ARABIC SERIES
CAFÉS
The Arabic Series of Dash Cafés ran from April 2011 – April 2012. A powerful celebration of Arabic artistic identity, this series of Dash Cafés challenged preconceived notions of Arabic culture by offering new perspectives and showcasing unheard voices.
The Dash Cafés in Arabic Series presented artists from North Africa, the near East and the Arab Diaspora.
A special one-off Arabic Café: "An Arab Spring?"
A panel conversation and live music from U-cef and The Arab League
25th October 2012 | The Flyover, London
A lively panel of journalists, academics, artists and activists with first-hand experience from the region, came together to debate how the media has shaped our ideas of the “Arab Spring”.
The panel included Dr Fatima El-Issawi, LSE journalist, analyst, and Research Fellow whose work looks at transformations in the Arab media industry within the current uprisings; Vanessa Hogkinson, a visual artist whose work engages in dialogue with Islamic art and culture; Dr Anne Alexander, Cambridge University research fellow who studies the use of digital media by movements for political and social change; and Khalid Abdalla, British-Egyptian actor, star of The Kite Runner, an active participant in the Tahrir Square protests and a founder member of citizen journalism collective Mosireen.
The panel was chaired by Turi Munthe, founder of citizen journalism website Demotix.
Ending the night, U-Cef And The Arab League brewed an excellent blend of traditional magrehbi music fused with dub, jazz and fresh urban beats that transported us from West London deep into the heart of the Sahara.
Part of the Nour Festival.
Art & Conflict - The Case of Syria
4th April 2012 | Rich Mix, London
A conversation around Art and Conflict – the Case of Syria with live music from the Dash Café house band. In association with Literature Across Frontiers and Firefly International.
What is the role of art in situations of conflict? Can art convey the horrors of war, interpret conflict and reveal human nature caught in the middle of inhuman conditions in ways fundamentally different from journalistic reporting? How can art that responds to conflict empower both the makers and the viewers?
These and other questions were discussed in a panel chaired by The Independent columnist and commentator Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, in conversation with the author of The Road from Damascus Robin Yassin-Kassab, Al-Hayat journalist and prose writer Ghalia Kabbani, cultural activist and director of Reel Syria Dan Gorman, and others.
Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi
7 March 2012 | Rich Mix, London
Born in Tunis, Emel is a songwriter, composer, guitarist and singer bringing an amazing new sound to Tunisian music. Endowed with an outstanding voice, she evokes Joan Baez, Sister Marie Keyrouz and the Lebanese diva Fairouz. Her captivating style is lyrical, with powerful rock, oriental and trip hop influences.
Emel began her artistic career at the age of 8 on stage at the small amphitheatre in the Ibn Sina suburb of Tunis where she lived until the age of 25. She then moved to France to pursue her career as a singer. One of her songs “Kelmti Horra” (My Word Is Free) was taken up by the Arab Spring revolutionaries and sung on the streets of Tunis.
Dash Café and Zenith Foundation present
Vanishing Spaces; short films from Syria and Palestine
1 February 2012 | Rich Mix, London
6 shorts from Syria and Palestine (total 80 mins) that reflect everyday lives played out in extraordinary circumstances and poignantly recorded places and peoples that have endured existential turning points. Vanishing Spaces was presented by Zenith Foundation in summer 2011 as part of the London wide Shubbak Festival to great audience and critical acclaim.
““These observational art-house films present a vital addition to intellectual thought and artistic production” ”
El-Andaluz
7th December 2011 | Rich Mix, London
El-Andaluz are the leading exponents in London of classical Arabic and Andalusian music. El-Andaluz took the audience on a journey around the Southern shores of the Mediterranean, beginning with a poetic and reflective Andalusian Nuba, then travelling on to the trance-like Sufi music of the Sahara. They never fail to end the evening by getting the audience on their feet dancing to the celebratory Chaabi music of Algeria or to a classical Egyptian belly dance and this night at Rich Mix was no exception.
