Rachid Taha
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| Rachid Taha | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 18 September 1958 |
| Origin | Oran, Algeria |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Raï |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter |
| Years active | 1980-2008 |
| Website | RachidTaha.Artistes.UniversalMusic.Fr/ |
Rachid Taha (Arabic: رشيد طه) (born 1958 in Oran, Algeria) is an French-Algerian musician. His music is influenced by many different styles such as rock, techno and raï.
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[edit] Career
Based in Paris, France where he began his solo career after his beginnings as the leader of the French rock band Carte de Séjour, he usually sings in Arabic. In 1981, while living in Lyon, France, Taha met Mohammed and Mokhtar Amini. The three of them, Rachid, Djamel Dif and Eric Vaquer would later form the band "Carte De séjour" (Green Card) and record their first maxi Album Carte De Séjour in 1983. Their first LP Rhoromanie, came out in 1984. Their second and last LP entitled Ramsa (Five) was released in 1986 and included their famous and ironic cover of Douce France, originally sung by Charles Trenet. The band dissolved in 1989.
His breakthrough album as a solo artist was Diwân, featuring remakes of songs for the Algerian and Arab traditions. His album Tékitoi, produced by Steve Hillage and released in 2004, also brought him great acclaim and recognition from other rock musicians. In 2005 he performed with Robert Plant, Patti Smith and Brian Eno.
He covered The Clash song Rock the Casbah (in Arabic, as "Rock El Casbah"), which appeared in the 2007 film about Clash frontman Joe Strummer, The Future Is Unwritten.
Some critics attribute Taha's unique sound to his use of the mandolute, a mixture of the traditional oud with European fretted instruments.
The song Barra Barra from his album Made In Medina was featured in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down as well as in the Games Convention 2008 trailer of the game Far Cry 2. Recently was featured in the 2007 film The Hunting Party. His song "Garab" from "Made in Medina" was used in the movie The Truth About Charlie in 2002, and also in Blood and Chocolate in 2007.
[edit] Discography
[edit] With "Carte de Séjour"
- 1983 Carte De Séjour
- 1984 Bleu De Marseille
- 1984 Rhorhomanie
- 1986 Douce France
- 1986 2½ (Deux Et Demi)
- 1987 Ramsa
- 1987 Ramsa (Cinq)
[edit] Solo
- 1991 Barbès
- 1993 Rachid Taha
- 1993 Voilà, Voilà (Single)
- 1995 Olé, Olé [Mango]
- 1996 Olé, Olé [Barclay]
- 1997 Carte Blanche
- 1998 Diwân Wrasse Records
- 1999 1,2,3 Soleils (live album with Khaled and Faudel) Wrasse Records
- 2000 Made In Medina
- 2001 Live (live album)
- 2001 Barra, Barra (Single)
- 2004 Tékitoi Wrasse Records
- 2006 Écoute Moi Camarade (Single)
- 2006 Diwân 2 Wrasse Records
- 2007 The Definitive Collection Wrasse Records
- 2008 Rock el Casbah: The Best of Rachid Taha Wrasse Records
[edit] References
- Moreira, Paul (1987). Rock métis en France, Souffles.
- Caubet, Dominique, Les Mots du Bled, L'Harmattan.
[edit] External links
- Rachid Taha Official Site
- Rachid Taha Bio, Pictures and Photos
- Read an album review of Diwan 2 by Rachid Taha at Fly
- Read an album review of Diwân 2 at Allaboutjazz.com
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