Najat (meaning ‘Everybody’s roots’) are a 9 piece group of experienced and energetic musicians with roots in various parts of the World but based in London, England. Tight and powerful, whether playing wildly or lightly, electric or acoustically, at an outdoor festival or a small club gig, the rock/ roots based, North African sound of Najat takes the audience along on a wave of enjoyment, excitement and dancing during their stage show, thrilling from start to finish.
Najat vocalist and songwriter Djina Jones put this line-up together in March 2003, at last fulfilling her dream of fronting a World/roots music band with a blues/rock rhythm section. Djina; Ricky; Andy; Spike; Staunch and Pete had all been involved in the South London music scene and known each other since the late 1980s/90s and had jammed together on a few occasions and had some really good times, so when Djina suggested getting a band started, they were all right up for it.
The songs, with Djina’s and Ricky’s lyrics, were improvised into existence by the band, until a wicked set had materialised, then the band rehearsed through the lovely hot Summer of 2003 and did several very well received gigs later in the year, ending it on a high by recording seven of their new songs on 24-track 2 inch tape during three days at Sonica Music, London and releasing them on a CD called, “Where Does Music Come From?” The album received wild acclaim at the Womex Conference in Germany, 2004.
Najat stayed hot rehearsing and gigging through 2004 and are about to record their new album, Branches Of A Tree.
All our children are an inspiration, particularly one of Djina’s children, Kathleen, who died in a terrible accident at the age of seven. Kathleen’s spirit is alive in this music and the special flag painting, made by staff and pupils at the school she attended in Brixton, London, which appears on the CD, recognizes this. “Love is a Beautiful Girl Dancing with us in Spirit. The Rhythm of the Drum goes on and on”.