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Musiqi Suryayto : Workshop

Workshop: Musiqi Suryayto

3-7 July 2013, Netherlands

Inanna Foundation has the pleasure of inviting you to participate to the workshop Musiqi Suryayto (Assyrian/Syriac music) which has been funded by the EU Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme. This workshop aims to discuss the main problems and challenges of contemporary musiqi Suryayto and to provide a learning platform for people who are interested in the innovation of this music. Furthermore, it aims to enhance the level of the existing music and to professionalize it in order to be able to reach out to a broader audience.

Although one can hear people in the community complaining about the quality of contemporary musiqi Suryayto, it has hardly been problematized seriously and discussed systematically. Therefore this workshop will function as a platform for artists in the field of musiqi Suryayto in order to discuss these issues.

The main activities of the workshop consist of lectures in the morning sessions about the ancient church music and the contemporary secular musiqi Suryayto. In addition, as a matter of exercise, in the afternoon sessions participants will be working in small groups on the production of songs in order to get acquainted with the rich history of this music and the diversity of opportunities to work with. In the evening sessions, participants will improvise music and discuss the outcomes of the working groups, both in relation to cooperation in the production of songs and the quality of the songs itself. Furthermore, special attention will be paid to the specific problems and challenges in the development of traditional musiqi Suryayto in the European diaspora. At the end of the workshop, the artists will perform and present their work at a charity concert which is open for a broader audience.

Aims

1) To highlight and discuss the main problems and challenges of contemporary Musiqi Suryayto.
2) To provide a learning platform for people who are interested in the innovation of the Musiqi Suryayto.
3) To increase the quality of the music produced by Assyrian/Syriac musicians in Europe and to professionalize it in order to be able to reach out to a broader audience.

Objectives

1) To bring scholars, musicians (different styles) and learners together in order to work on the development and the quality of the innovation of the contemporary Musiqi Suryayto.
2) To take the initiative for cooperation in order to help the institutionalization of Musiqi Suryayto.
3) To discuss the development of the Musiqi Suryayto from a historical perspective with a specific focus on contemporary music produced.
4) To give participants an opportunity to reflect both individually and collectively on their individual music and that of other Assyrian/Syriac musicians. Here, strengths and weaknesses will be pointed out.
5) To develop awareness for the importance of creating innovative music rather than copying existing music.
6) To bring artists with different styles and generations together and to learn from each other, also in relation to the use of media technology and music technology in the production and dissemination of music.

Venue and date

The workshop will take place at Hotel Sallandse Heuvelrug, Rijssen, Netherlands, from 3-7 July 2013. The Inanna Foundation will cover the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for 20 participants from European countries (except for those living in the Netherlands).

Application for participation

If you work with musiqi Suryayto, live in a European country and you would like to participate, please apply by filling in this form. For more information you can contact Inanna Foundation at: inannafoundation@gmail.com Please send in your application before 31 March 2013.

http://www.inannafoundation.org/

“Yimi Yoni, A Reverence To Femininity”

“A mother's single tear is a pearl of love, joy, sorrow, and even strength that is eternally crystallized in the great sea of life that can forever captivate hearts, move mountains and call onto its children to return home from beyond the seas”

Shant Esho was born in Baghdad, Iraq. He began singing before he could walk, and his earlier music inspiration came from international Iraqi artists Kathem al Saher and Haitham Yousif. His emergence into the Assyrian musical stage did not begin until he set foot in his adopted homeland Canada, where he became enthralled by legendary Assyrian artists Sargon Gabriel, Ashur Bet-Sargis, Emanouel Bet-Younan and others.

Shant is beautiful from head to toe, suggest his poses. But the 5’9” handsome artist remained a mystery to his fans due the unconfrontational cover photos of his first album release “Yimi Yoni,” (my mother, my dove, Assyrian), leaving a lot to the imagination of the faithful followers of this once “Assyrian Superstar” finalist, produced by Yousip Bet-Rasho (Chicago, 2006).

