Introductory Podcast
I play the music I played for Robin to come down the aisle in our wedding last year, explain my intent with the podcast, and end with a new composition.
View ArticleArabic violin history
I start with a long improvisation in Maqam Rast, and have a short discussion of the history of the violin in Arabic Music
View ArticleNikolai Ruskin plays Nay
Multi-instrumentalist Nikolai Ruskin plays the low C Nay (Arabic end-blown cane flute), with me accompanying on Rababa (Egyptian folk bowed string instrument). Nikolai discusses his feelings about the...
View ArticleAmir ElSaffar Sings Iraqi Maqam & plays Santour
Amir ElSaffar plays santour, an ancient Iraqi instrument (similar to a hammered dulcimer), and sings selections from Maqam Hwayzawi. We talk a little about how the Iraqi Maqam is different from other...
View ArticleJohnny Farraj on Riqq
Johnny talks about the riqq, (a tambourine-like hand drum) and its role in Arabic Music; He talks about the Takht (typical classical ensemble) and being Zabit il-Iqa (the leader of the rhythm), and...
View ArticleBrian Brunka Plays oud
Brian starts with an improvisation, we play one of his pieces (Aqsaq Nakriz), and we chat about the Oud, the Guitar, and his jazz playing in New Orleans and New York. We end with part of Mohamed Abdel...
View ArticleDameshe discusses dance
My wife Robin ("Dameshe") plays zills with me on Tamr hinna, talks about Egyptian film star and dancer Naima Akif, how she and I got interested in Egyptian Film music, and what we've been doing with...
View ArticleNicole LeCorgne on Percussion
Nicole plays frame drum with me, talks about how she got into percussion in Minneapolis, her recent visit to New Orleans, her photographs from Morocco, and her upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia. She also...
View ArticleAnne Elise plays Qanun
Anne Elise Thomas plays Qanun, an Arabic trapezoidal zither. We play doulab kurd and she improvises a bit. We chat about music pedagogy in Egypt & her recently completed thesis (congratulations,...
View ArticleSami Plays Doulab-s
I play a number of different short instrumental pieces of the genre Doulab (pl. dawalib), which is used to introduce a mode, a song, or an improvisation. I play some traditional syrian & egyptian...
View ArticleJohnny Farraj compares similar rhythms
Johnny plays riqq & demonstrates similar rhythms in 4/4, & shows how they can be interchanged. we use a few examples from pieces, and a little improvisation on these rhythms
View ArticleSmyrna Time Machine & Sinan Erdemsel part 1
We compare some maqams shared by the Greeks, Turks, & Arabs: specifically, Sikah & Huzam, Rast, and Saba. This podcast was recorded in camp 3 of Lark camp, in the Mendocino Woodlands in...
View ArticlePart 2 -Smyrna Time Machine and Sinan Erdemsel
Part 2 --just a continuation of episode 11.
View ArticleWael Kakish of Kan Zaman
Wael Kakish, the current director and one of the founders of Kan Zaman, a community-based Arabic music ensemble in Los Angeles, plays oud, sings a few songs, and talks about Kan Zaman. We are also...
View ArticleIntroductory Maqam Lesson
This is an introduction to my other podcast feed, maqamlessons.I took samples recorded from a class at Lark Camp this last August, and explain how the maqam lessons are structured & how best to use...
View ArticleErnest Lee Fischbach
Ernie, one of the real characters of Lark Camp, plays buzuki, sings the blues, and plays flamenco guitar. He also talks about the bands he almost was in ("The Monkees"), how Lark Camp was started,...
View ArticleFaisal Zidan on Riqq
Recorded in August at Lark Camp.Faisal Zidan, a Syrian percussionist from the SF Bay area, plays riqq, sings muwashshahat with me, plays some complicated rhythms (including a 32-beat rhythm for the...
View ArticleTareq Abboushi on Buzuq
Tareq, a longtime musical friend of mine, plays buzuq (a long-necked, fretted lute he refers to as "the banjo of the middle east"), and talks about his musical interests, from classical (he started...
View ArticleZikrayat Rehearses for APAP
This is half of a rehearsal for our showcase next week at the national convention of APAP (the Association of Performing Artist Presenters) here in New York City. It is a free concert, open to the...
View ArticleMicrotones in Arabic Music
This is a lecture/demo on microtones.I demonstrate the wide variety of microtones in use in Arabic music (by my count, at least 12 within a half step);I explain:1. the problems with describing the...
