| Intro | Musician |
| Was | Singer |
| From | Algeria |
| Type | Music |
| Gender | male |
| Birth |
1889, Touahria, Mesra District, Mostaganem Province, Algeria |
| Death |
9 April 1968, Mostaganem, Aïn Nouïssy District, Mostaganem Province, Algeria |
Sheikh Hamada was an Algerian singer, who was one of the founders of the gasba music. His name is also spelled as Cheikh Hamada.
Hamada was born in 1889 in Blad Touahria near Mostaganem, in the northwest area of Algeria.
He is credited to have pioneered the Bedouin musical traditions in North Africa and in modern music today. He produced soulful music by harnessing urban poetry in his Hadri, Haouz, and Aroub compositions.
He redefined the gasba music, which influenced the area of Dahra. Chaâbi music, the folk music of Algeria, which is one of the most popular types of music in North Africa, was heavily influenced by the gasba music.
It is still played in traditional celebrations, with music resulting from the Arabo-Andalusian culture. The music is modal and not tonal.
Hamada made his first recording in 1920. He continued to record in Algeria, Berlin, and Paris until his death in 1968. He recorded under Kitabal Aghani, EHM, Royal Music, and Editions Atlas labels.
Béla Bartók, a Hungarian composer and pianist, on his trip to Algeria from 1913 to 1915 was extremely affected by Hamada’s music. Bartok derived inspiration from Hamada’s music in some of his work.
Hamada was a mentor to El Hadj M’Hamed El Anka, a pioneer of Andalusian classical and Algerian chaâbi music. They came in contact with each other during their sessions with philosophical poets and musicians, where they worked together on qaçayds (poems). Hamada also earnestly taught music to the younger Algerian generation. One of his students was Maâzouz Bouadjadj, a well-known singer and interpreter of chaâbi music.
Hamada was the father of two sons who were killed during the colonial war of The Algerian National Liberation Front from 1954 to 1962.
Hamada died on April 9, 1968 in Mostaganem, Algeria.
Discography:
- Tal eddar aalia
- Hadjou Lefkar
- Ya Hamam
- Twahacht Jm’aate Lehbib
- Cheikh Hamada
- Makan Men Atah Allah
- Larsam
Some of his popular songs:
- Ya Louacham
- Meriem
- Illa Hdak Rabi
- El Aid El Kbir