Arts Canteen presents Sama’.
Sama’ literally means ‘listening deeply, intently’.
Drawing from a long history of indigenous traditions and incorporating diverse influences of surrounding cultures, music in Palestine and among the millions of Palestinians in diaspora offers a unique window on cultural and political events of the past century.
From the perspective of scholars, performers, composers, and activists, Palestinian Music and Song examines the many ways in which music has been a force of representation, nation building, and social action.
Last year, qanoon virtuoso Ibrahim Atari enchanted Brighton audiences when he played in a concert with young musicians from the Gaza Music School, part of the Edward Said National Conservatoire of Music (ESNCM).
Ibrahim returns to UK in June to play at the Friends Meeting House with Sama’, the ensemble he leads. The other musicians in Sama’ are Heather Bursheh, flute and voice, Øystein Bru Frantzen, bass guitar and Wassim Qassis, buzuk and percussion. The musicians are all linked to the Edward Said National Conservatoire of Music (ESNCM), Palestine’s leading music school. They will play classical and contemporary Middle Eastern music.
As is the tradition in Palestine and in the wider Middle-East, the music takes us on a journey through instrumental dialogues and improvisations. Sama’s playful flute and Arabic percussion weave between the moody buzuk and the resonant qanoon, within the rhythm set by the bass guitar. With serenity and artistic integrity, Sama’s rich sound will evoke an array of sensual enchantments.
Line Up :
Ibrahim Atari – Qanoon
Wassim Qassis – Buzuk & Percussion
Heather Bursheh – Flute & Voice
Øystein Bru Frantzen – Bass Guitar
Special thanks to Brighton & Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign (BHPSC).