View ArticleZikrayat Live at Lotus outtakes part B
In the second half of the podcast, robin and I talk a little about our theatrical ambitions, our way of working together, and I talk about how I mastered the CD, with six 1-minute excerpts of...
View ArticleZikrayat Live at Lotus outtakes part A
In honor of the release of our new CD, "Zikrayat: Live at Lotus,"I have made a podcast featuring many of the pieces from the original performances that I had decided not to include on the CD. My wife...
View ArticleBridget Robbins on Nay and Flute
Bridget Robbins plays nay and flute; we play a turkish piece, a baroque flute duet, she plays an armenian piece, and we play some Arabic tunes... and some nice conversation...
View ArticleMark and Ling Shien Bell
Recorded after Lark Camp last year. Mark and Ling Shien are a husband and wife musician team based in Marin County, CA, in the Bay area. They've just released their latest CD "Spice Box" and updated...
View ArticleBrian Steeger, musician extraordinaire
This is the last podcast from last year's lark camp... as I depart for this year's camp... The incomparable Brian Steeger, one of the true characters from lark camp, plays some music, makes us laugh,...
View ArticleGlobal Youth Village 2007
The young students at the Global Youth Village play 3 pieces (doulab bayati, doulab sikah, doulab hijaz) they learned by ear in their first week, and talk about how learning arabic music is different...
View ArticleAnne Elise Thomas on Qanun
Anne Elise and I chat about The global youth village http://globalyouthvillage.org/, where we were teaching in July; and the Jefferson Center http://jeffcenter.org/ in Roanoke, VA, where she is the...
View ArticleAmir ElSaffar discusses "Two Rivers"
Amir ElSaffar, Iraqi-American Jazz Trumpet player, Singer and Santur player, discusses his newly released CD Two Rivers. He talks about the different ways he has combined Iraqi Music (of the Baghdad...
View ArticleIMA Awards, updated site
Dear Friends, Listeners, Fans,First, our Album "Zikrayat: Live at Lotus" has been named a Finalist in the 2008 Independent Music Awards! I'm very excited, but I need your help: fan's votes will...
View ArticleZikrayat at Alwan Nov. 17th
Before you listen, please take a minute and vote for us (Zikrayat) for the 2008 Independent Music Awards--we need your votes to win!vote here: www.musiciansatlas.comsee the post below for more...
View ArticleOff to San Francisco
Well, in a few hours i'll be getting on a plane to San Francisco for a week of rehearsals, workshops and a concert with Aswat, a Bay-Area-based Arabic choir and orchestra--at which I'll be one of...
View ArticleZikrayat at Joe's Pub, Sami at Queens Council on the Arts
Well, it's been a new life for me lately... I haven't been active with the podcasts or blog because I've been going through a lot of changes... though I'm embarrassed to say that I still have a few...
View ArticleQueens Community Arts Fund Blog
I've been posting some writings in my position as Director of the Queens Community Arts Fund... thoughts about public art and arts funding. Check out my blog...
View ArticleZikrayat at Joe's Pub as part of Brooklyn Maqam
In March of this year, the Brooklyn Arts Council (www.brooklynartscouncil.org) produced an amazing month-long festival featuring almost all of the performers of Arabic music in the New York City area,...
View ArticleArabic Music Classes (Maqam) coming in May
Arabic Music Classes (Maqam)taught by Sami Abu ShumaysMondays 7:30-9:00pmMay 4, 11, 18, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, July 6*no class May 25th (memorial day)Rates: $15/class; $50 for 4 classes;...
View ArticleFacebook, Maqam Lessons
I'm starting to "get" facebook, as I posted on my status yesterday--an easier way to casually chat about what i'm up to regularly. If you'd like to be my facebook friend, you can find me here:...
View ArticleMaqam Classes & New Writings
My paper presentation at the Society for Ethnomusicology's annual conference this past November, held in Mexico City, was a great success. A few of the ethnomusicologists in attendance told me they...
View ArticleMaqam Class in NYC part 1; new Maqam website
In honor of the launch of my new maqam website, the demo version of what will become the new maqamlessons.com, I am making available an audio recording of one of my recent maqam classes here in New...
View ArticleNahawand Class part 2; New Maqam Website
In honor of the launch of my new maqam website, the demo version of what will become the new maqamlessons.com, I am making available an audio recording of one of my recent maqam classes here in New...
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