response was
so right - he said "these people are younger than
me, so therefore I cannot credit them. I can only
credit those who have passed before me and passed
along their knowledge." And without Rick's Café this would never have happened. Who directed the
film Casablanca? Michael Curtiz, well here's to
you for getting all this started.
Q: Nick, would you like to come back and spend
more time in Casablanca?
Nick: Well first
I also think all our experiences here have been
great, but it couldn't have happened without Rick's
and all you've done to help us. I'd love to come
back, maybe even to film. I kept thinking when
we were recording, the visuals. That wedding band
for one thing - there was such warmth. I hope
it will come across on radio, I know it will -
but with a TV crew, that would definitely add
another dimension.
Guy: I'm excited
about the radio format - I think that that preserves
some of the mystery, and the sounds of the city,
the people and the music. I have so many friends
I'd like to come back with.
KK: It's been
great to have you come to Casablanca and for Rick's
to be the base for the program. You've really
helped legitimize what we're trying to do with
jazz and the diversity and talents here in Casablanca.
You've confirmed we're onto something here and
inspired us to take our ideas to the next level.
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