Bio
Mel M’rabet
Oud, Guitar


Mel M’rabet (the new revelation Oud Flamenquista) He can play Flamenco on the Oud, after all that how Flamenco began its journey! M’rabet ‘s voice has been compared to Camaron & that of Miguel Poveda and his own unique range, very powerful!

What a blend M’rabet has, Flamenco/World Fusion at its best.

Oud,Guitar

  • His passion is Oud & Guitar, a composer of what he calls “ Andalusian Fusion”, a unique styles combining: Flamenco rooted music with Middle-Eastern & other rooted influences & Improvised Jazz, percussive Oud technique!

  • A powerful singer, in Cante Hondo, utilizes voices suiting the style and had innovated the Oud playing technique to fit it better for the Flamenco “ Palos” purpose.

  • No imitation, M’rabet style is an intense passionate full of “ Gracia Gitana” to captivate your soul & heart at the same time.

  • Moroccan-born, Spain-raised Mel M'rabet, who now works out of Ottawa, effectively combined ancient and modern. He brought a four-piece band with him to the Brigantine Room from the nation's capital and offered up what he terms Andalusian fusion, which incorporates elements of flamenco, Middle-Eastern, funk, jazz and more.

  • He sang and gave his oud (the fretless stringed ancestor of the Renaissance lute) an exciting, dexterous workout, and for once the Western backup music and technology didn't sanitize or ravage the authenticity of the songs in the way that many traveling bands with their barrage of electronic gadgetry do. Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star

  • The vision of Cuban keyboard wizard Omar Sosa is one of world jazz, where musical threads from different Afro-American traditions meet and intermingle, and where varied harmonies, rhythms and instruments take Latin jazz beyond anything else being played today. And if Sosa's genius weren't enough, on this evening his special guest is Mel M'rabet, the Moroccan-born, Granada-raised composer/musician - himself a blender of jazz, funk and the more exotic. Bravo! Channel

  • Mel M’rabet will be performing at the Mercury Lounge in Ottawa on April 8th, show starts at 8:00pm and tickets are $12 at the door, $10 in advance. For more info contact M’rabet at : mrabetm@rogers.com


  • Mel M'rabet (the new revelation Oud/Guitar Flamenquista) He can play Flamenco on the Oud, after all that how Flamenco began its journey ! M'rabet's voice has been compared to Camaron & that of Miguel Poveda and his own unique range, very powerful!

    What a blend M'rabet has, Flamenco at its best.

    Oud,Guitar

  • Spain-raised Mel M'rabet, who now works out of Ottawa, effectively combined ancient and modern. He brought a four-piece band with him to the Brigantine Room from the nation's capital and offered up what he terms Andalusian fusion, which incorporates elements of flamenco, Middle-Eastern, funk, jazz and more.

  • He sang and gave his oud (the fretless stringed ancestor of the Renaissance lute) an exciting, dexterous workout, and for once the Western backup music and technology didn't sanitize or ravage the authenticity of the songs in the way that many traveling bands with their barrage of electronic gadgetry do. Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star

  • The vision of Cuban keyboard wizard Omar Sosa is one of world jazz, where musical threads from different Afro-American traditions meet and intermingle, and where varied harmonies, rhythms and instruments take Latin jazz beyond anything else being played today. And if Sosa's genius weren't enough, on this evening his special guest is Mel M'rabet, the Moroccan-born, Granada-raised composer/musician - himself a blender of jazz, funk and the more exotic. Bravo! Channel

  • Mel M'rabet & Kalima create pure fire with international all star band bridging the Flamenco rooted sound with jazz and world music on a new album entitled Andalusian Legacy. M'rabet, master of the oud/Guitar and saz, as well as flamenco guitar, this exquisite singer has broken much new ground in his career. With his new band, Kalima, he takes his greatest leap to date, and the results are celebrated on the Andalusian Legacy release & SoloSoul. Ottawa Folklore

  • Whereas most Arab instrumentalists are content to imitate human voice techniques, M'rabet has set out to explore new ways of playing Arab instrumental music. Yet he does not fall into the trap of letting virtuosity become an end in itself: his desire to excel always takes second place to his innovative impulse and thirst to explore uncharted musical terrain. His new fingernail technique will soon draw interest and perhaps criticism among traditionalists of the oud. X-press magazine

  • Raised in Granada oud/Guitar player, Mel M'rabet, has demonstrated a great dexterity never seen before on the Oud/Guitar, at the Brigantine room, part of the World Music Festival at Harbourfront Centre. M'rabet bases his fusion on his roots and intertwines them with western instruments. So many artists use eastern instruments as decoration, he on the other hand does the contrary. Toronto Star

  • M'rabet, ‚lev‚ … Grenade, L'Espagne se nourrit des deux cultures pour cr‚er ce qu'il appelle Fusion andalouse. Joueur de Oud, Guitare et chanteur compositeur, qui par mis ces compositions ont ‚t‚ nomm‚es pour les prix G‚nie du Canada.

