The Gnawa are a people who were taken either as slaves or soldiers from the Gulf of Guinea to the Magreb (northwestern Africa), where they settled and where their descendants today still maintain their traditional brotherhood. They perform a ceremony called the Gnawa Lila using music to induce a state of healing trance.

   Although they strive to preserve the traditions of their ancestors, Nass Marrakech are also modern Moroccan musicians, open and receptive to new musical experiences. Nass Marrakech skillfully blends traditional pieces (some over 900 years old) with new songs to connect with contemporary audiences.

   Nass Marrakech's sound is full of energy, so it must be sensed with one's whole body, allowing yourself to be taken utterly by the swooping planes of percussion, the circular rhythms of the karkabas (metallic castenets), and the melodies of lute and mandolin.