Moiroloï from Premeti - Nikos Kyrios, violin and Jonathan Lewis playing as the drone.
I am really into drones right now. Before I began Bellydancing I had never heard of a drone (in music). I had not heard of a lot of things, actually. A drone is
To me, as a dancer, a drone is a continuous vibrating sound wave that I don't just hear but feel in my body. Like a never-ending low hum. It is both a physical and an cerebral response. The use of a drone some how gives the music a deeper texture, heat and weight that it otherwise would not have.
You can hear drones often in Arabic music, particularly at the beginning and throughout most taqsims. There are usually multiple players of the same instrument so one or more can be the drone while the others can play the melodies. For wind instruments, the drone often uses a technique called circular breathing. He both breathes in and blows out without breaking the flow of air to the instrument. This creates the non-stop sound produced. The same type of breathing is used to play a didgeridoo.
Sitting to the left behind the singer is the drone rebab player while the rebab player on the right echos the melody.
This video features an Arghul which has a built in drone - two tubes one of which is the drone. The cool thing about this arghul player is that he uses circular breathing.
The next time you listen to your dance music see if you can pick out the drones and give a little love to them the next time you dance.
A video of musicians in Jerusalem pieced together to create great Arabic flavored music. I especially like the layers of oud, guitar, and violin around the 3:50 mark.
"special tnx to the local musicians who create the sound of Jerusalem. In This piece I didn't browse YouTube, I actually wandered around Jerusalem , met with musicians and filmed them. "
These lovely pieces of art are made with genuine polished Moose poo. If Moose poo isn't your thing they've got some really awesome cameos (particularly the butterflies,) brooches, and tons of other crazy, cool, and dead stuff at Where on Earth.
If only I'd found this site before Christmas.
~N
Now: recovering from Christmas holiday.
UPDATED: KNOW YOUR ROOTS
To answer a question from Gypsy, "What is Kuchi?"
Kuchi jewelry is made and worn by the Kuchi people of Afghanistan. It is most popularly worn by American Tribal Style and other Tribal Fusion dancers and most famously worn on The Indigo's Rachel Brice.
As for the Moose Poo jewelry, it is NOT Kuchi. It's just funny and weird. But it does oddly resemble a piece of Kuchi jewelry nonetheless.
The Student Exhibition Center presents a unique exhibit "Jordan Through the Ages: An Archaeological Exhibit" from the History Department. The exhibit will be on display from March 19 to March 31, 1:00 to 5:00 pm, Tuesday to Saturday. There will be a reception on March 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The public is invited to attend all dates and any group is welcome. In celebration of launching its first archaeological study abroad program in Jordan, Missouri State will host a multimedia archaeological and ethnographic exhibit. The exhibit highlights the on-going excavations at Tall Hisban, a medieval Islamic castle site with a Biblical past, and the Northern Jordan Project, an archaeo-environmental project in the northern hill country. These projects are under the Co-Direction and Direction of Bethany Walker, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at Missouri State University. The artifacts on display come from these excavations and are under study by Missouri State faculty and students. Collectively they document the journey through time of the peoples of Jordan, from deep antiquity, through the Middle-Ages, and into today’s era. The exhibit is designed by Missouri State students currently studying archaeology and going to Jordan this summer and is co-sponsored by the Department of History of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs, and Phi Alpha Theta, the Anthropology Club, and the Saudi Club, student organizations at Missouri State University. An opening night reception with refreshments and a program will be held Thursday, March 18, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Exhibition Center and is free to the public. Student tours from local public schools are welcome. For tours and more information on the exhibit, contact the Student Exhibition Center (417-836-6999) or Prof. Walker (417-836-5099). The Student Exhibition Center is located at 838 East Walnut Street, on the corner of John Q. Hammons Parkway in Springfield, MO. The center is closed for all University holidays.Visit our web site or call for more information.
I found this super awesome site from BDer Candi that breaks down dancers, singers, music, etc. from the past to the present, including pictures, links to clips, and music from the best known dancers and singers in the field. It's full of all kinds of awesome info especially for those BD scholars out there looking to educate themselves with a little BD history. If you are a BD teacher of any kind this info a great thing to refer your students to!
Check out the Egyptian Dancers here and browse the other awesome pages in the menu. Rakscandi
Hi Naima, My name is Greg Winn, and I am the son of Shalimar Serene, Middle Eastern Dancer since 1974, and Editor and Publisher of The Caravan Magazine. My mother passed away Feb 21, 2009, and I found out this morning that Bert Balladine passed away March 14, 2009. Both will be dearly missed...
My thoughts are with you and your family as well, Greg.
If you are online tonight, check out this new broadcast from the Kennedy Center of Bnet Houariyat, part of ARABESQUE: Arts of the Arab World at 6pm est/7pm cst.
Hailing from the region of Marrakech, Morocco, the five women of Bnet Houariyat perform traditional Berber songs and dances that reflect the multiple facets of Islam and the female condition. Hauntingly beautiful, the harmonies, melodies, and rhythms in the songs transport you to another world. The themes explore the cultural traditions and the reality of these extraordinary women.
