For five generations the Sebas (meaning "Lion" in Arabic) animated village festivities and family events, putting together a few dozen musicians to perform impromptu concerts. It is in the mountainous village of M'Sirda, in Western Algeria that these percussions started to roar. The rhythms and voices then crossed the frontier to bring the tradition to the rest of the world. These musicians continue today to carry on the tradition. While some of these musicians chose to stay, others left. This is the case of the six brothers who now live in France with the family benediction: enrich the traditional rhythms of their country with flavors of the Occident. It is in the Parisian suburbs that the "Bendirs" and traditional "Derboukas" from this big family still echo. Though the Sebas are not as numerous as they once were, the respect for tradition and the diverse influence each has gained enriches the basic rhythm of brotherly voices and the pleasure of playing together. —Courtesy Calabash Music
