Akim el Sikameya

Akim was the youngest child in one of Oran’s most noble families. From the age of eight he was groomed in the prestigious Nassim el Andalous music school where he immersed himself for 14 years in the classic Arabo-Andalusian traditions. He soon came to public attention as a talented violinist with a rare alto voice. At the same time, he pursued a scientific bent and became an electronic engineer.

In 1990, Akim founded a band that modernised classic noubas by adding piano and flamenco guitar instruments to these suites that are comprised of five movements. He moved to Marseilles in 1994 where he split his time between music and a Masters degree in marketing. To the dismay of his family Akim’s penchant for music finally won out and he adopted the stage name Sikameya. This marries the names of two of the most popular noubas “sika” and “meya”.

I first saw El Sikameya perform in the late Nineties and his remarkable range and self-assured stage presence immediately earmarked him as a talent to follow. In 1999, he brought out his first album “Atifa oumi”, which did not reflect the dexterity and purity of his live vocal renditions. It is perhaps for this reason that this reflective artist decided to consecrate more time and energy to his follow-up CD, “Aïni”, recorded both in London and Paris. The title translates as “My eyes” and its 15 songs reveal the endearing intimacy and warmth of El Sikameya’s compositions. The 2005 release is also faithful to his deeply-felt convictions of coexistence between different cultures and their musics. “For seven centuries Andalusia was a land where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together in harmony,” he reminds listeners in the sleeve-notes.

To their musical expressions he adds those of the Roms, the Celts, African percussionists and Brazilian bossa nova players. El Sikameya also reveals a fascination for soul music of the Sixties and Motown. At times, his unquenchable desire to assimilate so many music styles founders into slightly treacly pop. Yet, his remarkable head voice and his deep knowledge of his Mediterranean roots mark him out as one of North Africa’s new music leaders. In 2005 “world music” audiences outside of his adopted country of France began appreciating his slick live performances. His 2005 album was released in almost a dozen countries and he became a frequent performer on the WOMAD circuit.

January 2006

Daniel Brown

Artist website