Berber Diffusion

Berber Diffusion are London’s first traditional Amazigh band, leading the scene with our unique blend of Amazigh pentatonic scales with Gnawa traditional music. The Amazigh people (aka Berbers) are pre-Arab North African nomadic clans, whose history runs deep under the Saharan sand, defying many attempts at oppression and eradication. Our musical traditions have continued into the present day through small groups of travelling musicians who still play at weddings and other ceremonies and celebrations, sharing the stories and poems of our ancestors. Founder of Berber Diffusion and lead singer, Abdellah Rais, is a multi-talented musician who studied under masters in Agadir and across Morocco. Playing the banjo, guembri, qraqab and drums, as well as a composer of house tracks, he twists together various strains of his musical heritage to create an innovative and unique sound. Leading the Berber music scene in London, he has joined musicians from all around the world to share the Amazigh rhythms, constantly discovering new crossovers with other folk traditions, from Irish to Bluegrass and beyond. Berber Diffusion have played at many big festivals and venues in the UK and Europe. With the effervescent Abdellah on the mic, we never fail to pull a crowd and keep them with us, on their feet, feeling the energy all night long.