Arabology: Pop Culture in the Arab World

Arabology Ep 7 Podcast (May 24, 2012) ft Arabic Lecturer Dr. Eva Hashem, Student Cyana Chilton, Film Review, Music!

2012-05-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Episode 7 of Arabology aired on May 24, 2012 with guests Dr. Eva Hashem, Cyana Chilton, tons of alternative Arabic songs plus movie review of 'Monsieur Lazhar' by Ahmad Qousi (see more info below).

LISTEN: http://tinyurl.com/arabologys2e7 DOWNLOAD: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/60294

http://tinyurl.com/arabologys2e7

The 7th Episode of the 2nd Season of 'Arabology' (aired May 24, 2012) includes my interview with Arabic Lecturer Dr. Eva Hashem who discusses the challenges and benefits of teaching Arabic at Stanford plus an interview with Cyana Chilton, a Stanford studemt of Arabic who discusses her linguistic journey as well her stay in Morocco last year.

Show also features a film review of 'Monsieur Lazhar' by Ahmad Qousi as well as music tracks by Yasmine Hamdan, Toot Ard, Tania Kassis, Dam, Mike Massy, Adonis, Tania Saleh, Joubran Trio, Cheb Khaled, Emel Mathlouthi, Zeid Hamdan, Dub Snakkr, and Martin Leon.

Complete Playlist available at http://zookeeper.stanford.edu/index.php?action=viewDJ&seq=selList&playlist=23542

LISTEN at http://tinyurl.com/arabologys2e7 OR DOWNLOAD at http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/60294

My Interviews with Eva Hashem and Cyana Chilton

2012-05-26T15:12:00.001-07:00

Interview with Eva Hashem and Cyana Chilton

Saudi Director Haifaa Al Mansour's Film 'Wadjda'

2012-05-26T11:02:00.004-07:00

The film director who's not allowed to go to the movies - CNN.com

By Catriona Davies, CNN

For full article see http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/25/world/meast/saudi-film-wadjda-mansour/index.html

CNN.com

(CNN) -- Haifaa Al Mansour has just directed one of the first feature films ever to be made in Saudi Arabia. But she won't be able to watch it at her local theater, because cinemas are banned in the kingdom.

The film, called "Wadjda," after its protagonist, is billed as the first to be filmed entirely in Saudi Arabia with an all-Saudi cast. It is currently in post-production and being touted for worldwide sales at the Cannes Film Festival.

Al Mansour, 39, worked for an oil company until the age of 30, when she decided to give up her job to pursue her passion.

"When I turned 30, I really wanted to have a voice," said Al Mansour. "People don't listen to women in Saudi, they just jump to the next man to speak. I loved films and just decided to become a filmmaker."

She studied film in Sydney, Australia, and has previously made three short films and a documentary. She is Saudi Arabia's first female film director, according to the production company.

The film, written and directed by Al Mansour, tells the story of an 11-year-old girl growing up in traditional society in the suburbs of Riyadh and desperate for a bicycle, which she's not allowed.

"I have a niece, she is very bright and always wanted to do things, but her family is traditional and as she grew older wanted her to stay at home like everyone else," said Al Mansour. "I based the story around her.

"Outdoor activities like riding a bicycle are not allowed for girls. It's not exactly against the law, but she would get into trouble."

Al Mansour hopes that Wadjda will help to change attitudes to both women and films in Saudi Arabia. "I hope it will inspire many girls in Saudi to become filmmakers," she said. "That makes me very proud.

"People have contacted me with death threats, but that doesn't matter to me. Everyone in the media business in Saudi receives death threats."

For full article see http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/25/world/meast/saudi-film-wadjda-mansour/index.html

Gaza: Tunnels to Nowhere: Film at Stanford this Tues May 29

2012-05-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

The Stanford Center for International Development

invites you to a public screening of:

Gaza: Tunnels to Nowhere

A short documentary of the political economy of child labor

in the smuggling tunnels

presented by

Visiting Associate Professor Miriam Abu Sharkh, SCID

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

4:30 – 6:00 pm

Followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.

Gunn Building, 366 Galvez, Stanford University

Koret-Taube Conference Room (#120)

Refreshments will be served

To attend, please RSVP by May 25^th

to gsolon@stanford.edu or (650) 723-3859

Englabic: A Poem by Marianne Nsour

2012-05-25T01:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a poem by Marianne Nsour, an American from Fremont who lived in Jordan for about 11 years and speaks 'Jordanian' very well and has a passion for the Arabic language/culture.

Englabic by Marianne Nsour

For students of Arabic, life can be hectic.
But before you panic please have a look
At thirty-four words you already know:

Bent means girl not out of shape.
Rockabye is your neck at the nape.
Fool are broad beans; lift means beets.
A foreign’s an oven for baking a treat.
Shanty’s a purse, not a worthless house
And a far is a scampering, runaway mouse.
Tell means hill and ghoul means tell
And guess what beer is? A water well.
Change she to he and he to who.
Then to ask what, just say shoe.

The girl’s name Anna is how to say I
And mean is who and not a bad guy.
Shy is tea and jelly, dishwashing.
Bait is a house and not for fishing.
If something is open, it’s really fat’
And when it‘s over, it’s really mat.
Something coming later is so bad
And if it stays a while, indeed it’s sad.
Sin means tooth, not degradation
And boom’s an owl, not detonation

Gal is not girl; it means he said
And deign is a loan to put you in red.
Dean is religion with its saving grace.
Tomb is the mouth, not the burial place.
A little bull-bull is a talking bird
And not disclaimers of spoken words
And what-what is another bird that
We westerners call the bat.
Men means from, not the plural of man
And once upon a time is simply can.
Hat and hack are give and take
And hub the world go round does make.

Now you know thirty-four words so don’t despair.
Soon you’ll speak Arabic with a fluent flair
And every time you say a mouthful,
You’re on your way to being a bull-bull.

