#3778: Voices of the Near/Middle East

On this New Sounds show, listen to great voices in Arabic, from the Middle East and North Africa, (or the Maghreb –considered to be the coastal plains of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and western Libya.) Israeli cantor, and Lebanese Christian nun who sings in Arabic, along with a Syrian wedding singer and an Algerian Rai singer. 

Hear vocal acrobatics in mawals (improvisations) from the Moroccan-born Israeli cantor Emil Zrihan who sings not in Hebrew, but in Arabic. Then, there’s music from Abdel Ali Slimani, a Rai singer from Algeria who traveled and worked around Europe to eventually settle in England, finding a home amongst the North African community in London. Also, listen to the Paris-based Lebanese nun, Sister Marie Keyrouz, who specializes in the ancient Christian musical traditions of the near east, yet sings in Arabic. On her recording of “O Lord, you have leaned down from heaven,” the sounds are close to those of traditional Jewish cantorial singing, or Muslim calls to prayer.

Then, take a listen to music from Syrian wedding singer Omar Souleyman, who has made over 500 albums, many of them live recordings from weddings at which he has performed. (Note: Kronos Quartet has performed many arrangements of songs by Omar Souleyman.) Also, hear astounding melismatic Arabic singing in music from Lebanese-Canadian musician Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, who performs under the moniker, Jerusalem in My Heart. Plus, listen to singers from Iran, the sisters Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, who sing in not in Arabic, but in Kurdish (the stateless people spread between Iran, Iraq, Syria & Turkey.) That, and more. 

PROGRAM #3778 Voices of the Middle East (First Aired 09-24-2015)