Iness Mezel brings Berber sounds to Finding A Voice festival
Iness Mezel is one of the singers at the Finding A Voice festival. Picture: Yuka Kasahara
The celebrated North African singer/songwriter, Iness Mezel is one of the performers at Finding a Voice, the women in music festival taking place at MTU Cork School of Music as well as venues in Clonmel.
Paris-born Mezel, who “on paper” is French, is of Berber origin stemming from Algeria. Her mother is French-Italian. She sings accompanied by traditional percussionist, Nora Abdoun. Abdoun plays the Bandir, a drum-type instrument that is similar to the bodhrán, although it is played with the hand rather than with a stick.
London-based Mezel says that her dual identity is enriching for a musician and she is looking forward to visiting Ireland for the first time and experiencing Irish music, including sean nós. It has been posited that there are links between sean nós and North African music. In his 1981 documentary series, The Atlanteans, film-maker Bob Quinn, puts forward his theory that people from the west coast of Ireland, particularly Connemara, are not Celts but what he terms Atlanteans.
They are ancient descendants of sea-faring people from Algeria and Morocco – the Berbers – who travelled along the Atlantic coastline, taking in Spain, Portugal, the Basque country, Brittany and then northwest Ireland. Some of them settled in these places. The documentary series reveals connections between ancient Irish and Berber civilisations such as their music and dancing as well as sailing boats (Galway Hookers), stone circles and fine jewellery pieces.
Berber music is diverse, encompassing mainly African rhythms and folk tales. The ancient tradition is something that has been kept alive by small bands of musicians going from village to village, providing entertainment at social events with their songs, stories and poetry.
Mezel is keen to express Berber culture. “I want to keep it alive and also the Amazigh language. The Berber people were the first inhabitants of North Africa.”
The singer, who first went to Algeria at the age of seven, says it was a wonderful time for her, exploring her father’s village and learning about her ancestors. She recalls the sound of women’s voices in the distance at night, singing during festivities.
Mezel is also influenced by jazz music. While partly rooted in African rhythmic ritual, Jazz is quite different to Berber music. “Jazz brings me an opening of horizons. Sometimes, with traditional music, you omit some chords. I’m interested in going somewhere else with music. I do it with improvisation. And improvisation is part of Berber singing. So I’m creating links between traditional and modern music.”
Mezel’s lyrics include themes that are important to Berber people such as spirituality and the importance of nature. She says that nature induces spirituality.
“I also write about women’s conditions, their way of life and their independence. I look at the way women grab life and how they translate their heritage. I tend to infuse the modern ways of women in my writing. And I write about the elements. Water is important. And I write on the links between the elements and the stars and moon.”
The Berber people are generally Muslim. After being conquered by the Arab nation, they converted to Islam. Mezel, who was not reared in any strong religious tradition, says some Berber people don’t want to be connected to a monotheist religion. “They are fiercely independent and want the possibility to choose.”
While Mezel has always been aware of racism, she says that at school, she didn’t experience racism. “Luckily, I had my own little world to escape to.”
She went to piano and ballet lessons as a school girl. Learning how to play music was enthralling for her. Mezel’s early musical influences, on the classical front, are Debussy, Eric Satie and Ela Bartok. She also credits James Brown and Bootsie Collins as influences as well as Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Paul Simon. Vocalists such as Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday and Tina Turner inspire Mezel. And of course African and Berber music are to the fore for the singer/songwriter.
Now in its seventh year, Finding a Voice takes in both International Women’s Day and Mothers’ Day. Audiences will have the opportunity to hear music by female composers including Rebecca Clarke, Lili Boulanger, Joan Trimble, Clara Schumann and Amy Beach.
One of the other festival highlights will be the world premiere of Irish composer Judith Ring’s new work, The River Was Never Afraid.
- Iness Mezel will perform on March 9 at the Main Guard, Clonmel. See www.findingavoice.ie