New French PM Jean-Marc Ayrault's Last Name Causes Giggles in the Arab World

2012-05-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

The new French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault's last name sounds like an Arabic slang word for 'his penis.'

Pronounced properly in French, the last name sounds like a 'naughty' Lebanese and Palestinian term that is widely understood in the Arabic world. The name has left broadcasters trying to determine if they should pronounce it as the prime minister does -- "ai-roh" -- or if they should resort to voicing the "L" and "T" in the written word.

Here is a report from CNN.com about this topic followed by a TV report, in Arabic, from the Arabic TV Channel Al-Jadeed.

اسم رئيس حكومة فرنسا "ايرو"... مشكلة للصحافيين

Bassem Youssef in 'America in Arabic' (June 16) at College of San Mateo

2012-05-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

This *LIVE* political satire features Bassem Youssef, an Egyptian TV host and political satirist, who has become famous throughout the Middle East. His show, first entitled as the 'B+ Show' and then 'El-Bernameg (the Program)', received wide acclaim, leading to over 50,000,000 downloads off of his YouTube channel. He is also a cardiothoracic surgeon who assisted the wounded in Tahrir Square during the 18 day uprising that led to the resignation of then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. He has been profiled throughout the Arab press, al-Jazeera, the Guardian (UK) and Bloomberg Businessweek (USA).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/08/egyptians-programme-blasphemous-tv-satire
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-29/bassem-youssef-egypts-jon-stewart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeQLhiY5ZGw&feature=youtube_gdata

Tickets now available on

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/251293

Guests include:

Comedian Sammy Obeid

(http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/comics/SammyObeid)

Comedian Mo Na

(http://www.youtube.com/monadoesfunny)

Sword Martial Artist Osama Nasser

Multi-instrumentalist Mohammad Nejad

(http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/video/michael-nejad/1401883)

The Aswat Women Ensemble

(www.zawaya.org)

Event proceeds will benefit the Egypt Cancer Network 57357 and AFNCI (ECN).

(www.egyptcancernetwork.org)

Hedy Habra`s Short Story Collection 'Flying Carpets' Released

2012-05-21T21:08:00.003-07:00

Hedy Habra`s short story collection, Flying Carpets has just been released from March Street Press (ISBN 1-59661-168-5).

Habra`s 21 stories are steeped in memories of her childhood in Egypt and Lebanon, and offer a glimpse of a way of life, in an attempt to recapture voices, scenes, and situations through the transformative power of memory and imagination. Characters evolve from 1936 to the late seventies, then become less rooted in time and space, as surreal, dreamlike elements intensify.

Stories in Flying Carpets recover lost, partially forgotten and imaginary spaces, progressing from the concrete to the universal with a touch of magic realism. Throughout the book, storytelling and fortunetelling evoke a mythical past that is at the same time lost yet alive. Love, loss, alternate worlds, the yearning for origin and the need to reinvent oneself through art permeate its pages.

Hedy Habra`s FLYING CARPETS is a collection of enchantments and wonders charmingly recounted, deeply imagined, and composed with lyrical exactitude. It belongs to that rare tradition of books whose spells grow increasingly seductive with each new story. "

Stuart Dybek, author of Coast of Chicago and Sailing With Magellan

The culmination of twenty years of work, Flying Carpets is a book of self-reflection. Some of the stories evoke the fascination with divination powers, others portray the efforts of a woman to resist a controlling husband, an old nanny whose survival relies on her abilities to invent new stories to put the children to sleep, a woman who returns after decades to the house where she was born and confronts her past in an unexpected way.

Hedy Habra, born and raised in Egypt, is of Lebanese origin. She has lived in both countries as well as in Greece and Belgium before making her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She received her MFA and a PhD in Spanish Literature from Western Michigan University where she currently teaches. Her poetry and fiction in French Spanish and English have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Parting Gifts, Puerto del Sol, The New York Quarterly, Cider Press Review, Nimrod, Poet Lore, Inclined to Speak and Dinarzad`s Children Second Edition. Her critical essays have appeared in literary journals such as Chasqui and Latin American LiteraryReview.

Her scholarly book Mundos alternos y artísticos en Vargas Llosa is forthcoming from Editorial Iberoamericana/Vervuert.

FOR MORE INFO:

Press Release: http://thesop.org/story/20120428/hedy-habras-short-story-collection-flying-carpets-released.html

Gazette article http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/04/wes

Radio interviews: http://wmuk.org/arts-and-more/select/274001/

http://wkzo.com/podcasts/lori-moore-show/flying-carpets/

Podcast from Episode 6 of 'Arabology' (aired May 17, 2012) Available at http://radio4all.net/index.php/program/60085

2012-05-17T23:22:00.002-07:00

Arabology Season 2 Episode 6 Podacst a http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/60085

The 6th Episode of the 2nd Season of 'Arabology' (aired May 17, 2012) was entirely devoted to showcasing the alternative/experimental music scene in Lebanon, including songs by Mashrou' Leila, Soapkills (ft Zeid Hamdan), Rayess Bek, Tania Saleh, Mike Massy, Ziyad Sahhab, Youmna Saba, Scrambled Eggs, Malikah, Adonis, Rima Khcheich, Darine Hamze, The New Government, Yasmine Hamdan and more.

Show also features interview with Nour Chammas, an Arab-American attorney and expert in Immigration Law and Civil Liberties who discusses issues related to Arab American civil rights in today's America as well as offers his perspective on Lebanese music and culture.

TO LISTEN: Click HERE

DOWNLOAD: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/60085

Hala Gabriel Speaks about her Documentary 'Road to Tantura' in San Jose

2012-05-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

Hala Gabriel speaking in San Jose on May 15, 2012

Hala Gabriel, a Los Angeles based filmmaker, spoke about her film Road to Tantura at the 11th annual Palestinian Cultural Day on Tuesday, May 15 at the Santa Clara County Government Center in San Jose. Celebration also featured: Flag Raising and Proclamation followed by a Reception with Palestinian cuisine. This event was free and open to the public, sponsored by the Palestinian Heritage Committee.

