Boualem Titiche

Born Boualem Mansouri in Algiers to a family of traditional Casbah folk musicians, Boualem Titiche mastered circular breathing on the cane ghaita in early childhood. He transformed traditional zurna performance from street wedding accompaniment into a sophisticated national performing art.

He recorded dozens of classical folk suites with the Algerian National Ballet, representing independent Algeria at world cultural festivals in Moscow, Havana, and Paris. His piercing, hypnotic reed melodies became the acoustic signature of Algerian folk celebrations.