Stories of wartime, transformed through music tortured and imprisoned under saddam husseins regime, composer and oud player rahim alhaj who resettled as a refugee in new mexico uses his. Afzalur rahim has 19 books on goodreads with 61 ratings. A recent npr tiny desk concert featuring rahim alhaj. Friday, april 3 its new monthnew music time in the global village. The album expresses the love and pain of lives lived by the people of wartorn iraq. He lived in iraq during saddam husseins reign and was tortured, moved to the united states, became an american citizen, lives in new mexico, performance regularly weve had him here at npr to play a tiny desk concert. Rahim alhaj, virtuoso oud musician and composer, was born in baghdad, iraq and began playing the oud the grandfather of all stringed instruments at age nine. Rahim alhaj and sahba motallebi musical instrument museum. You are free to share the music files on a nonprofit basis. Mar 30, 2020 also featured in the show, music from madagascars toko telo, nea heritage fellow rahim alhaj, and mongolian band anda union.
Hailed as one of the top oud players in the world by the san francisco chronicle, rahim alhaj is a performer and composer who combines a traditional iraqi musical foundation with contemporary styling and influences. Rahim alhaj at court square theater, harrisonburg virginia. But on two more, alhaj has engaged with other cultures. Nea 2015 national heritage fellowship award recipient. Alhaj s twocd set, little earth, takes this exploratory trajectory further. Rahim alhaj is one of a very few professional oudists actively revitalizing and thereby preserving the iraqi art music tradition in our time. Theres an iraqi oud player its a traditional instrument named rahim alhaj whos actually an american citizen. With six albums under his belt since he arrived in the us in 2000two of them, friendship fast horse, 2006 and when the soul is settled smithsonian folkways, 2007, grammy nomineesiraqi oudist rahim alhaj is settling into his new homeland with aplomb. Jun 14, 2017 alhaj received letters of loss and pain, but also letters of hope and resilience. Composed by oud player rahim alhaj, a man with firsthand knowledge of oppression under saddam husseins regime and a deep love for the people of. Friendship was made with a classical string quartet, and ancient sounds ur, 2009 with indian sarod player amjad ali khan.
I was imprisoned twice by saddam hussein and it was because of my political and artistic protests, which were against the iran and iraq war that began in 1980 and continued until 1988. Hear the morning edition program for july 25, 2017. Abdur rahims most popular book is arabic course for englishspeaking students. Early on, it was evident that he had a remarkable talent for playing the oud.
Homegrown concerts from the library of congress, 20152016. Apr 16, 2017 in 1991, oud player rahim alhaj fled iraq, leaving behind his native land after being imprisoned twice for his political outspokenness. May 18, 2017 rahim alhaj photo by douglas kent hall showtime. Imam rahim completed the universitys intermediate, secondary institutes as well as the world renown arabic language institute.
Home again fast horse recordings, the latest solo release from iraqi oudistcomposer rahim alhaj, sounds unfamiliar at first. A decadelong investigation, published by penguin random house india is a thorough journalistic investigation into the reported criminal. His forthcoming album, letters from iraq, features eight original compositions inspired by a collection of recent letters by iraqi women and children, which range from the banal to the brave. The oud has charmed audiences for more than 5,000 years, and the tradition continues with this reverent performance by one of the worlds best players, rahim alhaj.
A reflection on recording rahim alhajs letters from iraq. A second reunion, by rob vollmar world literature today. His instrument, a bigbodied, shortnecked lute, dates back at least 5,000 years and is popular throughout the middle east and the arab world. Four of the discs have been virtuoso expositions of traditional iraqi music.
Jul 28, 2016 rahim alhaj oud was born in baghdad, iraq and began playing the oud arabic lute at age nine. Oud and string quintet by rahim alhaj on amazon music. Theyre built on modes maqamat alien to the western ear, and their themes are developed almost entirely melodically. This powerhouse duo features famed oud player rahim alhaj and cellist karim wasfi. He was forced to flee iraq in 1991 due to his activism against the baathist regime. The deep and soulful sound of spanish flamenco is rooted in a unique series of historical events and cultural overlaps that stretch across centuries, reaching from india to the new worldnone more important than the moorish conquest of the iberian peninsula in the eighth century. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide.