The Road to Tantura is a gripping documentary film by Hala Gabriel that follows a Los Angeles woman as she delves into the history of her family's past.

In 1948, her family left their homeland of Palestine, forced into refugee camps in Syria, and years later landed as immigrants in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

To view a short version of the film or read about it, see http://www.roadtotantura.com/

Screening of Award-Winning Documentary 'Budrus' on Thursday 5/17 at Stanford

2012-05-16T15:45:00.001-07:00

Budrus is an award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who united his community and Israeli supporters in an unarmed movement to save his village of Budrus from destruction by Israel's Separation Barrier. The screening of this film will take place at 8 PM on Thursday May 17 at Stanford University in the Haas Center (DK Room). Read more and see the trailer here.

Radio4all.net site, which houses all my podcasts, is back online

2012-05-16T15:08:00.003-07:00

The radio4all.net site, which houses all my podcasts, is back online.

You can download all previous episodes of Arabology at http://radio4all.net/index.php/series/Arabology

Yasmine Hamdan to Release New Album on May 21, 2012

2012-05-14T23:16:00.001-07:00

Yasmine Hamdan's new self-titled album will be released on May 21 ( Kwaidan records/ Idol)

Here is a song from the album titled Beirut:

Lyrics:

بيروت

شرب العرق

لعب الورق

خيل السبق

صيد الحمام

رسمال بيروت

لبس الغوى

شم الهوى

اكل الهوى

شاغل عقول

سكان بيروت

بيروت

زهرة من غير أوانها

بيروت

محلاها ومحلا زمانها

بيروت

يا حينها وياضيعانها

تدبل

ما في عمل

ما في امل

برك الجمل

ركب النحس

تجار بيروت

الغندرة

والفنغرة

والبهورة

كتر البطر

هالك بيروت

Beirut

Arak drinkin' Card playin'

Race Horse cheerin' 

Pigeon huntin' 

The essence of Beirut

Seduction crowd 

Cruisin' around

Foolin' about 

Tis' all there is on the minds

Of the citizens of Beirut

Beirut  A flower off its terrain Beirut

Oh her beauty, her good old days Beirut 

That dire end, all a waste 

Withering

All unemployed

Hopeless, ruined and Rusted

Jinxed and accursed

Those dealers of Beirut

Oh the Strutting

That fancy livin'

Excess of splurging

Exploded vanity

Smothering Beirut

Kwaidan Records - Pre-order Yasmine Hamdan on iTunes
FR : http://bit.ly/yasminehamdan
US : http://bit.ly/itunes-US-yasminehamdan

http://www.yasminehamdan.com
http://on.fb.me/yasminehamdanmusic
https://twitter.com/yashamdan

Lyrics: Omar el Zenni
Music: Kevin Seddiki / Yasmine Hamdan
produced by Marc Collin / Kwaidan records

Director : Antonin Fourlon
(c) 2012 Contrejour Films - Kwaidan Records

Listen to the album on Deezer : http://bit.ly/deezer-yasmine

Special thanks: Nadim Asfar - Satellite my love Production, Alain Dib, Maxime Setzer, Mamali Shafah, Rafic Majzoub

Album France : "Yasmine Hamdan" -
Digital release april 23th ( Kwaidan records/ Idol)
Physical release april 23th ( Kwaidan records/ Idol)
http://bit.ly/kwaidanrecords

Follow @YasHamdan @Kwaidan_recordshttp://kwaidanrecords.net/artists/yasmine-hamdan on Twitter!

Podcast of May 10 'Arabology' (Season 2 Episode 5) ft Poetess Sondos Abudamous, Tomer Perry, Torry Catsellano, More!,

2012-05-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

To listen http://tinyurl.com/75zrgxt

The 5th Episode of the 2nd Season of 'Arabology' features interview with Arab poetess Sondos Abudamous who reads one of her poems in Arabic (along with DJ Ramzi's English translation). Show also includes interviews with Tomer Perry who presents a song by Israeli and Palestinian youth members of HEARBEAT and Torry Castellano (former band member of The Donnas) who speaks about the band's hit 'Take It Off' as well as her Arabic language studies. Additionally, this episode includes a review by Ahmad Qousi of Rahim Alhaj's May 5th concert in Berkeley, California.

TO LISTEN: Click HERE

TO DOWNLOAD: Click HERE

PLAYLIST for Arabology, Thurs, 10 May 2012 (3 - 5pm)
Artist/Track/Album/Label

1. Rousan, Yazan And Autostrad/Ya Salaam (Wow)/ Autostrad/ Planet Records
2. Joubran Trio/ Zawâj El Yamâm (Marriage Of The Doves)/ Asfar/ Harmonia Mundi France
3. Farroukh, Toufic/ Ya nassim alrouh / Tootya/O+ MUSIC
4. Massy, Mike/ Ya Zaman/ Ya Zaman/ Falak Productions
5. Mashrou' Leila/ Wajih/ El Hal Romancy/ Mashrou' Leila
6. Harrison, Joel & Lorenzo Feliciati/ That Evening/ Holy Abyss/ Cuneiform Records
7. Kulna Sawa/ Wayn A ramallah/ Kulna Sawa/ Syria
8. Adonis/ Ma Kan Mafroud/ Daw L Baladiyyi/ Forward Music
9. Mouzanar, Khaled & Nadine Labaki/ Yammi/ Where Do We Go Now (Soundtrack)/ naïve
10. Interview with Sondos Abu Damous + poetry reading in Arabic and English
11. Banna, Rim/ Miraya Al-Ruh (Mirrors Of My Soul)/ Al-Rawa'i (Greatest Hits)/ Laser
12. Diab, Amr/ Youm Ma 'itabelna (The Day We Met)/ Banadeek Ta'ala (I'm Calling You, Come)/ Laser
13. Interview with Tomer Perry
14. Heart Beat/ Bukra Fi Mishmish/ Bukra Fi Mishmish/ Heart Beat
15. Interview with Torry Castellano
16. Dam/ Ngh'ayer Bukra (Change Tomorrow)/ Ihda' (Dedication)/ Redcircle Music
17. Dominguez, Chano/ Serpent's Tooth/ Flamenco ketches/ Blue Note
18. Dalida/ Lebnan/ Paroles D'ailleurs/ Universal UK
19. Halo, Abdel Hadi Fatouma/ Abdel Hadi Halo & El Gusto Orchestra Of Algiers/ Honest Jon's Records
20. Ahmad Qousi's Review of Rahim Alhaj Concert in Berkeley
21. Alhaj, Rahim & Amjad Ali Khan/ Common Destination/ Ancient Sounds/ Self Release