Scroll down the page for more upcoming and past ARABESQUE: Arts of the Arab World broadcasts. The Al-Farah Choir performance is particularly cool. I've never seen/heard a whole Arabic choir before.
Thanks B. for the info!
~N
Now playing: Greek Greek Greek music! mood: bell bottoms. like the pants...I don't know either... =)
I would say that almost every American Bdancer has heard and or danced to a George Abdo song. Hadouni, Hadouni anyone? But what do you know about George Abdo? I searched through 15 pages of Google looking to learn more about the man behind the Art, Magic, and Joy of Bellydance and found ONE personal article about him. All the rest where links to buy his music. I found no info on where he was from, how he got into music, or how he became a staple in the American BD consciousness.
Why don't we know more about this man? I mean, he gave us the art, the magic, AND the joy right there. He laid it all right out in stereo no less.
Here is the article I found cut and pasted here with a link to the author's site at the bottom.
George Abdo:Remembering a Legend by Eric Peterson
When George Abdo passed away in May of 2002, I felt compelled to mention him in as many related e-mail groups and web-sites as I could. Fittingly, I should have something here on my site honoring him as well. For me, it all started with “George Abdo and The Flames Of Araby.” As I’ve mentioned in my Bio and my Favorites links, my memories of his music go back to my childhood.
Seeing George Abdo’s live performances at the Averof, as well as my listening to his recorded work, it made an indelible impression on me, and continues to inspire me. I know for a fact that I would not be the musician I am today if it wasn’t for George and his phenomenal group of musicians. Many special thanks to drummers Steve Kouyoumjian and Leon Manoogian.
I believe that he was a true pioneer in the medium of Middle Eastern music and dance here in America. So much of what’s happening today wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for Abdo and others of his generation in the 1960’s and 1970’s laying the ground-work and setting the template. Whether you were performing or teaching a dance class over the last 30 years, chances were that his music was present; it was perfect for learning.
I’m fond of saying that aside from his wonderful singing voice, his great gift was as a band leader and musical arranger. His arrangements were totally new within the context of Middle Eastern music, with the needs of the dancer totally in mind, thus he pioneered something new and accessible to the American audiences that were coming to the shows. He brought this music out from the weddings and haflas and into the clubs. Another very important detail was the role of the dancer as an essential contribution to the musical ensemble, and not simply as a decorative ornament. I feel in this context the dancer was part of a band, which was very different in America previously, where belly dancing was to be seen mostly as Burlesque, with completely unrelated music, or a worse environment - Hollywood movies. I believe he helped bring belly dancing to an appreciative art-form and changed its image by being faithful to it, without removing the sensuality from it, or disguising it with colorful genre terminology such as “Goddess Dance” or “American Tribal” sub-divisions that thankfully, didn’t exist in those days drawing boundaries. If this was all he ever did for the art-form, his contribution is huge.
He helped create the genre of belly dance music here in America as we know it today.
In a new context, Abdo and others helped forged an effective arts medium with a newly defined identity where the belly dance music and belly dance itself were one. The music communicated and moved with the dancer as a partner, they were complete. One was simply not an additive for the other. George Abdo was certainly an innovator who forged the template for this now defined medium, or genre.
It’s important for me to mention here that even though Abdo and his band were doing “Fusion music” they did not stray far from the indigenous, cultural context and details of the songs, rhythms and structures. So important is this, as to make this music have its proper form, yet be something new as well. This is something so evidently missing from many groups here today doing American-Middle East music, many who are being born out of SCA events and Renaissance fairs all around the U.S. This is why many of them (in my opinion) sound like Celtic, New Age, or Renaissance music, without any connection to the roots that I can hear.
All of the musicians I’m referring to in Abdo’s band had strong connections to Arabic, Greek, Armenian, and Turkish music, as they were Armenian, Greek and Arabic musicians born here in the U.S. This was the music they heard in their homes, the music their parents listened to.
They also loved all other kinds of music as well, some also played rock and jazz, so when they give it a new twist and bring in these influences, it doesn’t lose its definition. With this noted, his music is so much more needed today to educate and learn from, for both musicians and dancers if you’re going to do Fusion. But above all, just to listen to some really great and exciting music, his albums certainly deliver whole-heartedly and more.
I’ll never forget those nights at the Averof when I experienced the live music and belly dancing, as it truly blew my mind. The combination of the energy rush from this powerful group of musicians, and the strong, sensuous, beautiful women who exquisitely interpreted the music, I say it was unforgettable. This power of men and women creating Art together, this was Abdo’s music personified. This is music that both men and women can relate to and identify with.
I’m listening to his recordings a lot these days. Forever preserved is the excitement, presence, and phenomenal musicianship, great songs, and singing, all that has left its impression on my psyche from over 25 years ago. This is the mark of great musicians who’ve left a charge of Baraka in the world.
Thanks for the Baptism George! Above all, thanks for all the great music.
Lesson for today: There is no limit to how much pumpkin bread you can eat over the course of a week. There is a limit to how much chili you can eat over the course of a few days.
Got the music for the workshop class time picked out. Got my notes almost in order for printing off. Must do laundry so I have clean workout clothes ready.