The dual-song titled album “Yimi Yoni,” both songs written by Dawod Barkho, is nothing short of a smooth merge of ballads, Turkish, Indian and Assyrian folklore dance and chant sounds of “Raweh.”

But piecing this album together was no easy task. Yet, the international travel of it was worth the wait. From the sounds of the chorus, joining the artist were Josef Hassado, Ashur Neesan, Dooley Drums and Sanharib Ashure, to the luminous Indian sitar, the cries of the Turkish bağlama, to the superb arrangements of Sanharib Ashure, before it was digitally encoded on a compact disk.

Further amplification of the album came from Amir Younan who would not be the prince that he is (hence the name), if he did not systematically write songs about kings, swords and castles. Though we love you, “Amoree“!

Of course, no mission is every accomplished until Chicago has had its say. The big surprise is the artist’s collaboration with longtime Chicagoan song writer Nashat Younan whose words feathered tracks 4 and 5, after years of absence from teaming up on soundtracks.

The rendition of the applaud of Shant’s fans is savored for the last track “Yimi,” as the artist hails his first love, his mother, placing her on a much-deserved golden pedestal. In fact, all titles of this 8-track album are dedicated to the deity of women. My own personal favorite is fourth track “Koul Gashaqyatee.“ Shant, we "soft" feminists appreciate it!

Most recently, the singer-songwriter produced his runner-up single “Idleleh B’Talbinakh,” arranged by Shirak Tatosian.

Shant calls to fan support of the Assyrian song in an effort to safeguard the Assyrian language and culture. Shant is deserving of applaud, worldwide!

For more information, visit the artist’s Facebook page.

Artist: Shant Esho
Album: Yimi Yoni
Arranged by: Sanharib Ashure for Innana Studio, Sweden
Produced by: Shant Esho
Year: 2011

Sources: Chicago Tribune, Shant Esho

Article by Helen Talia, MBA, CPA (Chicago)
November, 2012

vena gabriel

Vena Gabriel Feat. Joan David (Bulbull) and Seg-E NEW SINGLE IS OUT, MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON

Passing of Singer Fuad Ispir a sad news to his fans worldwide.

The late Singer Fuad was born in 1942 in Qamishli Syria migrated to Sweden in 1979, with a long career in studying music and singing, has sadly passed away this week in Sweden. For a full biography please visit his profile page.

Courtesy of Abboud Zeitoune author of Musicpeals book. Photo courtesy of Hanibal Romanos.

“Grounded, Sonia Odisho Soars to Greater Heights”

As important as life is, so are our aspirations; for they are revelatory. They tell us who we are, what we can become, and where we are headed.

Not long ago, the music compass did not reach farther than Chicago when naming the top female Assyrian celebrities. But in the last few years, it has extended to the south pole, where a young artist has carved out what seems to be a lasting impression, both onstage and in the hearts of her fans.

Born in the village of “Berseveh,“ near the city of Zakhootha (victory, Assyrian) and into a family of seven siblings, Sonia pays a tribute to her origins in “Jwanqa Geresnaya,“ penned by Amir Younan. Forsaking her homeland, but not her ancestry, she has made Sydney her new home with her husband and son.

Jumpstarting her singing career, Sonia debuted her first album “O Yala D’Bayane” in 2009. But prior to that, she co-starred in a duet video song “Bayan Bayan” with her singer father Odisho Moshe. The album was an international success within her borderless community, earning the young artist a spotlight throughout Europe and the Americas, and recognition among some of the best lyricists and musicians, namely Ashur Bet-Sargis and Shamon Kena.

Her uncompromised homage to Argentinian revolutionist Che Guevara in “Arayate D’Kherota,” my own personal favorite, whom she parallels with her own nation’s struggles and the daring retort of the Assyrian Democratic Movement throughout the last four decades. Then came sixth track “Hekla D’Ishtar,” in which she teamed with the late George Homeh.

