Sounds From The World Middle Eastern Showcase At Sxsw

Join us for the best Middle Eastern music showcase at this year's SXSW Music. On Wednesday, March 18th, Russian House of Austin will host 5 international bands including: 8 PM - Qarabagh - traditional "mugham" ensemble direct from Azerbaijan 9 pm - Qaraqan - Hip hop/spoken word artist from Azerbaijan - (may mix traditional and electronic instruments with Qarabagh) 10:15 pm - Diwan Saz - Israeli-based band with a melting pot of diverse religious and ethnic musicians playing sufi music 11:30 pm - 1001 Nights Orchestra - Austin, own Middle Eastern/Balkan ensemble 12:30 am - Howie Lee - DJ/producer direct from China We are expecting a hot, high energy showcase. Remember that you do not have to have a SXSW wristband or badge to get in. You can get in by paying a nominal cover ($5-$10 usually) and see ALL the bands at Russian House. Bands: Qarabagh Ensemble - Isterem Seni Qarabagh Ensemble was formed two years ago by Agil Suleymanov as a student at the National Conservatory, the center for the study of Mugham in Azerbaijan. They all began their formal study of music as young children and progressed with great practice and care to learn the honored traditional music of Azerbaijan. Now instructors and senior students they have joined in an effort to share their talent and music. The group is composed of Agil Suleymanov, vocals; Elvin Novruzov, kamancha; Rustam Muslumov, tar; and Elnur Aliyev, naghara. Aqil began study at the Bulbul Music School in 2005. Fahruz Sakhavat, the Honorary Artist of Azerbaijan, was his teacher. After finishing the school in 2011, he entered the State Conservatory of Azerbaijan. He is in his final year, his professor is Sakina Ismayilova, the National Artist of Azerbaijan. He has been studying Mugham for 13 years since age 9. For Aqil his music is his path to the light. When the band Qarabagh began to play together they felt a shared release, a positive sense of hope. It is a music of healing, of trust, of love. They want to share this energy in their music. Practicing daily to perfect their art, they are on a journey, still in the process of learning the heart and soul of their homeland in their art. Elvin has studied for many years the music of Azerbaijan throughout his youth, graduating from the National Conservatory last year. He is an instructor now, and has toured participating in state concerts in Italy, France, Austria, Russia, Turkey, Georgia, and Tajikistan. Rustam comes from a musical family with his father a famous traditional musician in the country. He attended and graduated from Asaf Zeynalli Music College and the National Conservatory and is now working as a teacher. He has performed in Iran, Turkey, Italy, France, and Moscow. Elnur studied the naghara at the Bulbul Music School and the Soltan Hajibeyov Music College. He has performed in Turkey, Belarus, Minsk, and Moscow. He now teaches at the Children's Art School in the Gobu settlement. Qarabagh Ensemble was selected and video recorded by Vincent Moon for his forth coming video on the music of Azerbaijan. The audio recording of their performance in the Park Bulvar along the Caspian Sea was included in the recently published album, "The Sounds of Azerbaijan". The band has performed at academic events, traditional celebrations, and on TV and radio broadcasts in Azerbaijan. The band created and presented a series of live performance broadcasts on national media over Azad Azerbaijan TV (ATV) and 106.3 FM Radio. In February and March of 2014, the band traveled to the US, performing and recording in Austin Texas. They participated at the University of Texas in classes and in sharing their music. They met with students at the Butler School of Music at the University, demonstrating Azerbaijani traditional music and their special merging of mugham music with rock, joined by the Azerbaijani rock band 5:59. Their music was presented on public radio in Austin and they were introduced and interviewed by John Aielli on KUTX radio show "Eklektikos". They performed at the Deutsches Haus COOP in Austin, at the Texas Union, and on March 17 as a guest artist in "Tradition and Innovation: Two worlds of Azerbaijani music" at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas. Qaraqan Elkhan Zeynalli, better known by his stage name Qaraqan (Black Blood), is a powerful new voice in popular music, literature, and culture in Azerbaijan. As a renowned hip hop singer-songwriter with a dedicated following of fans, five albums, international concerts and media appearances, he is an innovative creative performance artist. As an author of seven best-selling books and winner of the National Book Award in Azerbaijan, he has respect for the courage and honesty of his creative work. Elkhan Zeynalli was born in 1987 in Baku, Azerbaijan, growing up in an ordinary household and family whose resources were always a lot of books. Since childhood he fell in love with the power and magic of words. He began writing at the back of University lecture halls as a student and during hotel receptions at his job at nights. He graduated from the Turkish Lyceum in Baku and studied journalism at Baku State University. While in his first year at the University he founded the H.O.S.T. Alliance with seven friends and fellow students. They would become the most famous Hip Hop group in Azerbaijan. The group's name derives from the abbreviation of classical elements in the Azerbaijani language, which means hava (air), od (fire), su (water), and torpaq (earth). Unable to get commercial placement for their first album, they distributed it through the internet for free and immediately gained an eager audience of devoted fans of young people. The power of their words intensely touch the hearts of their listeners. Their songs were quickly learned and recited and shared. H.O.S.T released more albums: “Proloq” 2007 (Prologue) and “Qarada qirmizi” 2008 (Red in Black), and continued with others, and performed to big audiences. Fame and a cult like following of young people calling themselves “hosted” grew with each performance and