Smithsonian folkways shares powerful letters from iraq. May 07, 2020 morning edition for may 7, 2020 hear the morning edition program for may 7, 2020. The cds nine compositions are played on a 12stringed acoustic instrument little known in the west, whose recorded history dates back 5,000 years. November, 2015 by suraya mohamed ancestor to the lute and the guitar, the oud. Hailed as one of the top oud players in the world by the san francisco chronicle, rahim alhaj is a performer and composer who combines a traditional iraqi. He talks about his journey and his new cd, when the soul is settled. Rahim alhaj is a composer and musician from baghdad. Rahim alhaj continues the journey musically speaking. The iraqiamerican oud virtuoso, who fled his native country. He was repeatedly imprisoned and tortured for speaking out under saddam husseins. Savannah music festival, hug a medievalist, jimmy cliff, erhu. Rahim alhaj, one of the worlds best oud players, is a performer and composer whose wideranging music serves as a bridge between cultures. Listen to music teacher coffee talk episodes free, on demand.
Rahim alhaj has long functioned as a politically conscious musical goodwill ambassador. Rahim alhaj performs at court square theater with jared pool and nate leath. Rahim transposed actual mailed letters and their stories into song, creating eight gripping musical narratives. Pat jarrettvfh staff from left jared pool, osman ahmed, nate leath and rahim alhaj jam at al sultan. On little earth, rahim alhaj set out to create a musical confluence, a caravanserai for artists from around the globe. His smithsonian cd was released in october 2006 and is entitled when the soul is settled. Smithsonian folkways shares powerful letters from iraq by oud master rahim alhaj april 7 watch alhajs eastern love here. Irans enormous book garden in tehran houses more than just books. Pat jarrettvfh staff from left, rahim alhaj, osman ahmed and nate leath tune up before jamming at al sultan restaurant. Stories of wartime, transformed through music ncpr news.
Alhaj, who performs in austin on friday, is a former political prisoner whose music fuses eastern and western influences. Rahim alhaj in harrisonburg virginia folklife program. The virginia folklife program at the virginia foundation for the humanities and court square theater present a concert with virtuoso oud musician and composer, rahim alhaj at court square theater in harrisonburg. Iraqi american musician rahim alhaj had rehearsed a firstrate string quintet and percussionist to record letters from iraq, for which i would write the liner notes. Sfjazz center 201 franklin street san francisco, ca 94102.
Savannah music festival, hug a medievalist, jimmy cliff. Rhythmically moving series pata pata by miriam makeba sanna longden dance materials if you ever have the chance to do any folk dancing workshops with sanna you really must. Whether youve never heard an oud before or are a lifelong lover of the instrument, you are sure to hear new sounds and to experience the mother of the lute and guitar at its absolute best both traditionally and in terms of innovative composition and in. Alhajs spontaneous inventions are constantly fascinating. I had oud, a lot of art and books, and that was it. Alhaj graduated from both the institute of music in baghdad, where he studied with famed oud master munir bashir, and the prisons of saddam hussein, where he studied under harsher masters. In 1991, oud player rahim alhaj fled iraq, leaving behind his native land after being imprisoned twice for his political outspokenness.
He began playing the pearshaped, fretless stringed instrument at age 9, eventually studying under iraqi master munir bashir. He studied under the renowned munir bashir and salim abdul kareem, at the institute of music in baghdad, iraq. Rahim alhaj, iraqi oud virtuoso, on how music crosses cultures. Iraqiborn, grammy awardnominated oud virtuoso and composer rahim alhaj gives voice to the unheard and vulnerable with his 2017 smithsonian folkways recording letters from iraq, a poignant telling of war, aftermath and consequences. Though wordless, the baghdadborn oud players music tells powerful stories about the blessedness and fragility of life. Alhaj received letters of loss and pain, but also letters of hope and resilience. The second baghdad, released in 2002, and iraqi music in a time of war, released in 2003, were both produced by voxlox record label. Iraqi music in a time of war voxlox last february, mildmannered iraqi matinee idol kazem alsahir played a sparsely populated beacon. He is currently researching sustainability in the industrial food system while pursuing a masters degree in integrated studies at the university of oklahoma. Rahim alhaj oud was born in baghdad, iraq and began playing the oud arabic lute at age nine. On letters from iraq out 47 on smithsonian folkways, the twotime grammy nominees eight pieces for oud, string quintet, and percussion convey the story of contemporary baghdad, from the fall of saddam hussein in 2003 to the present day through what. Rahim alhaj on the making of running boy smithsonian.
