AZA’s founding members Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualou are Berbers and hail from the High Atlas mountain region of Morocco. Their music brings to light the culture of the Berbers, the indigenous people of North Africa whose recorded history dates back 3300 years. Recognized as master musicians, Fattah and Mohamed formed AZA after moving to Santa Cruz eight years ago. Mohamed plays guitar, oud, percussion and is a prolific songwriter with a gripping vocal style that helps define the dynamic energy of AZA. Fattah began playing at the age of seven and now plays banjo, lotar, oud, sintir, ribab, percussion and sings. He recorded several CDs in Morocco with his band Imdiazen, and has collaborated with many international artists. He has received multiple grant awards for traditional arts and the preservation of indigenous culture. Fluent in English, French, Arabic, and his native tongue, Fattah is a sought-after music and cultural educator, presenting at schools and universities throughout the US. Together with AZA, they perform nationally and internationally.   http://azamusic.com