album. H.O.S.T. which started as a community of creative artists grew into a movement for a generation of free thinking creative youth. Elkhan had taken the stage name Qaraqan, and his fame and acclaim as a solo artist grew. In 2010 he started his own project. He began to perform in a unique music genre – spoken word, acoustic hip-hop and jazz poetry, where lyrics and music create a magical connection. He released three solo albums: “Qisa qapanma” 2009 (Short Circuit), “Ishiq” 2011 (Light) and “Leukemia” 2013 (Leukemia). These albums brought Qaraqan to a new creative level, making him a cult figure in the music art of Azerbaijan. The power and mastery of his art has been focused and perfected through performance. He has performed successfully to many diverse audiences in Azerbaijan and abroad, within a two week tour in Turkey in Ankara and Istanbul, and in performances in Moscow. Qaraqan also has become an acclaimed writer. He has published seven books which all are bestsellers in his homeland. He received a presidential scholarship for achievements in literature, was announced as author of the year for 2010, and won the first prize at the National Book Award for his novel “A” which was written when he was 20 years old. Rashad Mejid, the head of the Alliance of Authors of Azerbaijan, said in an interview about him that: “In 20-30 years Qaraqan is going to bring Nobel Prize to Azerbaijan”. “I am writing songs for myself and books for people” – Elkhan says. Meaning that his art is a search within and a dialogue between he and his audience. His readers are always looking forward to the new book released because it’s the time when they can communicate their thoughts. His listeners are always eager to hear his new song because they can join in his journey. Qaraqan’s fans receive him not only as an artist but also as a leader, teacher and mentor. With fame and popularity he continues to live an ordinary life with his close friends and family. The creative life is his life. Diwan Saz - דיוואן סאז - ديوان ساز Middle Eastern world music infusing traditional instrumentation and ancient melodies with intercultural & uplifting elements. Diwan Saz is a multicultural Jewish ,Christian & Muslim group of 9 musicians who perform ancient music from Central Asia, Turkey, Persia, and the Holy Land - - promoting peace and understanding through music. Diwan Saz marries together two great traditions that coexist in the Holy Land - that of Hebrew and Arab music, The songs are sung together by Amir shahsar , Saead Tarbia & Tzipora El Rei whose powerful voices, rising at times above the instruments, demands almost undivided attention. music of peace. Diwan Saz Interfaith Ensembl (With musicians from Israel , turkey and Iran together). The Daly Lama was once asked how to end the conflict between nations and people. He answered, “through music - playing, learning, and teaching together.” The Diwan Saz Interfaith Ensemble, embodies this philosophy through its repertoire of authentic folk and classical music of the Middle East performed by some of the most respected Jewish, Muslim and Christian musicians in the region. The ensemble, led by Musical Director and Baglama musician Yohai Barak, has performed in festivals and venues throughout Europe, Israel , India and several prestigious festivals in the United States and Canada including The South By Southwest Music Festival - Austin Texas. As musicians, artists, teachers and musicians these nine musicians combine their many years of commitment to their art and their communities to bring a “world-class” level of music that exemplifies the power music has to unite people of different faiths and backgrounds. 1001 Nights Orchestra 1001 Nights Orchestra is Austin's longest running Middle Eastern ensemble. The group was founded by Kamran Hooshmand in the early nineties to present Austinites with music and cultures of the Middle East. The group's repertoire includes songs from a vast area from Southwest Asia and the Caucuses to the shores of the Mediterranean and the Balkans. Each of the band members bring years of experience and specialty in the music of these regions on the clarinet, violin, bass, oud, santur, percussion and many other instruments. Their recently-released, dance-oriented live recording "Live from Austin, Texas: Music from the Middle East, Southwest Asia and the Balkans" is available online. For this concert, the ensemble arranges their repertoire in what they call a "beats class" whereby they play one song (mostly instrumental) from the Middle East/Balkan region for a selection of musical beat cycles from 2 to 18. Howie Lee It's not often that you'd expect to find that bass-heavy sounds of UK sitting together with Chinese melodies and sound textures, if there is one producer who's doing exactly that, then look no further than Howie Lee. Fusing together his Chinese heritage and British training, the Beijing based producer is steadily carving out his own niche, demonstrating an rising awareness of what contemporary dance music can be. Following the release of an official remix of Snoop Lion, Howie Lee continued to captivate his crowd with characteristic textures and grooves on "Borderless Shadows" EP out via renowned UK tastemaker Trapdoor Records. Since the release, Howie Lee has been supported from industrial veterans such as Plastician(Rinse FM/Terrorhythm), Scratcha DVA(Rinse/Hyperdub), The Gaslamp Killer(Brianfeeder), Joe Kay(Soulection), Om Unit(Civial Music) and more. In 2014, the single Shut it down by Zaiio, which produced by Howie, released by the world largest Trap music label All Trap Music. September same year, Howie Lee’s far eastern EP Eastside Sampler Series made its huge success in US & EU market, which supported by BBC’s Gilles Peterson. As a DJ, Howie has played along with a range of superstars such as Just Blaze, Hudson Mohawke, Bok Bok, Plastician, Kode 9, Scratcha DVA, Terror Danjah, and commanded stages at festivals and night clubs from Beijing to London. In 2014, Howie Lee has won Timeout Beijing best DJ. #sxsw #1001nightsorchestra #qarabagh #qaraghan #diwansaz