Songster dom flemons brings back the melodies of the black. The oud has captivated audiences for more than 5,000 years, and the tradition lives on with this performance by one of the worlds best players. Smithsonian folkways shares powerful letters from iraq by. In addition to his university studies, imam rahim attended the knowledge circles of imams atiyyah salim, umar alfallatah and abu bakr aljazaa iry ahm3 at the prophets. Carrie and tanya discuss chapters from world music pedagogy by amy beegle and christopher roberts. Using false papers procured with the help of his late mother, who. Tiny desk concert though wordless, the baghdadborn oud players music tells powerful stories about the blessedness and fragility of life. Letters from iraq, the most recent album by rahim alhaj for smithsonian folkways recordings, expresses the love and pain of lives lived by the people of wartorn iraq. Rahim alhaj, virtuoso oud musician and composer, was born in baghdad, iraq. His 17piece orchestra was exotically anodyne to me, painfully nostalgic to the attendant iraqis.
On letters from iraq out 47 on smithsonian folkways, the twotime grammy nominees eight pieces for oud, string quintet, and percussion convey the story of contemporary baghdad, from the fall of saddam hussein in 2003 to the present day. Rahim al hajs odyssey with the oud the ancient stringed instrument has taken the iraqi musician from baghdad to new mexico. Wait, wait, dont tell me junior with neil patrick harris glen hansards cover of ashes to ashes. Nov 27, 2006 rahim alhaj npr music tiny desk concert duration. Also featured in the show, music from madagascars toko telo, nea heritage fellow rahim alhaj, and mongolian band anda union. Mar 20, 20 all things considered for march 20, 20 hear the all things considered program for march 20, 20. Abdur rahim has 44 books on goodreads with 1920 ratings. Alhaj was born in baghdad, iraq, and began playing the ouda stringed instrument dating back at least 5,000 yearsat age nine. Seidler salon series rahim alhaj and karim wasfi sydney.
Rahim alhaj performs eastern love for rnz live in new plymouth, new zealand ahead of womad 2018. Morning edition for may 7, 2020 hear the morning edition program for may 7, 2020. Dec 01, 2017 iraqi american musician rahim alhaj had rehearsed a firstrate string quintet and percussionist to record letters from iraq, for which i would write the liner notes. Alhaj studied under the renowned munir bashir, considered by many to be the greatest oud player ever. Songster dom flemons brings back the melodies of the black cowboy the latest from folkways, a label marking 70 years, revives music traditions from. Alhajs remarkable story has been told in a new york times piece titled a fabled iraqi instrument thrives in exile nyti. Hailed as one of the top oud players in the world by the san francisco chronicle, rahim alhaj is a performer and composer who combines a traditional iraqi musical foundation with contemporary styling and influences alhaj was born in baghdad, iraq, and began playing the ouda stringed instrument dating back at least 5,000 yearsat age nine.
Just because you can spell forbearance correctly doesnt mean youll get a gold star. She covers breaking news in the music industry, as well as a wide range of musical genres and artists, for npr s flagship news programs and npr music. All things considered for march 20, 20 hear the all things considered program for march 20, 20. Inspired by npr s tiny desk concerts, we are inviting you to join us for our tiny census concerts, a series highlighting new mexicos favorite creatives. A new book titled dera sacha sauda and gurmeet ram rahim. Composed by oud player rahim alhaj, a man with firsthand knowledge of oppression under saddam husseins regime and a deep love for the people of his native iraq, each piece tells a specific tale. We look forward to having more musicians like rahim alhaj share their music and tell their stories. There were high death rates and terrible consequences for both countries. Rahim alhaj npr tiny desk concert bulgarian womens choir performance on the tonight show kate bush with the london bulgarian choir coda section things we are looooooving. For this global fridays presentation, alhaj and members of the michigan philharmonic paint musical scenes of devastation, pain, redemption and hope from the. Stream adfree or purchase cds and mp3s now on amazon. Afzalur rahims most popular book is managing conflict in organizations.
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