Simon Shaheen in “The Call: Songs of Liberation”

Palestinian composer and musician Simon Shaheen has done more for bringing Arab music to the West than anyone else in recent memory. Known for his melodic ingenuity and his dazzling technique on both the violin and the oud, the central instrument in Arab music, Shaheen’s style is based in traditional Arabic sounds and includes elements of jazz, world and classical.

The Call: Songs of Liberation, features a new composition by Shaheen as well as ‘50s and ‘60s anthems by some of the most popular composers of the Arab world. These songs have found new resonance in the recent freedom movements in the Middle East and North Africa. Featuring singers Naji Youssef and Mayssa Karaa, and guest dancer Cassandra Shore.

This concert was presented in partnership with the Museum of Anthropology’s Safar/Voyage: Contemporary Works by Arab, Iranian, and Turkish Artists, guest curated by Fereshteh Daftari. Safar/Voyage is Canada’s first major group exhibition of artists from the Middle Eastern region. It ran from April 20 to September 15, 2013.

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