TO LISTEN: Click HERE

TO DOWNLOAD: Click HERE

Poetess Sondos Abudamous Guests on Episode 5 of Arabology

2012-05-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

Poetess Sondos Abudamous سندس ابو دعموس was my guest on Episode 5 of Season 2 of Arabology (aired May 10, 12) where she read her poem ابواب [Doors] live in Arabic--along with my English translation. The poem is taken from her book مواسم للأمل [Seasons for Hope].

You can hear the podcast of this episode athttp://tinyurl.com/75zrgxt

Or, you can download at http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/59916

Here are some pictures from my interview with Sondos Abudamous on May 120. 2012:

You can hear the podcast of this episode at http://tinyurl.com/75zrgxt

Or, you can download at http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/59916

Here is the original poem in Arabic followed by an English translation of Sondos Abudamous's poem 'Doors' which she read in Arabic on Episode 5 of Season 2 of Arabology (Listen here). Below the translation are links to learn more about Sondos Abudamous.

أبواب

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

وطن مهجور

خريطة لم تكتمل

و فنجان قهوه ما زال ينتظر الوعد

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

أنين لا تسمعه سوى المدفأه

و خوف صامت يرقب دقات الساعه

و كلمات اختنقت في حلق جاف

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

جده تبتهل

و أم تتوسل الامل

و بكاء متروك في سرير طفل

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

نسيان يلملمه الحنين

بهجه اصطدمت ببدايات الرحيل

و أمل يحتضر

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

فراغ يداعب ورقة مستلقية على حافة منضده

صدى يرتد ذكرى صداه بين النافذة و المرآه

و رنين هاتف مله الانتظار

خلف الأبواب المغلقه

نوافذ مشرعه

شهوات مؤجله

طرقات متوعره و مسافات

و أنا...و أنت....و مجرد احتمالات

Doors

Behind the closed doors...

A deserted homeland

An incomplete map

A cup of coffee still awaiting a promise

Behind the closed doors...

A moaning only heard by a warm fireplace

A silent fear gazing at the ticking clock

Stifled words in a dried up throat

Behind the closed doors

A grandmother, kneeling in prayer

A mother beseeching hope

Teardrops left in a bed of a child

Behind the closed doors...

A nostalgic longing for something forgotten

A joy, encumbered by a sudden departure

A hope that is dying

Behind the closed doors...

Empty space that playfully cajoles a paper on a desk

A lonely echo that repeats the memory between a window and a mirror

A ringing phone that has grown weary of waiting

Behind the closed doors

Revealing windows

Deferred desires

Run down roads and distances

Behind the closed doors

Me..and you..and mere probabilities

LINKS ABOUT/BY SONDOS ABUDAMOUS:

You can follow Sondos Abudamous on : http://twitter.com/SondosAbudamous#

Sondos Abudamous " You-tube " channel : http://youtu.be/tSMnDiuPyIM

الى عمان من قلبي سلام : http://youtu.be/Qkw93aTIuUo

مواسم للأمل : http://youtu.be/UnZ27Esb4nA

عادتي المفضلة : http://youtu.be/rRch14KNccg

على حافة الهاوية : http://youtu.be/E7eJlwTWAy4

Follow Sondos Abudamous on Good Reads site : http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6036897-sondos-abudamous

Sondos Abudamous's book " Mawasem Lel Amal or Seasons For Hope " is also available here :
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12372481

مواسم للأمل متوفر عبر المكتبات التالية

أونلاين عبر مكتبة نيل و فرات أكبر مكتبة الكترونية عربية
http://www.neelwafurat.com/itempage.aspx?id=lbb196180-166149&search=books

في الأردن عبر دار أزمنة للنشر و التوزيع - شارع الشريف ناصر بن جميل - عمارة 55 أو عمارة الدوحة طابق 4 - مقابل حدائق الملك عبدالله

Jordan : books@cafe: http://booksatcafe.com/
Jordan : READERS Bookshop at Cozmo 7th Circle

في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية و اون لاين عبر مكتبة جرير و مكتبة الكتاب

http://www.alkitab.com/13008.html

تابعوا سندس ابو دعموس على موقع " خبرني " الالكتروني - الأردن / من خلال طبع اسمي الأول في خانة البحث

http://www.khaberni.com/

عملت في صحيفة الرأي الأردنية

حائزة على المركز الثاني في مسابقة الكتابة الابداعية على مستوى الجامعات الأردنية الخاصة و الحكومية

Bukra Fi Mishmish by HEARTBEAT

2012-05-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Bukra Fi Mishmish
by HEARTBEAT

For original source see http://heartbeatmusic.bandcamp.com/track/bukra-fi-mishmish

Bukra Fi Mishmish (Arabic for "when pigs fly" or for when the impossible happens)

Written and performed by Israeli and Palestinian youth members of Heartbeat (ages 16-20).

HEARTBEAT is an international community of musicians, educators, and students using music to build mutual understanding and transform conflict. Founded in 2007 under a grant from Fulbright and MTV, Heartbeat empowers Israeli and Palestinian musicians by creating opportunities and spaces for musicians from both sides to work together, hear each other, and amplify their voices to influence the world around them.

