Filed under: Algeria
Les Abranis (a.k.a. El Abranis) was founded in Algeria by Karim Abranis in 1967.
Karim, as well as his bandmates Shamy Elbaz, Chemini Abdelkader, Arezki Barroudi and Hachemi Bellali were of the Amazigh ethnic group of Northwest Africa and they sang in the Tamazight language.
In 1973, Abranis went to Algiers to take part in the first “National Festival of the Song” and won the grand price for that year. Soon after, they had an appearance on Algerian television, and were popular across Algerian. They even porduced two Scopitone music videos for both songs from their first single.
Karim Abranis still performs in and around Northern Africa and Europe. He even has a website, with more information and pictures: Abranis.com.
Thank you to Anis Bousbia for the additional information.
Catalog number BEP 115 on Bordj el Fren of France. There is no release date given, but judging from the information on the Abranis website, this was released between 1973 and 1978.
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Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe 
I only have heard a couple late ’60s tracks by Les Abranis, and would love to hear a full CD or two. Can anyone out there help me hear more?
Comment by John Berg September 4, 2009 @ 6:31 pmThe name of the band is not “El Abranis, but “Abranis”. The “El” is a mistake from their first ‘8 inchs vynile ….
You can buy their disc at Abranis.com
Comment by Aferkiw March 21, 2010 @ 5:50 am