Zawaya Proudly Presents A S WAT Summer Concert Musical Voices from Iran, Iraq and Points Beyond... ASWAT, The Bay Area’s only Arab Ensemble directed by Wael Kakish. Singing Muwashahat and Folk music from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Featured Artists: Iraqi Maqam Singer Saadoun al-Bayati Iranian Tar Virtuoso Sahba Motallebi Dabkah by Al-Juthoor Saturday June 2nd, 2007 311- 41st Avenue. San Mateo, CA 94403 www.zawaya.org - email: [email protected] (650) 341-3697

The College of San Mateo Theater San Mateo, California

This concert is sponsored in part by a generous donation from Mrs. Suzanne EL-Gamal Program Design & Translation by: Fayeq Oweis - www.oweis.com

ASWAT Summer Concert Program-Part 1 1. WASLA IN MAQAM NAHAWAND I. SAMA’I NAHAWAND INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION BY SAFAR ALI BASED ON 10/8 BEAT RHYTHM

II. QANUN TAQSIM INSTRUMENTAL IMPROVISATION BY ISHMAEL III. QUM YA NADIM MUWASHSHAH BY NADIM DARWISH ON 6/8 BEAT RHYTHM FEATURING SOLO BY MARWAN

IV. ZAHA FI KHADDAYK MUWASHSHAH BY KAMEL AL KHULA’I ON 3/4 BEAT RHYTHM

V. IL ‘UZOBIYYA TRADITIONAL FOLK SONG

2. BALAD AL MAHBUB INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION BY M. ABDEL WAHAB ENDS WITH TAQASIM ON BUZUQ BY WAEL, OUD BY ALA, VIOLIN BY HUSAIN & QANUN BY ISHMAEL

3. YA WARDI ‘ALA FULLI W-YASMIN TAQTUQA IN MAQAM AJAM BY SAYYID DARWISH (1892-1923) FEATURING FATEN, LANA & YASMEEN

4. YA ASMAR EL LONE TRADITIONAL FOLK SONG FEATURING MUHAMMAD ON NAY, HANNA ON CELLO, AND VOCAL SOLOS BY BARNEY, FATEN, ISMAEL & PAT

5. AWAZIL FALFILU COMPOSED BY FARID AL ATRASH IN MAQAM HIJAZ FEATURING HAJIM & JOSE

6. ASWAT’S GUEST ARTIST: IRAQI MAQAM SINGER SAADOUN AL BAYATI

ASWAT ASWAT Ensemble was founded in San Francisco in January 2000. The founder, Nabila Mango, is a Palestinian American, who is tremendously dedicated and active in the Bay Area community, took the initiative to create this family for the mere love of Arabic Music. The family grew, but the motive stayed the same. It is to enjoy the music, enhance the pride in Arabic Heritage and to introduce the beauty of that heritage to all neighbors in the community. ASWAT is a community ensemble for classical and folk Arabic music. It performs Muwashshahaat (Arabic poetry, sung in the tradition of al-andalus, Spain) as well as traditional and contemporary songs from the Arab World. It features a talented group of musicians playing the Oud, Qanoun, Violin, Daff, and Tabla. Over the past seven years, Aswat has achieved a professional level of competence and has made appearances in numerous colleges, universities, festivals and conferences in the Bay Area and Seattle, including the Golden Gate Science Academy. ASWAT welcomes anyone who is interested or even curious about Arabic music. To support ASWAT with your presence, membership or encouragement is the most worthwhile step towards raising awareness of the rich Arabic Heritage and culture through the beauty of its music. Contact ASWAT at: [email protected]

ASWAT Ensemble Wael Kakish : Artistic Director Nabila Mango: Founder and Administrative Director Barney Jones : Voice Teacher Lana Khalaf- Arabic Language Teacher Jose-Antonio Nasser -Internet Administrator

ASWAT Summer Concert Program-Part 2 1. ASWAT’S GUEST ARTIST: Z AWAYA is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Arabic Music, Art, Poetry, Literature, Theater, and Culture through instruction and presentation. ZAWAYA is a Tax-exempt, tax-deductible organization with 501(C)3 status. Zawaya was established in 2003 by a group of Arabs and Americans in the Bay Area to promote the public expression of Arab art and culture. By providing a forum for exhibiting all forms of Arab culture, we strive to create understanding of this rich heritage. Zawaya also sponsors Aswat, the only Bay Area Arab community choir, which has been promoting Arabic music for several years. Contact us at: [email protected].

PERSIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC ON TAR BY SAHBA MOTALLEBI

2. WASLA IN MAQAM JHARGA I. SAMA’I JHARGA AN INSTRUMENTAL INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING MUWASHSHAH

II. BASIMUN ‘AN LA’AL MUWASHSHAH BY TUNISIAN COMPOSER SALEH AL MAHDI

III. ROZANA MEDLEY TRADITIONAL FOLK MEDLEY FROM ALEPPO- SYRIA

3. ALF LAYLA WA LAYLA

ZAWAYA Executive Committee: Dr. Fayeq Oweis, President Duraid Musleh, Vice-President Mohammad Fahmi, Treasurer Inas Elmashni, Secretary

INSTRUMENTAL PIECE BY M. ABDEL WAHAB IN MAQAM BAYYATI

4. YA MSAFER WAHDAK A SONG BY M. ABDEL WAHAB FEATURING HUSAIN

5. ‘ALA BALAD AL MAHBUB A SONG BY UMM KALTHUM FEATURING YASMEEN

Board Members: Haya Shawa Benhalim Margaret Coyne, Nabila Mango Maher Sabry Shahdan Shazly Dr. Lucia Volk

6. DEBKE BY AL JUTHOOR LINE DANCE BY ASWAT’S GUEST DANCERS

7. SHATTI YA DUNYA A DEBKE STYLE SONG BY LEBANESE STAR SINGER FAIRUZ

8. RIDAHA, WAYN ‘AA RAMALLAH & SUBBU HAL GAHWA JORDANIAN FOLK MEDLEY IN MAQAM BAYYATI

ASWAT Ensemble Wael Kakish : Artistic Director Nabila Mango: Founder and Administrative Director

Instrumentalists: Muhammad Arrabi (Nay) Laoy Dahbour (Percussion) Hussain Dixon (Violin) Ishmael (Qanun) Wael Kakish (Buzuq, 'Oud) 'Ala Kallel ('Oud) Susu Pampanin(Percussion) Angela Ramsey(Violin) Hannah Sarvasy (Cello) Faisal Zedan (Percussion)

Vocalists Ismail Bustany Yasmeen Daifallah Pat Farrell Amina Goodyear, Ali al-Hakim Faten Hellal Barney Jones Lana Khalaf Nabila Mango Marwan Mero Hajem al-Mukdad Wendy al-Mukdad Jose-Antonio Nasser

ASWAT

Acknowledgments Afnan Dallasheh- Publicity Alice Nashashibi- Sponsorship Arab American Legal Services-Promotion Arab Cultural and Community Center SF-Promotion Arab Cultural and Community Center San JosePromotion Arab Film Festival-Promotion Arab Resource and Organizing Center-Promotion Casa Mango- Set Design The College of San Mateo Julian Potulicki- Postcard Design KPFA -Promotion Marty Atkinson- Sound Middle East Children Alliance-Promotion NAAP-SF-Promotion Rafique Keshavjee-Sponshorship Wendy Phelphs al-Mukdad-Publicity

311- 41st Avenue. San Mateo, CA 94403 www.zawaya.org - email: [email protected] (650) 341-3697

Featured Artists: Wael Kakish The new artistic director of Aswat is Wael Kakish. Long-time director of Kan Zaman in Southern California, he has directed performances in numerous venues and has taught at universities, art centers, and music camps. Kakish has training in both Arabic and Western music at universities in Jordan and the United States. He began public performance in childhood when he was taught by his father, a musician and Oudh player.

Saadoun Al-Bayati Born in Baghdad, Saadoun Al-Bayati has performed the music of Iraq and other parts of the Arab Middle East since childhood. His voice training began with Qur'anic recitation, in which fine precision in tone and articulation is required. He has pursued studies in acting at the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked in theater, but his passion is for the structures of Middle Eastern music especially the maqamat. He has performed concerts through the United States.

