Fantazia

Fantazia is a multicultural band from Hackney, north-east London, formed in the late 1990s. The group develops a blend of North African and other influences and is described as a multicultural act of musicians from Algeria and the UK. Its line-up expands to a nine-piece format on its 2003 UK tour, supported by the Arts Council of England, with Mourad Simba on lead vocals and instrumentation including oud, saxophone, flute, violin, trumpet, keyboards, derbouka, bass and drums, as well as the North African dancing of Najma.

Releases and style

The band’s self-produced debut CD, The Lost Place, is issued in 2000 and receives airplay across Europe. Fantazia is associated with electronic, hardcore and trance, and is also tagged with folk, pop, kabyle, roots and amazigh.

Live activity

Fantazia builds its reputation through live performance and appears at venues including The Hackney Empire and The Forum, Kentish Town. Festival appearances include Bracknell Festival, The Oris London Jazz Festival, Window on the World (WOW), Glastonbury, Brampton Live, Fest Noz, Sheep Music, Hubble Bubble Festival and Morecambe Worldbeat Festival. The band completes three tours supported by the Arts Council of England.

Broadcasts and media

Fantazia appears on Carlton TV’s The Warehouse, the BBC World Service, Charlie Gillett’s BBC London show, BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends and BBC Radio 3’s World Music Day. In 2002, Algerian radio broadcasts a half-hour programme about the band.