Al-Andalus Ensemble 21 String Classical-World Quartet to perform at Tanger Trance Festival, Museum

Nov. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Al-Andalus Ensemble “21 Strings” Classical-World Quartet to perform at Tanger Trance Festival, Meseum Rietberg, Zürich

CONTACT: Al-Andalus Ensemble Events; www.Andalus.com,  music@andalus.com;   T +001 (503) 230-2379

WHAT:   A rare opportunity to see the Al-Andalus Ensemble to perform. Tanger Trance Festival, Museum Rietberg, Zürich

WHEN:   Thursday, November 25, 2010      

WHERE:   Museum Rietberg Gablerstrasse 15  8002 Zürich T. +41 (0)44 206 31 31.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/ziriab#p/a/u/0/GjT7YaLqleI

DETAILS:   Experience a rare opportunity to see the Al-Andalus Ensemble.
Winners of the Peoples Grammy Award for “Best World Music Song of 2009.”
VOX POP Award for the "Best Contemporary Classical Album" of 2010 in the 9th annual Independent Music Awards program

AL-ANDALUS ENSEMBLE
“A delightful proposition of exquisite music” -El Pais, Madrid, Spain

Led by oudist Tarik Banzi, and joined by Grammy violinist Charlie Bisharat, the Al-Andalus Ensemble is internationally known for exploring a creative fusion that etches a fine line between the exquisite and raw, the passionate and powerful. Listeners enjoy a confluence of the best of the East and West while the ensemble’s sophisticated artists soulfully merge classical, jazz and contemporary music with musical traditions from the Middle East, North Africa and Spain. Al-Andalus’s repertoire and artistic philosophy embodies a new sonic vision embracing our global cultural heritage.

Charting new terrain with Grammy-winning violinist, Charlie Bisharat, this contemporary
World-chamber quartet of oud, violin and guitar with voice gracefully moves between the classical and the modern. By subtly interweaving tradition and sophisticated innovation to create an intricate musical tapestry that they perform with freshness and originality, Al-Andalus Ensemble has earned a devoted international audience.

Historically, Al-Andalus refers to Spain from 711-1492 AD. During these eight centuries, Andalusian Spain witnessed a cultural melding between Africa, the East and the West, as well as among Christians, Jews and Muslims.  An outstanding model of inclusion and tolerance, Al-Andalus was renown for the synergy of diverse cultures that resulted in remarkable artistic, scientific and cultural enlightenments. The period of Al-Andalus produced profound and far-reaching consequences, setting the stage for the European Renaissance. It provides an exemplary historical model to rise above modern-day conflicts and challenges. The Al-Andalus Ensemble locates its creative impetus in the rebirth of Al-Andalus in todays cultural landscape.

The Al-Andalus Ensemble has pursued a singular artistic vision reminding us that the intricate interplay of diverse voices is the geography of cultural harmony.

The Al-Andalus Ensemble’s Tangier Trance concert will unveil traditional and contemporary songs sung in Arabic, Ladino (Sephardic Jewish) Spanish and Turkish, with music  from North Africa, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Andalusian Spain and the Levant.   Rich instrumentation will include the oud (parent of the Renaissance lute), violin, ney (Arab reed flute) and flamenco guitar, to create music that offers parallels and contrasts between the old and the new.

We would appreciate it greatly if you would please assist us in bringing this unique event to the attention of the public.  More information about the ensemble, including high resolution images, sound files and information is available at the Al-Andalus Ensemble website: www.Andalus.com.

Thank you for helping to further the advancement of international understanding, goodwill & peace by supporting a group that reflects a place and time where Christians, Jews & Muslims lived together for a cultural flourishing: Al-Andalus.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

TARIK BANZI (Oudist, Composer) traces his roots back to Al Andalus, Spain. He was born to one of the old Andalusian families in Tetuan, Morocco and grew up immersed in the Andalusian musical tradition. Tarik has collaborated with flamenco and Jazz masters such as Paco de Lucia, Manolo Sanlucar, Enrique Morente and Jorge Pardo and has introduced cornerstones of modern flamenco such as the darbuka (clay or metal drum) and Udu (clay pot drum). Tarik’s musical versatility can be heard in the works of Classical, Jazz, Folk, New Age, Rock and World Music artists such as Billy Oskay (Nightnoise), Guadalquivir, La Trinca, Tijeritas, Michael Shreive and Graham Leer (Carlos Santana), Dan Crary, Carolyn Cruso, Lief Sorby, Magical Strings, Paul Winter, John Doan, Oregon Repertory Singers and Enrique Valdivieso. Tarik’s students Fain Duenas and Vicente Molina went on to form the Grammy-nominated World music group Radio Tarifa. Tarik is an accomplished visual artist who completed his Doctoral studies in Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.

CHARLIE BISHARAT (Violinist) His work has graced the albums of such pop artists as Alanis Morissette, The Rolling Stones, Jane’s Addiction, and Aerosmith. He can be heard on the works of Jazz and World Music artists Strunz & Farah, Don Grusin, and Oscar Castro-Neves. His expertise has been featured on the big screen in soundtracks such as Swordfish, Texas Rangers, Steal Big Steal Little and on the small screen on The Drew Carey Show and Friends. A Grammy-winning performer, Mr. Bisharat has toured the world time and again with Jazz and New Age groups as varied as Shadowfax, Kitaro, Yanni and John Tesh. He has composed and produced tracks for record-setting album projects as well. His range of styles has led him from pop to jazz to classical, and he is often heard subbing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. A published author as well, Charlie has written and recorded the jazz improvisational book and CD Beyond Classical Violin for Cherry Lane Music. His works for small ensembles range from the original opus Lying In Wait by the all-female quartet Cello, to string arrangements for rock guitarist Andy Summers of The Police. Charlie continues to travel the globe performing in concert and recording with some of the most accomplished musicians of our time.

JULIA BANZI (Ph.D) (Guitarist, Ethnomusicologist) The world of guitar boasts few women who ignite the sound of the guitar, and in the flamenco culture, even fewer still. Julia lived in Spain for over a decade, where she specialized in flamenco and established herself as one of the very few female flamenco guitarists worldwide. In Andalucia, and later at Madrid’s Amor de Dios studios, Julia worked accompanying notable dance instructors such as Ciro, La Tate & Manolete and studied with some of Spain’s finest guitarists including Manolo Sanlucar, Isidro Muñoz, David Serva, Felipe Maya and Juan Maya “Marote.” Her passion for flamenco led her to explore its roots in an academic context, and she completed her doctorate in Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her work reflects her many years of living, studying and performing throughout the world. She teaches guitar at Reed College and Lewis & Clark College

EMILY MILES (Voice) is one of Portland, Oregns (Pink Martini) up-and-coming young singers. She grew up in Seattle, and later spent time living and studying in the Canary Islands, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College where she completed research on the Cuban hip-hop movement and the music of the Farmworker Movement, two projects that deepened her understanding of music as a powerful tool of social change, organization and cultural dignity. Emily brings a distinctly North American element to the Al-Andalus Ensemble, adding American roots and blues influences to the group’s already multicultural repertoire.

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Events that promote international peace through the arts and music with a special focus on the USA, Spain and the Middle East.