Seeds of Creation
2nd November 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Seeds of Creation were established in 1980 by Berber musician, Seddik Zebiri, who, after travelling around the world, sought to create a band to explore his multi-cultural influences. As a six-piece band, complete with sax, trumpet, drums and bass, Seeds of Creation played an intriguing blend of traditional and popular Algerian music, mixed with reggae, Sahara blues, Gnawa trance and a touch of jazz. Having played in venues including the Royal Albert Hall and the Hackney Empire, Seeds of Creation got all of Rich Mix dancing!
Hjaz
5th October 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Hjaz is an inspired blend of Middle Eastern Song and Western Jazz. Egyptian/German singer Merit Ariane Stephanos, jazz pianist/composer Alcyona Mick and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Hall are breaking new ground, exploring Arab and jazz traditions through improvisation and experimentation. They drew on material from Lebanese legend Fayrouz, Arabic and Andalusian Mwashshahat, Sephardic songs and performed their own compositions.
“Middle Eastern intonation, elegance and emotional intimacy … built to a cinematic depth”
Vortex Jazz Reviews 2008
Director Tim Supple in Conversation
7th September 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Fresh from the UK premiere of Dash Arts' One Thousand and One Nights at Edinburgh International Festival, Dash Co-Artistic Director, Tim Supple discussed the joys and challenges of dramatising Hanan al-Shaykh's adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights. The show was performed and created by actors, musicians and designers drawn entirely from the Arabic speaking world and reveals the true character of these ancient stories. The night included readings from Shahrazad, discussion about the origins of these tales and debate about why they are so relevant today.
Chaired by Marina Warner.
A Night of Live Music
3rd August 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Founded by local legend Seddik Zebiri in 1979, Seeds of Creation pull on their lead man’s Algerian roots, well-travelled background and life experience, along with his diverse collection of fellow musicians. The sound churned out by this six-piece band, complete with sax, trumpet and bass, is irresistably danceable with an urban edge deeply steeped in North African traditional vibes. Seeds of Creation brought an excellent mix of traditional Berber music, fused with Afro-Blues, reggae, Jazz and raw psychedelic sounds that took us from the East-end of London deep into the heart of the Sahara.
A Night of Films & Live Music: Phatwa and Slingshot Hiphop
6th July 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Part of the Mayor’s Shubbak Festival, this Dash Café was a night of live music and film, featuring a cinematic double bill of Phatwa and Slingshot Hiphop, plus live music from our Dash house band Fantazia Duo. Phatwa, (directed by Hala al Salam 2009) is a short music video based on Hala’s musician brother Yassin Al Salam’s personal experiences at the hands of US border control, and Slingshot Hiphip (directed by Jackie Reem Salloum 2008) depicts the lives of Palestinian musicians across Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
Fantazia played a breathtakingly rootsy set of Gnawa, Chaabi and Dance, which drew on the vibrant rhythms and rich musical tradition of North Africa. Built around the original compositions of Algerian oud player Yazid, Fantazia’s irresistible grooves created a sizzling party atmosphere.
Adel Salemeh & Naziha Azzouz LIVE
1st June 2011 | Rich Mix, London
Paris based Adel Salameh joined us to launch his new album Awda, with the beautiful vocals of Naziha Azzouz. Palestinian oud player and composer, Adel Salameh was born in Nablus, Palestine, in 1966. He started performing as a soloist while still living in the Arab World, but immigrated to Europe in 1990. He quickly established a reputation as one of the finest performers of the oud. He has performed in more than thirty countries including Japan, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, and numerous countries in North Africa and Europe.
The JazzAilleurs
6th April 2011 | Rich Mix, London
The Jazz’ailleurs play classical Arabic, Berber and Andalusian music from the Sahara with a hint of jazz. They were led by oud (Arab lute) player Yazid Fentazi who has performed with Cheb Mami, Cheb Sahraoui and the Turqui Brothers. His playing has been compared to that of the great Anouar Brahem. He was accompanied by the bass player Zad Adda, percussionist Eric Ford and pianist Eric Jerome.