Master Musicians of Joujouka

Official website of the legendary Sufi brotherhood Master Musicians of Joujouka from Joujouka/Jajouka, Morocco.

Brian Jones

In 1967, the Rolling Stones were busted for drugs after police raided Keith Richards’ country house, Redlands. To escape the media frenzy they decided to go to Morocco, where they met Brion Gysin

Brian Jones, the musical experimenter of the group, became fascinated with Moroccan music. Through Brion Gysin and Hamri he got to hear the music of Joujouka. Jones found the music had a deep effect on him. According to Anita Pallenberg: “Brian wanted to learn the secrets of the Joujoukan music and incorporate it into the sound of the Rolling Stones”.

Brian Jones and the musicians, painted by Hamri – original cover art on the “Brian Jones presents …” album.

In 1968 Jones decided to go to the village and record an album there. He brought a young sound engineer from E.M.I.’s London studio and spent just two days in the village. When he returned to London he spent several week manipulating the sounds in an effort to recreate what he had heard in the village. He supervised the cover design, which was dominated by a Hamri painting of Brian with the musicians.

However, before the album was released in 1969, Jones died in mysterious circumstances. The resulting album Brian Jones presents the Pipes of Pan in Joujouka was eventually released in 1971 and was the first LP released on the Stones’ own record label, Rolling Stones Records. The album drew global media attention to the tiny village. Rolling Stone journalist Robert Palmer came to Morocco and wrote a feature on the group. This attention led to further western visitors and Joujouka inadvertently became the first group to be identified with what is now called “World Music”.

In honour of Jones, Hamri wrote the lyrics of “Brian Jones Joujouka very Stoned”, which the musicians put to music. This song has become an essential part of the musicians’ repertoire.