Born in Marrakesh in 1962, Aziz Sahmaoui grew up listening to Gnawa music with his father. He moved to Paris in the 1990s and co-founded the Orchestre National de Barbès, recording two albums with the group before joining Joe Zawinul's Syndicate as a percussionist. In 2010, he started his own band, the University of Gnawa, featuring a core Senegalese trio of Hervé Samb, Cheikh Diallo, and Alioune Wade. His music blends traditional North African rhythms with jazz fusion, chaabi, Kabyle music, and French chanson, with Aziz expertly playing strings like the mandol and ngoni. Highlight tracks from his repertoire include energetic fan favorites like "Salabati" and "Kahina (The Priestess)" from his acclaimed self-titled debut album.