Biography

Dar Beida = Casablanca in Arabic; 04 = Popular and intense part of the city;
Impiria = Place in the old medina, where all started !
Casablanca, summer 1997, Bill Laswells incredible Ambient album "Lost in Translation", gave Abderrahim Akkaoui and Pat Jabbar the impulse to start a new project, focusing on instrumental Chill Out soundscapes. The first tracks were recorded 1997/98 in Basel. They sounded very smooth and calm, not one human voice, no beat, loop or bassline was to be found. But one track, "Mesk El Lil", had by accident a strange rhythmic cycle from a keyboard pad, so to accentuate it, a little loop was added to the song. The reaction was: Wow, lets introduce also a kick, a bassline.... and the Ambient track was completly gone ! Slowly this also happened to all other tracks and the decision was taken to do a "real" Ambient thing at another time... During this period, French distributor Night and Day, had a press attach working on the Sapho album. Her name was Mady. By accident or by "Mektoub" (destiny), she was and still is one of Nina Hagens best friends. From that moment on, the idea of an only instrumental album was gone too ! The rest came automatically ... If having a track featuring Nina, why not also asking Sapho for a participation. Roskilde, summer 1998, AKJE plays the festival with Orchestre National de Barbes and Natacha Atlas. After her show, the chance was given to meet her and to exchange some words as the addresses.... with the help of her husband Abdullah Shahadi, who played some great Kanun parts to the track, another instrumental track was gone.
Sevilla, March 2000, AKJE plays a festival with Manu Dibango and B-Net Marrakech, a fabulous Sheikhat-combo, driving people crazy with their deep performances. They also appear on seven songs on Rachid Tahas new album "Made in Medina". A few weeks later in Marrakech, their voices on "Wydadi Ahlam" got recorded at Cheb Youssefs studio under very spacy circumstances.... ! At the same time, Youssefs 18 years old sister Aisha Al Majjad pops in and is agree to record one track too, which became the chilling lover-trip of "Hemak Bzef". Back in Casablanca, good old friend Jalal (from Mara & Jalal), had the excellent idea to introduce Amina Ray to Dar Beida 04. She has already two tapes out in Morocco and does not only seem to redefine the next Ra generation, but could also become very soon the next big Moroccan Ra thing. And again another instrumental track got ticked off the list.The web, strange, mysterious and consequential connections. Nobody knows where Maha comes from. She appears on the darkest night of the month to deliver words and strength from the Goddess. Or was it just another religious dream again ?
Preparing the small AKJE tour of 2000, a club in Paris whos famous for Arabic fusion nights, got asked to book the band. While talking to the clubmanager about the new releases and the guests, he said : "...do you know Amina Annabi from Tunisia ? heres her number...",
the answer was : "wow, sure, we will call her right away, lets reduce all these instrumentals".
With the help of her accordion player Sami, the very engaged but peaceable Palestinian support track "Fet Li Fet" became the perfect balance to the slightly more direct and agressive "Intifada-contribution" of Ra singer Vicky from Oujda. Since seven years living in Zrich, he is still musically more focused on the Moroccan market and has several tapes out.
Young Turkish Hip Hop crew from Basel Makale, (album out on Barraka this year), comes with a heavy bonustrack and a serious affront to xenophobia. For the summer, DAR BEIDA 04 will release a pure Goa & Psy-Progressive album, which will also be a basic for their shows between DJ-set and live-act. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOM !

www.myspace.com/darbeida04