Her runner-up album, “Bzamran Beyokh,” released most recently in 2012 the songstress slightly divorced her ballad roots, while uniquely belting out new melodies. “Reqtha Dim Dimma“ and “Shara D’Mar Zaia“ are anything but the forte with which she has previously presented herself. In this nine-track album, Sonia joins forces with Napoleon Shimon and Chicagoans Ashoor Baba and Ashur Bandoleros.

Future aspirations for Odisho are “producing CD’s and DVD’s for Assyrian children in native Assyrian language to help preserve their mother tongue.” Sonia’s albums are available online on iTunes.com and Amazon.com

Artist: Sonia Odisho
Album: Bzamran Beyokh
Year: 2012
Genre: International/Folklore

~ Helen Talia, Chicago
September 9, 2012

Malik Mirza passing away in USA today

Malik Mirza passing away in USA today

"Sad new about the passing of Assyrian Singer, Malik Mirza after a long suffering with cancer. For all those who remember him as zamara d khiga yaqoora….to me and most of Assyrians of Kirkuk he was an all around singer who packed the Assyrian Athletic Club parties until the sun rise. May the Lord rest his soul in peace". George Gindo

" Sogolti yimmi marishli m'shinta qam zraqta d'shimsha o'mkheta d; qedamta....Saparchee bdonyeh le derin l'beta kma d'Khazin millati hadkha borbizta.
This is one of the great songs Malik Mirza sang in Karkuk Iraq before moving to United State.

I am very saddened by the passing of our beloved singer MALIK MIRZA today. He will always live in my heart and thousand and thousand of Assyrian hearts. His music and his art will be an eternal for our nation. R.I.P Brother!" Walter Aziz

"My friend Malik Mirza, It was only a few months when I joined my friends the musicians to celebrate your dedications to our Nation and it's very hard for me to write these painful words, God Rest your Soul dear friend.... we will always remember the good times you shared with us all..."Tiglat P Issabey

"Khabra mapshemana qat toleqlan Kha amana deyea aziza Malik Mirza alaha manyekhly hawet go nohra o perdesa" Elizabeth Oshana

"Rest in Peace the Singer of Kirkuk Malik Mirza, will never forget the Love Songs of the 70's at the Assyrian Athletic Club in Kirkuk, also his powerful Shots when he played Soccer." Sam Darmo

Source: Facebook.

New Assyrian Singer Johnny Zaya releasing his new Album KAYIMTA 2012

New Assyrian Singer Johnny Zaya releasing his new Album KAYIMTA 2012.

Johnny Zaya - KAYIMTA (2012)
The release of the first album: 8 tracks

Tracklist
01 | Gashakyata't Aynatakh - Lyrics & Melody: Yousip Menashi
02 | L'Modewat Teta - Lyrics & Melody: Albert Orahim
03 | Perdesa't Khoubakh - Lyrics: Abert Orahim - Melody: Johnny Zaya
04 | Matkherinakh - Lyrics & Melody: Yousip Menashi
05 | Kayimta - Lyrics: Abert Orahim - Melody: Rojir Eliah
06 | Bayen Bayenakh - Lyrics: Emil Gharib - Melody: Rojir Eliah
07 | Bayenakh - Lyrics: Yousip Menashi - Melody: Johnny Zaya
08 | Khizwa't Atour - Lyrics: Abert Orahim - Melody: Johnny Zaya

MUSICIANS:
Songs Arrangments - Evan Yako
Chord Charts - Carlito Akam
Strings Composition - Adnan Yahya
Piano - Charmain Ford
Keyboard Solo - Remoun Toma (Track 1,3,4,7)
Drums - Evan Yako (All Tracks)
Guitar (Acoustic/Electric) - Carlito Akam (All Tracks)
Saxaphone - Bill Gaste (All Track)
Trumbone, Harmonica, Synthesizer - Kel Taylor (All Tracks)
Violin & Viola - Adnan Yahya (All Tracks)
Cello - Mohammed Ameen (All Tracks)
Accordion - Zoran Markovski (Track 5,6)
Tabla & Rack - Saad Bishay (Track 3)

All songs recorded & mixed by Evan Yako, mastered by Drew Bisset at
Real Rhythm Studio. http://www.realrhythmstudio.com

Video Clip - UMBRELLA FILMS
Voice Over - David Gewargis

Photography by Dreamtime Productions - http://www.dreamtimepro.com.au

ISHMAEL Spontaneous Images of the Near East:

Ishmael: Kanun – Vince Delgado: Percussions

Ishmael’s father was born in the village of Gulpashan in the Urmia district of northwestern Iran.

