Hassan Hakmoun

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Hassan Hakmoun
Hassan Hakmoun during Jam Night at the Ottawa Jazz Festival 2003.
Background information
Birth name	حسن حكمون
Born	1963
Origin	Marrakech
Genre(s)	world fusion Gnawa music
Occupation(s)	musician
Instrument(s)	castanets vocals sintir
Years active	1980's - present
Website	http://www.hassanhakmoun.com/

Hassan Hakmoun (Arabic: حسن حكمون‎) (b. 1963 in Marrakech) is a Los Angeles-based Moroccan Gnawa musician.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Discography
4 External links
5 Notes and references

[edit] Early life

Hakmoun was born to a family of musicians^[1] who introduced him to the musical world of the Gnawa. By age four, he performed alongside snake charmers and fire-breathers on Marrakech streets. His mother is known throughout the city as a mystic healer. At the age of fourteen he left school to concentrate on music.^[2]

[edit] Career

Hakmoun's U.S. debut was in 1987 at Lincoln Center with the band Trio Gna & Nomadas Dance Group.^[1] He later resided in New York City before moving to Los Angeles. The composer and producer Richard Horowitz helped Hakmoun to adapt to his new life.

In 1993, Peter Gabriel introduced him to Real World Records where he will publish his Trance album produced by Simon Emmerson. All this influenced Hakmoun's Gnawa music by fusing with new styles such as Jazz and psychedelic music. He also performed with musicians such as Paula Cole, Don Cherry and Jamshied Sharifi.

One year later, in 1994, he performed at WOMAD'94 tour and Woodstock '94 along with Peter Gabriel.