  • Mel M'rabet est entrain de travailler dans un nouveau disc SoloSoul, qui sera bient“t au marche. Les styles incorpor‚s sont plut“t des racines africaines, Cubain, du Flamenco et des ‚l‚ments de Blues et Jazz.

    Mel M'rabet
    Oud, Guitar

  • The oud, a Middle-Eastern lute, is a monodic instrument found throughout the Arab-Turkish-Persian region and throughout southern Spain. In it's traditional songs it assumes the role of the voice.

  • Raised by musician parents in Granada, Andalusia, Mel M'rabet was introduced to the oud at an early age, exploring the styles of Fusion, Flamenco, and Middle-Eastern music. At eighteen Mel began performing professionally across Spain. By 1989 as an established musician, he toured the Andalusian province, southern France and Germany.

  • Upon migration to Canada, M'rabet appeared and recorded with notable musicians such as Dario Domingues, Jean Martin, Victor Nesrallah, Rob Frayne, John Geggie, Oscar Lopez, Cesaria Evora and Francois Tesberge.

  • In the fall of 1995, and after two successful summer tours of Spain, M'rabet was awarded a New Talent Demo Award by FACTOR. Canada Council for the Arts awarded him three grants from 1996 to 1998. One grant helped him record fusion music. Another grant enriched his repertoire by sending him to a studio in Paris where he researched Andalusian music.

  • While in Paris, M'rabet performed solo and with artists including Salif Keita, Anouar Brahem, Rabih Abu Khalil, Steve Lacey, Steve Potts, and Cheb Mami. He has also participated in various festivals: Montreal Jazz Festival, BC Folk Festival, SunFest (London), Ottawa Folk Festival, Beirut Jazz Festival, Harbourfront Centre World Music Festival and the Washington DC Jazz Festival.

  • M'rabet's music draws not only on the rich heritage of Andalusian Music, but also on that of the Turks, the Kurds, the Armenians, and the Gypsies. All these sources have influenced his playing style and compositions. He is currently focused on developing new repertoire based on the musical roots and sources with which he grew up. In addition, he is working on a new playing technique aiding newcomers to the oud. While it is common for Western musicians to take an ornamental approach to their application of world music, M'rabet stresses that his heritage acts as the foundation for every one of his compositions.

  • M'rabet's compositions for the soundtrack to the film, "Khaled" were nominated for a Genie Award in 2002. He continues to collaborate with upcoming film and documentary projects around the world. He is also working on a new recording featuring a fusion of electro-acoustic instruments, and Hip-Hop in Spanish.

    Recent & Future performances

  • M'rabet has recently returned from a successful tour in Calgary, AB. In August 2004, Mel M'rabet joined the line-up of caliber musicians such as Antibalas to perform in the Afrikadey Festival that drew more than 3000 people. Mel M'rabet has also received traveling & sound recording grants from the Canada council in 2003/04.

  • CBC Radio recorded Mel M'rabet last concert at the Library & Archives Auditorium, on Jan 20th, 2005. World in performance program hosted by Malcolm Gould will be airing the concert, date to be announced.

  • May 15th, 2005 Point-Claire, Montreal Quebec



    Le 15 mai

    Mel M'rabet Musique du monde

    Virtuose du oud (un luth du Moyen-orient) et de la guitare, M'rabet transporte avec lui le riche héritage de la musique andalouse. Ses compositions et son style de jeux sont aussi influencés par la musique turque, arménienne et tzigane.

    Nuits d'Afrique Festival end of July

    2005 West coast tour in July 2005, starting in Winnipeg and ending in Vancouver

    Spain mini-tour in August, 2005

  • Top of Page (finger.jpg)

    Main Page (finger.jpg)

    Main Page

    Top