Here is teh video clip for the song followed by the lyrics:

Lyrics:
(Siwar)
Say what you want to say.
I just want to play.
Give me my violin.
Smile for a brighter day!

(Moody - in Arabic)
If there's hope, the power to work, and art, then there's life.
My lyrics can move mountains. There's music and equality.
Without fear there's no patience, 'cause you don't know what you would lose.
(That means if you know what you'll lose, you'll get scared. Then you know you need to be patient.)
Tomorrow will be better! Try to create and believe, Yes YOU Can.
There's the sun and its rays, yes there's hope down here.
The moon and even a bit of light, there's hope, even if it's small.
An important step in your life is to hope.
Take your step towards change.
Make your anxiety disappear.
To be free, you have to liberate yourself!

(Guy - in Hebrew)
All day I'm looking through my window and I understand whatever is his is mine and whatever is mine is yours. We are supposed to even be brothers, but to me it seems that doesn't really matter to you.
We'll break down the walls, and take down the flags and then we'll discover a world where everything is possible. When we understand that we're all human beings then forever and ever we will be able to live.
We will be able to live!
credits
released 09 April 2012
BUKRA FI MISHMISH

A HEARTBEAT Production

Words and Music by:
Talia Ishai, Tahel Garion, Siwar Mansour,
Guy Gefen, Dekel Adin,
Moody Kablawi, Ami Yares,
Ziv Sobelman-Yamin, Hasan Nakhleh,
Yonatan Feiner

Performed by:
Guy Gefen: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards,
Drum Programming, and Steel Drum
Moody Kablawi: Vocals and Claps
Siwar Mansour: Vocals and Violin
Dekel Adin: Recorder, Electric Guitar, Bass,
Saxophone, Vocals, Keyboards
Ami Yares: Oud
Tamer Omari: Darbukka, Drum Programming, and Claps
Aaron Shneyer: Drum Programming, Claps
Drums inspired by Ziv Sobelman-Yamin.

Directed and Produced by Aaron Shneyer

Additional music production by
Tamer Omari, Guy Gefen, and Dekel Adin

Special thanks to:
The Fund for Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Peace,
Noa Yammer, Tamer Omari,
Michal Gefen, Shoshana Gottesman,
Ami Yares, Jon Goldstein,
Am Kolel, Marcia and Ira Wagner,
Cheb Kammerer, Rob and EIleen Coltun,
Avi Salloway, Amitai Gross,
Luz Maria Uribe, Sarina Hahn, Jesse Kahn,
and all who have helped bring Heartbeat,
and specifically this song to life.

www.heartbeat.fm

Bukra Fi Mishmish

© 2012 Heartbeat | New Sound Foundation, Inc.

All Rights Reserved.
For more information, please visit: www.heartbeat.fm
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Film Review: 'Man Without a Cell Phone' Honors Palestinians in Israel

2012-05-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Film Review: Palestinians in Israel honored in debut comedy feature
Article by Maureen Clare Murphy in The Electronic Intifada
10 May 2012

Razi Shawahdeh and Bassem Loulou in Man Without a Cell Phone

Man without a CellPhoneThe under-recognized steadfastness of Palestinians who clung onto their land in the areas of Palestine upon which the State of Israel was declared is lovingly praised in Sameh Zoabi’s lighthearted debut feature Man Without a Cell Phone.

Man Without a Cell Phone was a selection of the 11th annual Chicago Palestine Film Festival which took place last month, and will be screened this Saturday at the Houston Palestine Film Festival. It is also one of only a few recent feel-good Palestinian films that I can think of (Cherien Dabis’s Amreeka comes to mind).

The main protagonist of Zoabi’s film is Jawdat (Razi Shawahdeh), a young man whose charms with women go further than is good for him. Where Jawdat has had success in finding multiple girlfriends (relationships maintained via cell phone, which eventually go awry) he lacks ambition in all other areas of his life. Repeatedly failing the Hebrew language requirement for a nearby Israeli university, Jawdat is engrossed in his cell phone at the family dinner table and uninterested in helping his father tend to their olive orchard, next to which an enormous cell phone antenna has been installed by the Israeli government.
War on antenna

Jawdat’s father, Salem (Bassem Loulou), declares war on the antenna, believing it to be causing cancer in the town, Iksal, and killing his neighbor’s bees. The escalating struggle against the tower drives the plot of the film, and in doing so, is a vehicle to show Israel’s racist system which is intended to drive Palestinian citizens from their land.

The antenna becomes a character in itself once a security camera is installed on it. The audience sees Jawdat, Salem and their community through Israel’s eyes as objects of monitoring — an existential security threat — as Zoabi comically cuts to black-and-white footage of the camera following the characters’ movements.

Meanwhile, Jawdat’s seemingly perpetual adolescence is linked to the system which “doesn’t want him educated,” as he is told more than once in the film.

Jawdat reclaims his manhood once he joins his father’s resistance against the cell phone tower, joining Salem and other town elders around a table as they draft a petition to have the antenna removed. Jawdat takes their draft petition and invigorates it with nationalist rhetoric, putting it into the context of the wider repression of Palestinians in Israel.

The group canvasses the town (where “no one’s been taught to stand up for their rights,” Salem says) for signatures, and proudly present their petition to their town councilor — only to find that he serves as a Palestinian gatekeeper to the Israeli government. It is an unflattering commentary on the role played by Palestinian citizens who go along with the system at the expense of their community’s rights. But as Salem tells Jawdat later on in the film (I won’t spoil the ending for the reader), “They have won the battle, but we will win the war” — this single line poignantly summarizing the experience of Palestinians in Israel who have been under constant attack since the Zionist state was established in 1948, yet still remain.
Absurdist tradition

Zoabi’s film fits into the absurdist tradition of Palestinian filmmaking — perhaps only absurdism can begin to make sense of the monumental injustice thrust upon the Palestinian people — but does so in its own way. Zoabi’s first feature film may not boast the same mastery as Elia Suleiman’s films, but it is far kinder to the elder generation of Palestinians in Israel than are Suleiman’s earlier works. Man Without a Cell Phone also showcases fine and funny performances from unknown actors, particularly Bassem Loulou as the curmudgeonly father.