His mother was born in the United States, to parents who hailed from the same area as his father; ethnically, they are Assyrian; Ishmael himself was born in Connecticut.

From the ages of eight to fifteen, he studied classical piano; as a teenager, he also took symphonic tympani lessons with San Francisco symphony tympanist Walter Larew.

His Turkish musical training was with Kanuni Shenchalar in Istanbul and Udi Hrant in the U.S.A.

Ishmael formerly played in the Santa Clara philharmonic Orchestra as head typanist, accompanying such classical musicians as Yehudi Menuhin and Issac Stern, And, along with Vince Delgado, he was a pioneer of Middle Eastern music in San Francesco nightclubs. He has also worked in hotels and clubs in New York, Puerto Rico, Reno, and Las Vegas. He has performed at numerous Middle Eastern functions: conventions, weddings, pricate parties, in concerts and radio programs, and has given lecture demonstrations in colleges and high schools. Recently, he was soloist with the University of California Santa Barbara Middle Eastern ensemble for several concerts.

All Songs Composed by Ishmael and Vince Delgado

Chente Publications, BMI 1998

At the Gate of Ishtar
In the Temple of Ishtar
Tukulti Ninurta Palace
Memphis
Persepolis
Dur Sharrukin
Cilicia
Lake Urmia
Nineveh

Album can be purchased from: cdbaby Site

Issam Arabo NEW ALBUM 2012 DALLALEE

HERE IS A QUICK PEAK OF MY NEW ALBUM "DALLALEE" HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY. THANK YOU.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCiRTTahZiI&feature=share

New George Homeh Album is Out Get your copy...

Shlama L Deqlat : Is out with 8 new tracks.

Get your copy quick...

We are happy to announce George Homeh's latest album which will be coming out soon.

You can listen to snippets of the album here.

If you would like to pre-order this album you can order a copy by clicking the paypal link below. Your order will be processed when the album is released during May.

To Pre-order the new album please visit the official George Homeh Site Here.

The History of Assyrian Music

The History of Assyrian Music

by Michael David Shaw

In the sculptures found in the ruins of Nineveh are many representations of musicians and musical instruments. The latter appear to have been of the finest workmanship, in fact, within their limits, the instruments of the Assyrians could be said to be artistically perfect.

Most of the sculpture work discovered at Nineveh is now in the British Museum, and reproductions of it are to be found in almost every book dealing with the history of music. Judging from the nature of the instruments represented, the music of the Assyrians must have been of a light yet somewhat subdued order, with no very pronounced effects of instrumental "colour," no blaring of large wind instruments or banging of drums. They have also arrived at some idea of a proper combination of instruments and voices.

An interesting illustration, not only of the nature of the Assyrian musical instruments, but also of the manner in which these instruments were used in combination with voices, can be seen by a sculptural relief in the British Museum, representing a procession of musicians marching to meet a conqueror returning from battle. In front marches a bearded man playing upon a harp apparently about four feet high and fitted with ten strings. From the fact of his walking alone in front of his fellow musicians, this man was evidently the chief of the musicians. Behind him walk two men, one playing an instrument of the dulcimer kind, and the other a double flute.

The dulcimer player walks with his instrument resting against his breast in a horizontal position, possibly it was secured by a cord or strap passed round the player's neck. The flute-player's instrument is small, allowing him to have been a tall man; each pipe would be up to twelve inches long. Behind the flute and dulcimer-players come two more harpers, with instruments similar to that carried by the leader.

Then follow another couple, a harper and a flute-player, followed, in turn, by two other harpers, these last being followed by a harper and a drummer, the drum a very small one and apparently played with the finger-tips. This constitutes the orchestra. The rear of the procession is brought up by six adult and nine juvenile singers, the whole forming a band and chorus of twenty-six instrumentalists and singers divided as follows :-

2 Double flutes.
1 Small drum.
1 Dulcimer.
6 Singing men or women.
7 Harps.
9 Singing boys.

There is undoubtedly a strong sense of proportion and general fitness exhibited in this combination, so much so, that we can hardly imagine the disposition of this body of musicians to have been purely a matter of chance. The sharper sounding instruments, the flutes and the dulcimer, are carefully placed among the other less pronounced instruments, and considering the nature of the other instruments, the drum may be said to be sufficiently large and powerful for the purpose it had to serve.

The backbone of the band is in the harps, they represent the violins of the modern orchestra. The proportion of singers to instrumentalists, again, although somewhat unequal, according to modern ideas, is curiously like that of Handel's time.

Besides the instruments just described, the Assyrians appear to have also made use of a variety of drums, cymbals, trumpets, bells and tambourines.

Azadoota Canberra and Melbourne gigs next weekend

"A celebration of life, love and humanity."

Azadoota are touring to promote their newly released CD "Beyond Bridges". From the rhythmic drum call that begins Azadoota’s first song Shakita to the infectious pulse of Joshie’s Song, to boys remembering a summer crush in Kiss Me Kiss Me, to the joyful chorus of Eejenah, which tells of a cross‐cultural marriage, there’s a sense of irresistible celebration that will get you up on the floor right from the beginning of "Beyond Bridges."

Please come out and support Assyrian music in the pubs and venues of your city.

Friday February 10 in Canberra at The Front Gallery and Cafe,1 Wattle Place Lyneham, 8pm, $10 entry
Saturday February 11 in Melbourne at the Lomond Hotel, 225 Nicholson St, Brunswick East, 9:30pm, Free!
Sunday February 12 in Melbourne at Open Studio, 204 High St, Northcote, 8:30pm, $10 entry.

Thanks!

New book and album for Children from Syria

The committee for the development and advance of Assyrian songs (Syria) has completed a children music project. A new book of songs with music notation, including the recordings of songs on CD titled (Rainbow). Music composed by Mr. Joseph Isho and lyrics by a number of Assyrian poets.All enefits from the sales of this work go to the Assyrian Aid Society, Syrian chapter.

To purchase the book + Audio, visit the original link (in arabic):

To listen to an audio sample click here

Assyrian Poems and Folkloric songs with music notations

Came home today and a parcel was waiting for me, the sender was a good friend in Germany, Mr. Abboud Zeitoune our music archivist. The parcel contained a new book published by Dr. Abrohom Lahdo from Sweden. Perhaps from the title you can get a glimpse of its contents: Assyrian Poems and folkloric songs with music notations.

The book charters the history of the 20th Century’s earliest known original Assyrian folk songs in the western dialect, and how they came about after a ban of nearly three hundred years.

Moneer Cherie © Qeenatha.com

The author whom now lives in Germany, being amongst the early lyrists of such songs starting from 1966 until recent period. The book contains all his lyrics written in Assyrian with music notations for most of them, and included is also an audio CD, an album of 97 MP3 tracks, all recited by the author on the background of the original songs. Hardcover book, 217 pages printed in Sweden 2012, good quality print on glossy paper, Main and only chapter is in Arabic, lyrics in Assyrian with music notations next to each song.

To What Strange Place

To What Strange Place

The Music of the Ottoman-American Diaspora 1916-29

By: Ian Nagoski (text from booklet)

A compilation of 3 CDs collecting rare gramophone music records of the nations under the Ottoman Empire whom migrated to the U.S after WWI

The Record collections of the Armenian, Greek, Lebanese and Assyrian immigrations of the late 19th and early 20th including not only performances of their fellow immigrants but also recordings of the classical masters of Ottoman music, and a wide variety of folk music of the homeland. American labels issued songs recorded in Constantinople, Smyrna, Sofia, Athens, and Cairo for issue in the U.S. during the first decades of the 20th century and released recordings from aboard through the Depression.

Immigrant entrepreneurs went to great lengths and considerable expense to import discs to sell to their communities, and many discs of great musicians that cannot be found in the archive in Egypt, Greece or Turkey today turn up in the estates of immigrants in American cities. Recordings from the homelands were so popular and marketable among the immigrants that after WWII, independent Greek and Armenian-owned record shops pirated recordings of many styles on their own labels.

The discs themselves arrived every which way, I bought a few, but most arrived in discarded collections and more often were donated by sympathetic friends, the majority of them were in badly worn or damaged condition, either through decades of neglects or having being loved to death by their past owners. Several were literary picked out of the garbage alongside the road before they reached me. I started doing this, because I liked the music, and I got curios about it and the curiosity is still there.

Included in this compilation are the recordings of two "unknown" Assyrian singers, unfortunately non of them sung in Assyrian "that we know about", the first song is in Turkish, sung by Kosroff Malool from Diyarbakir, he was among the first musicians to record in Turksih in New York. The second song included is in Kurdish language recorded in 1916.

The second remarkable Assyrian singer in this compilation is Shmon Arslan (b 1899 – d. 1975) singing Diarbekir Divan in 1927.

Youtube clip 1

Youtube clip 2

"Separately, we die one by one, but all together we are immortal" – Nikos Kazantzakis. (a quote from the booklet).

Moneer Cherie, 2012

Hormiz Daoud 2011 - shekla d malakhta

lyrics & melody - Hormiz Daoud

arrange & mixing by Ramsen Jano

Assyrian Folk dances and Culture - Book -

A New book has been released on the Assyrian Music and Culture for the first time in Turkey. The book is available in the Turkish language at the moment only. The description below is translated with auto-translation from Turkey to English so it might be a bit out.

Author: Senem Crafty

Size: 19 X 27

Cover: Paperback

Page: 128

Price: £ 15

Internal Paper: 90 gr.

ISBN: 978-605-5739-76-8 ISBN: 978-605-5739-76-8

Due to the importance of culture and civilizations that flourished in Mesopotamia, the history of mankind can be better understood today, day by day.

From the discovery of writing, invention of the wheel and the hunter-gatherer society to the agricultural society that shaped world history. Those were but few examples of that civilization’s gifts to humanity.

The Assyrian people and culture, is the cornerstone of that region's indigenous people in Mesopotamia. The Assyrian people in the cultural sense of wealth has been discovered only recently in Turkey too.

Today, they live in different regions, with different names (Syrian Assyrian Chaldean), and are scattered in small communities around the world. The people who struggled for life, the founders of first university in (Nusaybin), the earliest Christian missions workers that took them all the way from middles East to China. They translated ancient Greek works from Syriac into Arabic through the Assyrian bright and rich civilization, they were the region’s heir to that cultural revolutionary.

This book is written on the Assyrian culture and folklore, one of the most important part of his graduate thesis. Is the first academic work on this issue in Turkey.

This work came to light with the research of its author Mr. Senem, who worked for years in Mardin and Midyat, Iraq and Syria. He also took advantage of the accumulation knowledge on musical culture in those countries.

And according to us this work on Assyrian of Mesopotamia, is a treasured resource for all humanity.

Mesopotamia Culture and Solidarity Association

See original link of the book: Here

Nohadra Radio – SHANT ESHO EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 29.10.2011

Listen now to exclusive interview with Assyrian rising STAR Shant Esho from Canada, talking to your host Shamasha David Gewargis From nohadraradio.com

Nohadra Radio Sydney – SHANT ESHO, CANADA. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 29.10.2011

Albert Ruel Funeral

Albert Ruel Tamras Funeral

Original Report written by Robert Odisho, for Khabour.com reporting from Arizona, U.S.A.

Translated from Arabic to english by Moneer Cherie with editing by Romeo Hanna – Australia.

I heard of the rumour that was circulating around for two days that Albert Ruel had passed away. So I made few calls to confirm the tragic news, I tried not to call the family home as I was still not sure how credible the rumour was, but in few hours I saw the breaking news on Khabour.com

I contacted the late Albert’s family home directly to get information on the date and place of burial; I was told it would be on Friday the 29th of July at 11 o’clock Arizona time.

I hastily asked my wife and my brother that I be excused and I left the running of my business on their shoulders. I got my ticket to Arizona but this time my trip was not going to be a short one and it will be devoid of joy quite contrary to my first trip to Albert’s home in 2008.

I promptly packed all that was required to cover this tragic event, and was on my way. I arrived at the family house at 8:30 am. I saw the deceased's son and daughters, his widow, his sisters, and his grandchildren.

Everyone was silent and when I saw them in black I started to cry especially when I saw his daughter Nora. The pain was visible on everyone’s face, and a deep sadness that could not be described, the family was receiving relatives and friends that came from Chicago and elsewhere.

The late Albert Ruel had been suffering from a chronic illness for the past year. In his final days he was being treated at the local hospital. He came home on Monday 25th July 2011 and on his last day he asked his daughter Nora to help him lie down on his bed and he slept for few hours. As he woke up he called out again with a drawn smile on his face and started to wave his hand saying goodbye he delivered his soul. It was Wednesday the 27th July 2011.

On funeral day we all left the family home and went to St. Peter's Church at exactly 11 am and upon seeing his coffin, some women started groaning aloud, others shouting his name and crying. It was one of the most painful moments of my life.

The prayers and service were conducted by Rev. Qendo Qendo and accompanied by a group of deacons. Then Father Qendo delivered the eulogy and mentioned the names of the late Albert Ruel's relatives that came from around the states and elsewhere.

Then H. G. Bishop Mar Aprim Khamis also spoke of the late Albert Ruel and his modest Assyrian personality how he always displayed it throughout his life. He played a major role in enriching the Assyrian folk song and preserving the Assyrian music heritage. We should all rejoice now that his spirit has joined with the spirits of the virtuous, the righteous and the Saints in Heaven.

As the Assyrian tradition is that the women do not join the men for the laying to rest at the cemetery, a request was made for them to the priest to have a last glance and say goodbye, so the coffin was opened, and the moments were a time filled with sadness. I had the honour of laying my hand on his forehead as he was lying peacefully in his coffin.

People scrambled for a last glance, crying and groaning. A few of his family members fell unconscious and collapsed. After the family and the attendants had their final glance the coffin was sealed.

We joined the procession accompanying the mourners moving to the "Rose Garden" Cemetery in Arizona, with the local police directing the procession. We arrived at the cemetery and the buriel ceremony began with prayers.

I had the honour to be a witness and to participate in this event, and as usual Khabour.com was the forerunner in covering this event and documenting this tragedy with my camera with the photos attached.

Prominent Assyrian personalities that were supposed to be there to give their last respects to the late Assyrian artist Albert Ruel: Non of them actually attended!

Reporters and photographers from Assyrian TVs and Websites administrators who were supposed to to be there and scramble to cover this event and take photos: Non of them actually attended!

Only his son Yousip, the photographer Edwar and myself were there covering and recording this event.

The Assyrian nation has lost a great contributer and revivalist of the Assyrian folk song. He put his stamp on so many songs and turned them into classics.

The late Albert Ruel was a gentle person who could befriend people with his tender and kindness. Albert was a person that didn’t like fame and limelight as much as he wanted to be a part in preserving the Assyrian heritage in music and songs for his nation, that was the aim of Albert, and that will be remembered as his achievements for a long time to come..

May God’s mercy be upon you and may our lord rest your soul in heaven. Albert Ruel Tamras.

For more photos please click here