Salim Halali

Salim Halali
Background information
Birth name Simon Halali
Born July 30, 1920
Annaba, (Bône), French Algeria
Died June 25, 2005 (aged 84)
Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Genres Middle of the road (music), Algerian music, Tunisian music, Moroccan music, Flamenco, Chanson
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Darbouka

Salim Halali or Salim Hilali (real name Simon Halali,[1] July 30, 1920 – June 25, 2005) was an Algerian singer, performer of Andalusian classical music and Algerian music.

Biography

Salim Halali was born in Annaba, Algeria; his father is of Turkish origin and his mother is of Judeo-Berber origin.[2] Hallali's grandfather was named Jacob, who married Baia (Berthe) Brami and had four son and two daughters. The eldest son Mushi (1850-1918) and wife Zeira Taieb moved to Ain Beida, a town in eastern Algeria. He had several children, and one of the sons, Fraji, married Chalbia Bakis, and moved to Annaba, then Souk Ahras (Algeria). They had seven sons and three daughters; among the sons was Salim Hallali.

In 1937, Salim Hallali arrived in France and became successful in Parisian flamenco clubs. His meeting in Paris with the Algiers music hall artist Mohamed el Kamel (real name Mohammed Hamel) was decisive. Mohammed el Kamel wrote Salim Halali's first songs, such as Andaloussia (I love a girl Andalusia), Sevillane, Taali, Ardjaâ lebladek, Bine el barah el youm wa (Between yesterday and today), Mounira (the name of one of his sisters), Nadira, ouchq El Saheb, and El qelb chahik. In later years, Mohand Iguerbouchène composed fifty other songs. In 1938, he toured Europe and his flamenco records in Arabic became successful in North Africa. Among his other successes are Al ain Zarga (The Blue Eyes), Mahenni zine (The beauty disturbed me), Habibti samra (my beloved brown) and Allala illali.

During the German occupation, the founder and first rector of the Great Mosque of Paris Si Kaddour Benghabrit managed to hide Salim's Jewish roots by providing a false Muslim certification, and etching the name of his late father in an unmarked grave Muslim cemetery Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis). Si Kaddour Benghabrit was born in Sidi Bel Abbes (Algeria) in 1868. He was an intellectual and non doctor faith. He had several books to his credit and was also into music as an oud player and violinist. He invited Salim Halali to perform at the Moorish café of the Mosque, where Salim performed alongside great artists like Ali Sriti and Ibrahim Salah. After the war, he returned to success and even earned the admiration of the Egyptian Umm Kulthum. Salim Halali was considered a pop singer and not of Arab-Andalusian music since he had no formal training in this area.

In 1947, he created a Middle Eastern Paris cabaret Folies Ismailia in a hotel that belonged to Ferdinand de Lesseps and located in the prestigious Avenue Montaigne. In 1948, he created a second cabaret,The Serail, on Rue du Colisee.

In 1949, he moved to Morocco and bought an old cafe in Maarif, the cosmopolitan quarter of Casablanca, and transformed it into a prestigious cabaret, Le Coq d'Or . The tavern was frequented by wealthy families of the country and visiting dignitaries. The Coq d' Or was destroyed in a fire, after which Salim returned to France in Cannes, during the early 1960s.

Salim Halali was known for his love of lavish parties at his villa, where an elephant wandered the gardens. Musically, he witnessed a turning point in his career when he released a 33 rpm in French and performed at the Pleyel in Paris at the beginning of 1970. Despite being successful, Salim Halali decided to retire. In the years that followed, he gave concerts in Paris, Montreal and Casablanca. In 1993, after having sold his magnificent Villa St Charles (St Charles Street in Cannes), he decided to end his days in a retirement home in Vallauris in complete anonymity. His days became very routine, spending the mornings in his room, being attended by the staff in the afternoon, dining early and then going to bed. Salim died in the hospital in Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes, France) on 25 June 2005. According to his last wishes, his ashes were scattered in the garden of remembrance of Nice crematorium.

Cinema

Salim Halali is one of the main characters in the film Free Men, directed by Ismaël Ferroukhi, released in 2011. He is played by Mahmoud Shalaby.

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Emile Zrihan rend hommage à Salim Halali in L'Arche, Numéros 573-576, F.S.J.U., 2006, p. 134
  2. ↑ VH magazine (2010). "Salim Halali: Le roi des nuits Csablancaises" (PDF). p. 66. Retrieved 2013-03-27.

External links