‘El Gusto’ pumps music into the heart of listeners
El Gusto, a documentary that played the Tribeca Film Festival a couple of years ago, features the story of the infectious Chaabi music from northern Africa. The film follows a group of musicians who used to perform in the Casbah of Algiers. The orchestra, consisting of Jewish and Muslim instrumentalists, loved their music and left a unique quality on these jazzy creations. Because of war and decades of separation, the music was somewhat lost, and the musicians found themselves scattered, no longer an orchestra. The documentary depicts the filmmaker’s best efforts to find the surviving members of the El Gusto Orchestra some 50 years after its genesis in order to help them make music again.
For audience members, El Gusto offers many delights. The authenticity of the music in the film is rhythmic and pure, spilling out from the screen and letting us enjoy this cultural tradition. The musicians are skilled beyond measure, and they seem to shed the years when they’re able to get together and offer their renditions to a lucky audience.
The film is as much about music as it is about the culture of the Casbah. Much as Buena Vista Social Club detailed the neighborhoods of Cuba, El Gusto takes us into the communities of Algiers, winding its way into the curvy streets and alleyways where this music once emanated like a social perfume.
Director Safinez Bousbia has an obvious affection for these musicians (and should be credited with their reunification), and that love becomes infectious to the audience. By the end of the documentary, one stands converted to the timeless qualities of Chaabi.
The trials and tribulations that faced these musicians were tremendous. They were ripped apart, many of them moving on with their life and always remembering the good old days of playing concerts with the orchestra. El Gusto amazingly is able to rekindle much of the original magic, pooling the energy of these musicians together for a trip to France for a reunion concert. Watching these originators of the Chaabi sound put on such an exquisite performance is quite exhilarating to behold.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
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El Gusto
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2011
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Written and directed by Safinez Bousbia
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Featuring the El Gusto Orchestra
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Running time: 90 minutes
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Rating:
