Takfarinas Captivates Audiences

Born in 1958 in Tixerane, Algeria, Hassen Zermani grew up in family that supported his early love for music and encouraged him to develop his talent. Taking on the name Takfarinas as a musician, he has become one of the most popular artists from Algeria and has touched lives of a far reaching. With his “Yal” music, double necked mandole and deep voice, Takfarinas has captivated fans throughout Europe and North Africa.

Takfarinas started to show an interest in music from the age of six. He put together his own guitar with a wooden stick, bicycle brake cables and a motor oil can, and started to practice and learn how to play guitar. He was given a brand new guitar by his father on his sixteenth birthday, to encourage his passion for music and to support him in his musical aspirations.

As his confidence and skill grew Takfarinas began to create his own sound, which he called Yal, a mixture of many genres such as rock, soul music and flamenco, combined with the sounds of traditional Algerian music. He often uses an array of different instruments and methods, including Turkish violins, harmonicas and choirs, to create the sounds and rhythms he is looking for. Takfarinas plays the double neck mandole, which was modified to his specifications, as the added neck allows him to create a feminine sound on the one and a masculine sound on the other. He has been forced to change to an electrical instrument, so as to produce louder sound for the concerts and stage performances he now gives.

Takfarinas managed to save money through doing odd jobs and was able to record some of his music in Algeria in 1976. But the political situation in Algeria started to become unstable and Takfarinas moved to France in 1979, where he recorded his first album in the same year. After teaming up with Boujema Semaouni in 1981, he released “Wa I Telha” and “Arrach”, and found international acclaim in 1989 with his solo double CD, “Irgazen et mi dih”. But it was the “Zaâma Zaâma” album that cemented his reputation as a world class songwriter, guitarist and singer in the international music industry.

Takfarinas has brought recognition and attention to the music of Algeria, and has become a celebrity artist throughout many countries across the globe. His deep affection for people of all races and classes and his dedication to being the voice of the people has gained him a faithful following of thousands of fans.