Algerian Radio
A musical evening featuring Andalusian and Chaâbi colors was hosted Tuesday evening in Algiers by artist Djamel Fodil, in an atmosphere blending authenticity and spirituality.
Organized at the auditorium of the Moufdi-Zakaria Palace of Culture as part of its artistic program for the month of Ramadan 2026, the show was a convivial occasion to present a repertoire adapted to the public's taste, particularly during this sacred month.
Accompanied by an orchestra of seven instrumentalists, including two violinists, a pianist, and a percussionist, the performer presented a repertoire of texts celebrating Algerian poetry and religious culture through songs (madih) in praise of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
Performed in various modal variations, notably "Neqlab," "N'sraf," and "Raml El Maya," the artist rendered several pieces, including "Nebda Leklam," "Tlata Fi Eddounya," and "Rebbi Ya Rahman," a piece he composed in the "Senaa" genre, the Algiers variant of Andalusian music.
The audience, though small in number, was also treated to a selection of songs, including those by Mahboub Safar Bati (1919-2000), the grand master of the Chaâbi chansonnette.
Djamel Fodil was immersed in music at a very young age, taking elementary courses at the Boudjemaâ Fergane Municipal Conservatory in Bab El Oued (Algiers), before joining Algerian music associations where he perfected his knowledge and performance techniques.
Known on the Algiers scene, which he has been part of for over 40 years, Djamel Fodil is considered a Chaâbi performer who has always worked to preserve the authenticity of this traditional music in the face of modernity, through technical rigor and textual accuracy.