It is to Zoabi’s credit that he has found a novel way to tell Palestine’s story of colonization and oppression by Israel that doesn’t pound the viewer on the head, and may likely be equally appreciated by an audience of Palestinians in Haifa as would be by an audience in Chicago.

Zoabi’s sweet story is a welcome addition to the remarkable breadth of Palestinian filmmaking which makes events like the Chicago and Houston Palestine film festivals well worth returning to year after year.

Concert Pictures & Bio: Rahim Alhaj in Concert

2012-05-07T23:59:00.002-07:00

The concert by Rahim Alhaj w/ Issa Malluf which took place at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA on Saturday, May 05, 8:00 pm.left audiences in a trance, some moved to tears, and others simply astounded by this twice Grammy-nominated oud virtuoso and composer. Palestinian-American percussionist, Issa Malluf, accompanied the performance.

Rahim Alhaj finds in his ancient instrument a unique voice that speaks passionately to contemporary listeners of every musical background. Born in Baghdad, Rahim creates music that delicately combines traditional Iraqi maqamat(melodic modes) with contemporary stylings and inﬂuences, translating into intensely lyrical music the suffering, joy, and determination that he has experienced in his life as an Iraqi, a political refugee, and today as an American citizen. Maintaining a subtle dialogue of Eastern and Western sounds, his compositions flow gracefully from high-spirited, virtuosic displays to delicately nuanced pieces, establishing new concepts without altering the foundation of traditional Iraqi oud music.

Rahim studied the oud (six-stringed lute), one of the principal traditional instruments of the Arab world, under famed musicians Munier Bashir and Salim Abdul Kareem at the Institute of Music in Baghdad. Forced into exile in 1991, he taught and performed throughout the Middle East before relocating to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since coming to the United States, Rahim has released several recordings, two of which earned him Grammy nominations. His most recent recording, Little Earth, symbolizes his global vision with a selection of duets with far-flung musicians—from guitar master Bill Frisell to Cape Verde vocalist Maria de Barros—united by his unique musical vision.

Here are some pictures from the concert:

Ahmad Qousi, Rahim Alhaj, Ramzi Salti

Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA

Visit Rahim Alhaj's website

Podcast from May 3 Episode of 'Arabology' (aired May 3) Available

2012-05-05T13:20:00.002-07:00

Pictured above are the guests on the 4th episode of Season 2 of Arabology (aired May 3, 2012).
Khaled Alshawi, a Stanford student from Bahrain and Co-President and Co-Founder of AMENDS, Katherine Cromack (who sang Fairuz live on the show) and Elliot Stoller, the other Co-President and Co-Founder of AMENDS. Last pic on right features Ahmad Qousi who made sure all went well for the broadcast (with Katherine Cromack).

Listen to this episode at http://tinyurl.com/7hpndc5

Read about it and/or Download at http://radio4all.net/index.php/program/59760

Playlist for Arabology	Thursday, 3 May 2012 3pm - 5pm	DJ: Ramzi S.

Artist	Track	Album/Label
Mike Massy	Ya Zaman	Ya Zaman Falak Productions
Dam	Ngh'ayer Bukra (Change Tomorrow)	Ihda' (Dedication Redcircle Music
Sabine	Bayni w Baynak	Single Music K

Interview with Katherine Cromack	Interview Part 1	Arabology KZSU
Fairuz	Habbaytak Bi assayf	Very Best of Fairuz EMI Arabia

Interview with Katherine Cromack	Interview Part 2	Arabology KZSU
Claude Ciari	Habbeytak Bessayf	Plays Fairuz:Habbetak Bessayf EMI Arabia

Fairuz	Al Thaniah	Fairuz Chillout Classics Caroline World Service
Jadal	Salma	Arabic Rocks Forward Music

Interview with Elliott Stoller	Interview	Arabology KZSU
Zahair, Mido	Islahat	Beirut Hotel (Soundtrack) Lfp Les Films Pelléas

Interview with Khaled Alshawi	Interview	Arabology KZSU
Joubran Trio	Dawwâr El Shams (Circle Of The Sun)	Asfar Harmonia Mundi France

Saleh, Tania	Ayya Shi (Version Ii)	Wehde Forward Music
Hamze, Darine	Ya Zahratan Fi Khayali	Beirut Hotel (Soundtrack) Lfp Les Films Pelléas
Adonis	Ma Kan Mafroud	Daw L Baladiyyi Forward Music

Checkpoint 303	Al Zaim (Thawra mix)	Golden Beirut: New sounds from Lebanon Out Here (Indigo)
Katibe 5	Morr	Golden Beirut: New sounds from Lebanon Out Here (Indigo)

Aswat	Sa'aluni Nas (People Have Asked Me)	Live At Kzsu Kzsu

Halo, Abdel Hadi	Win Saadi	Abdel Hadi Halo & El Gusto Orchestra Of Algiers Honest Jon's Records

My CD Review of Adonis "Daw L Baladiyyi"

2012-05-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here is my CD Review of the album "Daw L Baladiyyi" by the Lebanese group Adonis. Review is also at http://zookeeper.stanford.edu/index.php?session=&action=findAlbum&n=1006816

Adonis / Daw L Baladiyyi

Album:	Daw L Baladiyyi	Collection:	World
Artist:	Adonis	Added:	05/2012
Label:	Forward Music

Recent Airplay

1.	Thu, 03 May:	Ramzi S. Arabology		3.	Thu, 19 Apr:	Ramzi S. Arabology
2.	Thu, 26 Apr:	Ramzi S. Arabology

Album Review by Ramzi Salti, Ph.D.

