# Areski Belkacem

areski belkacem (born 23 January 1940), also known simply as Areski, is a French singer, multi-instrumentalist, comedian and composer. == Biography == Areski grew up in Versailles, where his parents, of kabyle (Berber) descent, were welcoming Algerian musicians: "at my house, post-war stars, old chaâbi veterans, were coming to play at my parents' home." As an adolescent, he watched rehearsals, for Olympia concerts, by Édith Piaf, The Beatles or Jacques Brel, in the great room of the Cyrano cinema. He began in dancing clubs, second-rate restaurants, and then went on to play at weddings, playing popular hits, and began performing on stage thanks to catholic sponsorship.