Zawaya Proudly Presents ASWAT

Summer ConcertMusical Voices from Iran, Iraq and Points Beyond...

ASWAT, The Bay Area’s only Arab Ensembledirected 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

The College of San Mateo Theater San Mateo, California

This concert is sponsored in part by a generous donationfrom Mrs. Suzanne EL-Gamal

Program Design & Translation by: Fayeq Oweis - www.oweis.com

311- 41st Avenue. San Mateo, CA 94403www.zawaya.org - email: info@zawaya.org

(650) 341-3697

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 com-munity. 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 profes-sional level of competence and has made appearances in numer-ous 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: aswat02@hotmail.com

ASWAT

ASWAT Ensemble Wael Kakish : Artistic Director

Nabila Mango: Founder and Administrative DirectorBarney Jones : Voice Teacher

Lana Khalaf- Arabic Language TeacherJose-Antonio Nasser -Internet Administrator

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 ISHMAEL3. YA WARDI ‘ALA FULLI W-YASMIN TAQTUQA IN MAQAM AJAM BY SAYYID DARWISH (1892-1923) FEATURING FATEN, LANA & YASMEEN4. YA ASMAR EL LONE TRADITIONAL FOLK SONG FEATURING MUHAMMAD ON NAY, HANNA ON CELLO, AND VOCAL SOLOS BY BARNEY, FATEN, ISMAEL & PAT5. AWAZIL FALFILU COMPOSED BY FARID AL ATRASH IN MAQAM HIJAZ FEATURING HAJIM & JOSE6. ASWAT’S GUEST ARTIST: IRAQI MAQAM SINGER SAADOUN AL BAYATI

ASWAT

Summer Concert

Program-Part 1

1. ASWAT’S GUEST ARTIST: 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 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

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

Summer Concert

Program-Part 2

ZAWAYA 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: info@zawaya.org.

ZAWAYA Executive Committee:Dr. Fayeq Oweis, President

Duraid Musleh, Vice-PresidentMohammad Fahmi, Treasurer

Inas Elmashni, Secretary

Board Members: Haya Shawa Benhalim

Margaret Coyne, Nabila MangoMaher Sabry

Shahdan ShazlyDr. Lucia Volk

ASWAT

Acknowledgments

Afnan Dallasheh- PublicityAlice Nashashibi- Sponsorship

Arab American Legal Services-PromotionArab Cultural and Community Center SF-Promotion

Arab Cultural and Community Center San Jose-Promotion

Arab Film Festival-PromotionArab Resource and Organizing Center-Promotion

Casa Mango- Set DesignThe College of San Mateo

Julian Potulicki- Postcard DesignKPFA -Promotion

Marty Atkinson- SoundMiddle East Children Alliance-Promotion

NAAP-SF-PromotionRafique Keshavjee-Sponshorship

Wendy Phelphs al-Mukdad-Publicity

311- 41st Avenue. San Mateo, CA 94403www.zawaya.org - email: info@zawaya.org

(650) 341-3697

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 FarrellAmina Goodyear,

Ali al-HakimFaten Hellal

Barney JonesLana Khalaf

Nabila MangoMarwan Mero

Hajem al-MukdadWendy al-Mukdad

Jose-Antonio Nasser

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 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 four-times 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.

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.

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.

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!

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 youYou are carrying grapes, but underneath there are the apples

Everyone has his companion, and mine has goneI 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 disappearswhen the night darkens and the lanterns go off.

I swear on my eyes that I will not like anyone but youand my words will always be for you

They said you are a nice personYour 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 RiverMy 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.