Samar Al-Bayati Dadah

RIDAHA, WAYN ‘AA RAMALLAH & SUBBU HAL GAHWA I want her! How can I not ask for her? Young, a full bloom, and a honey-like Oh singing doves in the towers! I didn't think my love will one day leave. Oh my love! Are you traveling to Ramallah? You stole my heart, aren't you afraid of God? Oh my love! Why are you leaving me behind? I ask God that you become my destiny. Please pour the coffee and put more cardamom Serve it to our honorable guests before they dismount from their horses. We greet and value our guests; we fight those who do them any harm Our coffee is served first to those generous people, The ones who keep their lights illuminating the dark nights.

Percussionist Samar Al-Bayati Dadah has performed with her father, Saadoun Al-Bayati, since she was 12 years old. In addition, she is frequently called to teach dancers and musicians the powerful spiritual and healing rhythms of the Middle East. She founded the International Drummers for Peace in Orange County, comprising 20 drummers of all ages and ethnicities, and plays each Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Costa Mesa.

Sahba Motallebi Born in Tehran, Sahba Motallebi studied at conservatories in Iran, Saint Petersburg, and Turkey. She is a master player of Tar and Sitar, and was fourtimes recognized as the best Tar player in the Iranian music festival. She is a member of the Iranian national orchestra and travels the world to present Persian music. She lives and teaches in Southern California, passing on her knowledge of the improvisational methods of Persian music.

Al-Juthoor Al-Juthoor (the roots) is a San Francisco-based folkloric dance troupe dedicated to presentation of traditional Palestinian dance, music and culture. Through culture, Al-Juthoor makes its contribution to the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. To Al-Juthoor, debkah is more than a celebration. It is a political statement arousing the world's conscience to the injustice occurring in Palestine. The dance troupe Al-Juthoor uses the art of debkah to symbolize passion and steadfastness while awaiting return.

SHATTI YA DUNYA (Rain) Oh Sky! Rain! So our season becomes festive. With water, our crops will grow and become higher Keep your eyes on the house, and on the fence full of rose buds Tomorrow when the rain stops, We will meet among the blossoms, We will celebrate, will cultivate, and will pick up the grapes Wait for me! Don't leave me alone. I gathered flowers, Jasmines and carnations for you I carry a flower in one hand, and my heart is in the other hand I am afraid I will find you far away. Wait for me! In the fields where the grapes are dancing of the wind Hide me in the shadows of your eyes I am wounded of your love Say more! Sing and let's promise to cultivate the land.

ROZANA* Oh! Rozana, Oh! Rozana! All the delights belong to her. What did the Rozana do? May God Reward her! If you are going to Aleppo, my love is going with you You are carrying grapes, but underneath there are the apples Everyone has his companion, and mine has gone I wish a breeze can bring her back I will go to the top of the mountain and look at the valley, and say: welcome to the breeze of my homeland Oh God! I wish I get my desire before the moon disappears when the night darkens and the lanterns go off. I swear on my eyes that I will not like anyone but you and my words will always be for you They said you are a nice person Your charm has no similar and my heart also likes you I will stay up all night, drink wine, and love the Brown-Skinned with beautiful figure Why are you getting angry? She wasn't angry because of me. She got angry on her own. I will fill up the jar from the water of Al-'Aasi River My love has a headache; I wish I have it instead of her. * This is an old Folkloric song that dates back many years. There are a lot of theories on where the name Rozana came from. One of the most common ones is that of an Italian ship named Rozana that was suppose to deliver some food to Lebanon but sunk in the way while people were still waiting for it.

YA WARDI ‘ALA FULLI W-YASMIN (The Flowers Seller) I have Roses, I have Jasmines! Oh my God look at these Carnations! You are walking gracefully and your fez is tilted on your head, why don't you put a jasmine in the pocket of your jacket? Come on down! Take a flower, take a carnation! Take a Rose for your sweetheart; flowers are adornments of gardens. Let the fragrance of this flower melt with yours Please don't let me down! Take two flowers, my name is Narcissus If you don't buy, I will scream and say: He is bankrupt!