Souad Massi Princess Of North African Song?back In Us & Canada After 8 Years Algerian Star Showcases New Work In Concerts At

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Souad Massi Princess Of North African Song?back In Us & Canada After 8 Years Algerian Star Showcases New Work In Concerts At

Occurs on:

July 7 : 6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Neighborhood: Park Slope

Prospect Park Bandshell

Prospect Park West and 9th Street

Brooklyn, NY 11215

Souad Massi, Islamic Woman, sings for Freedom and celebrates Independence. The Princess of North African song?Back in US & Canada after 8 YearsAlgerian Star Showcases New Work in Concerts at The Kennedy Center, Montreal Jazz Festival and Celebrate Brooklyn With her luminous, silken voice, her deeply poetic songs, and her exquisitely versatile band, Souad Massi makes her first appearances on US stages since 2004. Massi performs at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on June 30, Montreal Jazz Festival on July 4 and headlines at New York?s Celebrate Brooklyn on July 7 Massi returns as one of the most celebrated and respected singers in North Africa and the Middle East today. Her 2010 release ? Houria (Liberty) (Wrasse Records) is inspired by poetry, philosophy and the writings of the 14th century Arab historian Ibn Khaldun. ?When you are young,? says Massi, ?you are impressed with superstars and millionaires. But now, I am impressed by people who are intelligent and visionary. Ibn Khaldun spoke about the changes in the world, the mentality that people had and wanted, how individuals were demanding their rights, and the struggles of people. When I read him, I imagined that there could be a great change in the Arab world.? This was the spark that led to ? Houria. Massi sings about the aspirations of women, workers, lovers, the oppressed and disempowered. The songs on ? Houria both foreshadowed and provided a fitting soundtrack for the uprisings of the Arab Spring. So it?s no surprise that in the past year, Massi has toured the Middle East and Gulf states twice, electrifying audiences with the gentle tsunami of her pliant voice, her powerful messages, and her richly multicultural music, which blends the sonic textures of folk and rock, as well as African rhythms with the elegance of Arabic poetry and song. Massi says that despite differences in Arabic dialects, audiences throughout the region understand most of what she sings. ?So we communicate,? says Massi. ?If I sing about a girl who can't go out the house because of tradition, Arab women immediately discover themselves in that song.? While moved by Massi?s poignant lyrics, audiences have also watched her songs mature musically, growing ever more dynamic and muscular in the hands of her veteran band?a team of musicians that has remained together for a decade developing extraordinary sensitivity and chemistry. ?When a song is new, it?s like a baby,? says Massi. ?I like to protect it, let it grow a little before people hear it. But on the stage, songs really come to life. They grow, they change, they evolve.? Massi?s 2012 tour comes as Algeria celebrates 50 years of independence. Massi says, ?Algeria is a country that suffered a lot with war [1954-62]. They were millions of people who died during that war. My mother's whole family was killed, so I respect their lives, their choices, their sacrifices.? After her tour, Massi returns to a variety of projects. In 2012, Souad is making forays into the world of cinema. Her song ?Raoui? is part of the soundtrack for Sacha Baron Cohen?s new film The Dictator. And, Souad is slated to star in August in a new feature film by award winning Palestinian director Najwa Najjar. The film is a meditation on love and war on the West Bank, and will mark Souad?s first appearance on the silver screen. She will also perform with Choeurs de Cordoba (Voices of Cordoba), a 9-piece ensemble featuring Massi and flamenco guitarist Eric Fernandez. This group explores the poetry, song and dance of Al Andalus, a realm in which Christian, Muslim and Jewish musicians collaborated fruitfully in the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries. Massi believes the music and history of Al Andalus contain important messages for our time. She describes the players in Coeurs de Cordoba as ?a mix of Muslims, Jews, atheists, Armenians, French, gypsies, and Arabs. Why can't we in our time do the same thing that was done in the 10th century? That's the message. And it's the truth.? Massi has also begun writing new songs for a forthcoming CD by her band. She will tour the new project across North America in Spring 2013. Deeply engaged, inspired equally by the glories of the past and the tumultuous upheavals of the present, Massi is at the top of her game, truly one of the most inspiring and gifted singers on the global scene today.

Source: http://newyork.metromix.com/events/fair_festival/souad-massi-princess-of-park-slope/3107756/content

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