Zied ZOUARI
Artist
Born in Tunisia in 1983 into a family of musicians, Zied Zouari began playing violin at a very early age. He won the first prize of the children performers in Tunis in 1996 and the gold medal of the festival of young creative artists at Kram (Tunisia) in 1997. He represents Tunisia at the first meeting of young Arab musicians in Dubai, where he obtains the gold medal (1998). He began his professional career with the Lebanese renown singer "Wadi SAFÎ" in 1999.
Armed with a solid training, he moves to Paris in 2006 where he rubs shoulders with musicians from all walks of life, playing with famous musicians such as Sylvain Luc, Bojan Z, Nizar Rohana, Manu Théron (Cantatas des Rives), Khaled (c ‘est la vie), Thione Seck, Mathias Duplessy (The Three Violins of the World), Sapho, Emel Mathlouthi (Kelmti horra) and meets Tunisian percussionist Imed Alibi, who lives in France. He contributed to coproducing , composing and arranging Alibi’s first album “Safar” in collaboration with Justin Adam's. Zied plays solo at The International festival of Carthage, at the Institute of the Arab World, at the Zenith hall, at the Champs Elysees Theatre, at the Paris City Theatre, and at La Cigale theatre.
If his field of predilection is Arab-oriental music, Zied is intensely infused in Jazz, electro and rock. He is on the path to setting up a reference in the contemporary Arabic violin language. This will be achieved by developing a fusion approach that encompasses various influences ranging from Afro-Arab and Hindu-Turkish music to European classical music, Jazz and world music. Thanks to his stage experience and his dual culture, Zied Zouari has become a renowned specialist in the mixing of genres. His solo concert, which toured Europe in 2014, is an invitation to travel to an atypical universe of an outstanding violinist.
ELECTRO BTAIHI
FUSION
WORLD MUSIC
Line-up
Zied Zouari (Condutor, Violins, Viola)
Ghassen Fendri (Guitars)
Imed Twinlo (Beatbox, Machines, Dance)
Helmi Kobbi (sound)
Ahmed Chamtouri (Light)
Presentation
Electro Btaihi is born from an idea of Tunisian violinist Zied Zouari. This virtuoso, whose career is full of encounters with musicians from around the world, launches this new adventure infused with typically Tunisian flavours, with two of his feloow country men of the alternative music scene: guitarist Ghassen Fendri on the one side and beatboxer Imed Hamdi on the other.
It all started in 2017, during an artistic residency at Dar Bach Hamba, hosting the headquarters of the Art Rue (Street Art) association, where, says Zied Zouari “ we started from a blank page. Little by little a real laboratory of creation and composition came out up and soon witnessed the birth of a project at the crossroads of the depths of Tunisia and new music .
A project that is a continuation of Ziad Zouari encounters with renowned musicians such as Sylvain Luc, Guo Gan, Bojan Z, Mathias Duplessy, Karim Ziad and many others. But this time, it is Tunisian music that is at the centre of the project .
Electro Btaihi offers us a more contemporary approach to the oral tradition, revisiting the "Btaihi" pattern, a rhythm that may be found both in urban learned music known as mâlûf as well as in the popular Bedouin music of Tunisia.
Zied Zouari intends to develop a new language that comes out of the box, conveyed first by a deep reflection on traditional Tunisian rhythms and their internal riches. He aspires to develop a new artistic vision, mainly inspired by Indian music and Jazz.
The artist strives for investing all his know-how in stripping of this ancestral music very little known by the new generation.
On stage, the energy of the formidable guitarist meets the breathtaking groove of an outstanding beatboxer , all in symbiosis with a violin as inspired as fiery. An eclectic and modern mix at the service of an original musical synergy, signed by a trio of great talent.
