Singer, guitarist and percussionist Aziz Sahmaoui is a key figure in the fusion
of Arab music and jazz. A founding member of the Orchestre National de Barbès in
1995, Aziz Sahmaoui went on to spread the Gnawa message with Joe Zawinul's
Zawinul Syndicate. Aziz Sahmaoui also collaborates with Sixun and guitarist
Nguyen Lê. University of Gnawa in 2011 is both his first solo album and the name
of his band.