Ramzi S. Reviewed 2012-05-03
-- All Tracks are FCC CLEAN – This album is the result of over a year of collaboration between the Lebanese boy-band Adonis and a dozen of Beirut's best known musicians and artists. The CD features a selection of 11 original tracks, all sung in Arabic, creating a melange of spirited tunes, provocative lyrics, innovative arrangements, nonsensical monologues, schizophrenic transitions, cheesy love songs, and instantly likeable beats. The band's first single, 'Daw L Baladiyyi', (the title track) was released in March 2011 and this CD followed in 2012. This is the first CD by Adonis. 1. Ajnabiyyi (Foreign Girl) Accordeon sound, likeable beat about a Lebanese guy in love with a foreign girl who doesn’t speak Arabic. 3:18 2. “Stouh Adonis” (Rooftops of Adonis). Oriental beat, drum (derbakah) swaying music gives way to piano and drums and vocals about life on rooftops. 4:42 3. “Daw L Baladiyyi” (Town Light) First single from this album, released in 2011 with a great video clip. About love under the streetlights. 2:29 4. “Sawt L Madini” (City Sounds) Ballad, piano, sad vocals, reminiscing about a lost love 3:12 5. “Ma Kan Mafroud” (It Wasn’t Supposed To Be)..Instantly likeable tune, beat builds up slowly, drums and percussion sounds prevail. Female singer in middle of song enriches the vocals 3:21 6. “Aman Aman” (Chant)..Haunting song, slowest on CD, starts out with harp, then goes into a lamentation/mawwal in traditional Arabic style 3:21 7. “Chajret el Jararank” (Loquat Tree). Sad tune about a moonless night changes mid-way into a rhythmic segment then back to ballad. Jarring jump in styles., 3:33 8. “Awaat” (At Times). Ballad, slow, orchestra sound, great piano and violin sounds, grand melody. 3:45 **9. “Chbabik” (Windows) A song about windows of the past that hide secrets, slow to mid-tempo, finger snapping sounds, typical of Adonis style.3:00 10.“Ma Endi Fekra” (I Have No Idea) The singer complains that he has no idea what to sing about, nice beat, mid-tempo turns faster after the first part and almost changes into a typical Arabic sound with a Dabke traditional beat then goes back to original flavor. 4:58 My picks: 1, 3, & 9 Ramzi Salti

Track Listing

1.	Ajnabiyyi	6.	Aman Aman
2.	Stouh Adonis	7.	Chajret El Jararank
3.	Daw L Baladiyyi	8.	Awaat
4.	Sawt L Madini	9.	Chbabik
5.	Ma Kan Mafroud	10.	Ma Endi Fekra

Duke University Students of Arabic Create Their Version of Fairuz Song

2012-05-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Under the guidance of Mbaye Lo, Arabic Lecturer at Duke University, students in the Second Year of Arabic created this hilarious video--in Arabic!--as their version of Fairuz's famous song 'Habbaytak Bissayf.' Enjoy!

Thank you to Professor Mbaye Lo for sharing this link.

Lebanese Film 'Tannoura Maxi' Released this Month

2012-05-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

Tannoura Maxi - "Heels of War" تنوره ماكسي

Here is the official Trailer of the Lebanese Movie "Tannoura Maxi, directed by Joe Bou Eid, which will be realeased in Lebanon this month (May 2012)

Starring Joy Karam - Chady El Tineh - Carole Abboud - Tamara Abou Jaoudeh - Siham Haddad - Antoine Balabane - Joseph Sessin -Nawal Kamel - Dory Moukarzel - Sarah Haidar - Daniel Balaban - Diamand Bou Abboud - Andree Nakkouzi - Rita Choueiri
Directed By Joe Bou Eid
Produced By Naftaleen Entertainment

Contact Info
Website http://www.TannouraMaxi.com

Islamic and Chinese Calligraphy: Master Calligrapher Haji Noor Deen at Stanford

2012-05-02T00:10:00.002-07:00

MSAN presents....
Islamic and Chinese Calligraphy: Confluence of Two Great Traditions

Saturday, May 5th, 2012
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Tresidder Union second floor, Cypress Lounge

Join master calligraphy Haji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang as he explains and demonstrates the meeting of the world's two most prolific calligraphic traditions!

Calligraphy is the most salient art form in both Islamic and Chinese culture, and Haji Noor Deen is a master at both. Through centuries of an Islamic presence in China, these two forms of expressing art through writing have merged into a uniquely Chinese style of writing sacred calligraphy in Arabic. Haji Noor Deen will talk about the history of this great tradition and then demonstrate some of his techniques in creating a calligraphic masterpiece.

Free and open to the public

Meet Lebanon's Mike Massy: A Musician/Singer with a Style of His Very Own

2012-04-29T21:43:00.002-07:00

MIKE MASSY (Info below taken from Mike Massy's website at www.mikemassy.com)

Mike Massy is noted for his vocal and pianistic distinctiveness, and intuitive talent. He revisits the Lebanese Oriental music, proposing a unique fusion between the passion for Andalusia, baroque harmonies, and jazz rhythms. Songwriter, film score composer, performer and actor, Mike Massy was born in 1982 in Lebanon, and grew up fascinated by the inimitable voice of Fairuz, the nostalgic melodies of Zaki Nassif, and the poetry and authenticity of Brels and Aznavours texts.

Mike's second album 'Ya Zaman' is receiving rave reviews and includes an amazing mix of gems that make this album both unique and distinctly alternative. Here is a short documentary on the making of the album (C) falak productions

Here is a Live Studio Recording of an Oriental Improvisation on "Nature Boy" by Mike Massy (Vocal) and Osama Abdulrasol (Qanun):

Here are two video clips that were filmed for two of Mike Massy's songs from his CD Ya Zaman. The first is for the song "Khalasna Ba'a" (with English subtitles) and "Law Fiyyi Tir" (with English Subtitles)

Here is my review of Mike Massy's CD Ya Zaman which was recently added to KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM's Playlists. Review can also be accessed at http://zookeeper.stanford.edu/index.php?session=&action=findAlbum&n=1006805

Mike Massy / Ya Zaman/ Reviewed by Ramzi Salti, Ph.D.

