HUZAM Ensemble performs Wednesday September 27 at Old Town School of Folk Music as part Chicago World Music Festival. Karim Nagi riqq Ronnie Malley oud Naeif Rafeh nay Mohannad Al Zahabi cello.
Al-Qasar
Al-Qasar
When continents collide, they make a thunderous sound. Al-Qasar creates the soundtrack to that fission. Arabian fuzz, they term it, a vision that's brazenly electric and deeply connected to its roots. The band was started in the Barbès neighborhood of Paris by producer Thomas Attar Bellier. The musicians came together from France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and the United States. Shows followed, first in Europe and then in the Middle East. They put out an EP in 2020, the widely-lauded Miraj, recorded in Cairo. On Al-Qasar's first full-length album, Who Are We? (out September 16, 2022), bass, drums and percussion create an irresistible groove, while electric saz and guitars build a wailing wall above, with Moroccan vocalist Jaouad El Garouge's ecstatic Arabic vocals, steeped in his Gnawa upbringing, inspired by history as it strides into the future. Like a psychedelic celebration on the dancefloor, it bristles with the kind of deep energy that makes Al-Qasar sound like the world's most dangerous wedding band. Al-Qasar's magnetic pull drew big names from around the world, such as The Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Sudanese innovator Alsarah, Algerian oud virtuoso Mehdi Haddab (Speed Caravan), and acclaimed Egyptian singer Hend Elrawy (Orange Blossom). Al-Qasar's music never wavers, pulling from the hypnotic roots of North African trance and threading it into a fabric with the elaborate beauty of Arabic scales and the shock and thrill of rock'n'roll. https://alqasar.bandcamp.com/album/who-are-we
World Music Festival Chicago (Sept 22 – Oct 1) brings global grooves by award-winning artists from around the world to the citywide, multi-venue festival featuring more than 30 artists and ensembles representing 22 countries and regions of the world.
The festival also celebrates 11 years of Ragamala, the largest all-night long presentation of live Indian classical music in the United States.
Register here and follow us on our social media platforms for updates, changes, and other announcements.
This event is free, however registration is encouraged to help us plan accordingly. Space may be limited, and your RSVP does not guarantee entry – so please arrive early.
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Twitter: @WMFChicago
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