The son of one of Algeria's most famous post-war literary figures, Amazigh Kateb chose not to pursue the same profession himself. Emigrating to France in 1989 following father Kateb Yacine's death, he went on to form Gnawa Diffusion, in which he delivered fiercely political lyrics over a musical backdrop that melded the traditions of the Saharan Gnawa people with contemporary dub and reggae. Following the group's breakup in 2008, Kateb has been pursuing similar themes in his career as a solo artist: debut album Marchez Noir weaves together strands of reggae and hip-hop with a healthy dose of North African melody. It's the sort of magpie approach that has made Manu Chao a star, and Kateb is likely to appeal to the same sort of globally attuned listener.
This event is part of the Sukiyaki Tokyo festival. See also: Omara 'Bombino' Moctar, Aug 22; Kaushiki Chakrabarty Desikan, Aug 23