Album:	Ya Zaman	Collection:	World
Artist:	Mike Massy	Added:	05/2012
Label:	Falak Productions

Recent Airplay

Thu, 03 May:

Ramzi S.
Arabology

Album Review

Ramzi S. Reviewed 2012-05-03
Mike Massy Ya Zaman 2012 -- All Tracks are FCC CLEAN -- With Middle-Eastern roots, and hungry for the harmonious elegance of the West, Mike Massy is noted for his vocal and pianistic distinctiveness, and intuitive talent. He revisits Lebanese Oriental music, proposing a unique fusion between the passion for Andalusia, baroque harmonies, and jazz rhythms. 1. Ya Zaman (Oh Time): Great drum beat, oriental tune, kaman, qanun, nice lyrics about time that has passed, leaving regret behind. 4:17 2. Jazr W Mad (Ebb and Flow): Sounds like a Tango, abrupt stops, lyrics about waiting for things to happen. 3:42 3. Law Fiyyi Tir (If I could fly) Piano intro then hypnotic sound of flute which goes well with Mike’s vocals. 3:54 4. Soti Hareb Menni (My voice is fleeing from me): Duet with Lubna Noman; sad melody with sound of piano, violin, bass, strings, eastern instruments,; Mike’s voice comes in during last part of this track. 3:33 5. Khalasna Ba’a (Enough): Starts slow but picks up speed; most lively track on CD. This song was released as single with a video clip. 3:08 6. Ya 3mr Lma Naterni: (Life wait for me) Sounds like a string quartet which is gradually accentuated by different instruments. 3:52 7. Min Elli 2al (Who said?!): Mike sings with a piano only. Lyrics talk about memories and pain. Melancholic and soft tune that lulls the listener. 5:51 8. Beirut (Beirut): Song has no striking beat or lyrics but Mike’s vocals seem fragile and tender. An ode to the capital of Lebanon with chants in background. 3:40 9. Ya 3achikat Al Ward (Roses lover): Sung in classical Arabic. This is an old classic rearranged and revamped by Mike. A tribute to his mother. 4:42 10. Day2 Fiyyi Chebbaki (My window is closing in): Starts with a woman speaking Arabic (Lebanese dialect) to Mike who responds by singing. Slow, soft tune that picks up and starts sounding Polish or gyspsy-like. 3:32 **11. Ghayyer Lawn 3yonak (Change the color of your eyes): Song about wanting to forget a lost love but cannot forget the color of their eyes. Strong bass, piano, tender lyrics. 3:30 12. Kamshat Wara2 (Bunch of Papers)” This is a bonus track. Strings and guitar. Lyrics about letters written in faded ink. 4:33 My favs: 1, 4, 6, 9, 11 Ramzi Salti

Track Listing

1.	Ya Zaman	7.	Min Elli 2al
2.	Jazr W Mad	8.	Beirut
3.	Law Fiyyi Tir	9.	Ya 3achikat Al Ward
4.	Soti Hareb Menni	10.	Day2 Fiyyi Chebbaki
5.	Khalasna Ba'a	11.	Ghayyer Lawn 3yonak
6.	Ya 3mr Lma Naterni	12.	Kamshat Wara2

For more on Mike Massy:Mike Massy's Website: www.mikemassy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikemassy.officialpage
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mike_massy
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Falakproductions

Lebanese Film 'OK, Enough, Goodbye' Screening at SF Intl Film Festival

2012-04-29T12:29:00.001-07:00

The Lebanese film 'OK, Enough, Goodbye' طيّب خلاص يلا is screening several times at the San International Film Festival which is currently taking place in the bay area. The film screens on Apr 20 and 29 at the Kabuki (SF) and on Tue, May 1 at 8:50 at the PFA (Berkeley).

PLOT (source: http://festival.sffs.org/films/film_details.php?id=70):
A middle-aged pastry shop owner in Lebanon, looking like an escapee from a film by Judd Apatow, is the unlikely protagonist of this marvelously crafted deadpan comedy. Business is so bad he is constantly giving away the pastries, although he seems to be the only one who wants to eat them. One day, his crabby mother, with whom he still lives, packs up and leaves without explanation. Left on his own, he searches cluelessly for maternal substitutes, meanwhile reluctantly befriending the ten-year-old rascal next door obsessed with toy guns. A friend cajoles him into hiring an Ethiopian maid to keep house for him. But lacking a common language with the woman, she ends up absurdly hanging around in a sullen mood doing nothing. Filmmakers Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia paint a picture of the overgrown small town of Tripoli with an understated, documentary-like brush, revealing a town bereft of culture and filled with peevish, dissatisfied characters, where friendly prostitutes troll for customers using text messaging. The directors’ astute attention to detail induces laughter of recognition and sympathy for these endearingly dysfunctional residents, unaware of their starring role in the human comedy.—Miguel Pendás

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS:

Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia have collaborated on many short films to date—fiction, nonfiction and music videos—which have screened at many festivals.From the Parapet was a regional finalist at the 32nd Annual Student Academy Awards in 2005, and Almost Brooklyn was made in a directing workshop under the supervision of acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. Tripoli, Quiet received the Black Pearl Award for Best Middle Eastern Short at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in October 2009. OK, Enough, Goodbye. is their feature film debut

NEW DIRECTORS
Lebanon/United Arab Emirates, 2010, 91 min
CREDITSdirRania Attieh, Daniel Garcia
prodRania Attieh, Daniel Garcia
scr Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia
cam Daniel Garcia
editor Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia
mus Daniel Garcia
cast Daniel Arzrouni, Nadimé Attieh, Walid Ayoubi
sourceIsilay Yanbas. EMAIL:info@okenoughgoodbye.com