ALRIGHT MELA- Med Electro concert
18 June 2026 | 7 PM | Tagore Theatre, Sector 18
After 10 years developing the Markus & Shahzad project with Pakistani qawwali singer Shahzad Santoo Khan, in 2021 Markus and Cheb Xavi create an oriental electro dub trio inspired by 70s tape music.
Musicians often cross paths on tour, but rarely exchange more than a few words. Between Jaouad El Garouge, a gnawa singer and guembri player originally from Morocco, and the Angevin trio Alright Mela, the meeting came about quite simply, and even more naturally, the desire to share the stage.
Alright Mela is an expression that means “All’s well” in Malta (spelled “orrajt mela”), a country with a mixed Arab-European culture, an expression that sums up their music and, like a mantra, expresses the hope of a better world.
With powerful lyrics on contemporary themes (migration, war, discrimination, poverty in megacities, etc.), their music invites reflection and trance. Anchored by bewitching electronic beats and hallucinatory oldies synths, the oud and guembri sound the revolt so that Alright Mela’s songs give you an irresistible urge to dance with your fist raised.
A militant commitment to groove for all! !
The trio has escaped to the Mediterranean and drawn on its inspirations to explore new sonic lands between Europe, Maghreb and the Middle East, inviting you to tread the dance floor in the midst of a “Global Guinche”-oriented compass rose.
After a year of collaboration, creations and concerts, the trio announces the release of a first EP for May 2024.
About the Artists
JAOUAD EL GAROUGE
Born into a family of Moroccan Gnawa musicians, he learned to sing, dance and play several instruments at an early age, including the guembri (3-string Gnawa bass), lotar (Berber guitar), karkabou and tabal (Gnawa drums), derbouka, bongo and more.
His career as a professional musician began in 1997 at the Festival International of Gnawa Music in Essaouira. Arriving in France in 1999, he met Senegalese musician Nuru Kane, with whom he made four albums (the album
Sigil was nominated for a BBC Award – New coming ).
At the same time, he founded the band Kalifa, a blend of gnawa and brassy jazz with which he performed on several stages (Jazz à Vienne in 2008). Continuing this quest for fusion between gnawa and jazz, he formed the band Global
Gnawa in 2009, with whom he released the album Zemadi in 2010 and toured internationally.
MARKUS
Markus first came to the stage through the theater. His apprenticeship with members of Peter Brook’s Company, with Niels Arestrup, his participation in a show hosted by Ariane Mnouchkine’s Théâtre du Soleil and his participation in the shooting of a feature film by Yannick Bellon confirmed his desire for a demanding artistic career.
But in the end, it was through music that he developed his artistic desires.
First prize in classical guitar at the CRR de Versailles, he developed the song duo Les DElfes (two albums for Harmonia Mundi and France Inter artist), for which he is guitarist and principal composer. He arranges and composes music for live shows.
After ten years of learning the oud, he plays his music for film concerts, documentaries and reading concerts, he creates the Markus & Shahzad project and developing his collaboration with Shahzad Santoo Khan.
CHEB XAVI
Starting out as a saxophonist and clarinettist with various bands (Mad Nomads, Rude Boy System), Cheb Xavi made the switch to electronic
music with the band Bullitt (electro dub rock) and discovered keyboards, samplers and synthesizers. He has played keyboards with Angevine bands
Cherry Plum and 2024, and with singer Jean- Louis Bergère. He met Markus, with whom he collaborated on the composition of Markus & Shahzad, and recorded two albums.
In addition to Alright Mela, Xavi plays with the band Azadi and the tropical combo Ligerian Social Club (with Marco Lacaille and The Loire Valley Calypso).
He also accompanies singer Marsu (Les Franglaises) in her solo project.
Xavi has also created soundtracks for plays, comedy shows and books for young audiences (La Mélodie des Tuyaux, Benjamin Lacombe – Editions du Seuil).