WOMEN IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF ARAB MUSIC Comes to Roulette

This captivating program of Middle Eastern songs features the return visit of the exquisite Palestinian singer Nibal Malshi, who has been noted for her evocative vocals. Nibal graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and has performed with such virtuoso musicians as Simon Shaheen and the National Arab Orchestra under the direction of Michael Ibrahim. She is accompanied by an ensemble featuring some of the finest Arab artists living in the US. The group is led by master violinist Gabriel Dahrieh and features Maurice Chedid ('ud - lute), John Murchison (bass), Gilbert Mansour (percussion), and Eddy Fadel (percussion). The program includes a wide range of selections from the 20th-century classical Arab repertoire from Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, and features songs that were made famous by legendary female singers such as Umm Kulthum, Fayrouz, Sabah and Shadia. The repertoire includes compositions by the Rahbani Brothers, Muhamad Abdel Wahab, Muhamad Al Qasabji, Baligh Hamdi and others. Many of the Arab world's greatest singers and composers reached unprecedented heights of artistry and stardom throughout the Golden Age.

"The Golden Age of Arabic music flourished from 1930 to 1970, in what today is called the Near East, the geographical region spanning Syria to Egypt, with Cairo as its epicenter. The period witnessed unparalleled musical growth, proliferation, and innovation, and its music achieved a wide reach across the Arab world, initially propelled by phonographic technology in the first decade of the 20th century and later by radio, cinema, and eventually television. As a result, music from the Golden Age traveled extremely well and became universal in the Arab world. For better or for worse, the music of the Golden Age is often used as the single or the most prominent representative of Arabic music, both in the Arab world and abroad. The Golden Age came at the end of a cultural renaissance called al-nahda (literally, "the awakening"), during which the Arab world reclaimed its identity from Ottoman control, and Arabic music experienced a revival alongside Turkish/Ottoman music. The nahda era music practiced at the beginning of the 20th century was largely a remnant of 19th-century music, but it laid the foundation and paved the way for the Golden Age." (Excerpted from Inside Arabic Music by Johnny Farraj and Sami Abu Shumays)

Nibal Malshi, born in Haifa and raised in the village of Isfya on Mount Carmel, began singing at the age of five. She has devoted her life to the love of music inspired by many Arab and Mediterranean artists, and has performed in her homeland, Europe (including the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris), and in the US with such noted artists as Simon Shaheen and the National Arab Orchestra. She graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, where she was the first to major in Middle Eastern singing; she also majored in dance, thus earning two bachelor's degrees. She received the Al-Qattan Foundation scholarship for performing arts and was chosen to participate in a dance workshop partnered with Brussels's Royal Flemish Theatre for a month in Ramallah, a Voice for Peace project in Germany, and musician programs in London. She has composed various songs and was named the "Singer of the Year" in 2010 in Haifa. She is currently working on several new songs to be released soon that were composed by her and Lebanese, Egyptian and Palestinian artists. In addition to her work as a musician and a dancer, she is an actress who has performed in the 2010 film Jerusalem Bride directed by Sahira Dibas, and in plays using the poetry of Samih' Al-Qasem, Shakeeb Jahshan, and Khalil Gibran.

Gabriel Dahrieh is a violin master from Aleppo, Syria. He spent decades in Venezuela before moving to the US, performing regularly with the Caracas Symphony Orchestra, as well as accompanying the great pillars of Arab music of the 20th century such as Wadih Al Safi, Sabah, Fayrouz, and Sabah Fakhri. He is regarded as one of the finest violinists in Arab music.

Maurice Chedid, a native of Beirut, studied at the Lebanese Conservatory of Middle Eastern Music. He toured internationally for four years as the lead vocalist and 'ud player with the Lebanese Folkloric Group and appeared at nightclubs throughout Lebanon. He emigrated to the US in 1988 and soon became a popular artist at festivals and cultural events throughout the US. He has appeared at many prestigious venues, including Lincoln Center (in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves) Carnegie Hall, the UN, and the Royal Opera Theater in Denmark. He is a member of Atzilut, an ensemble that features Arabic and Jewish music, which tours Europe yearly in the Concerts for Peace program. He is also a prolific composer and is the musical director and featured musician for the Mosaic Dance Theater.

John Murchison is one of the most in-demand bassists for traditional Arab music in the US. He is known for his active role in several musical circles, performing primarily in pop and musical theater, jazz, avant-garde music, and traditional music from the Middle East and Africa. In addition to his work on bass, he also performs regularly on qanun, gimbri, oud, ney, and percussion. He is co-founder of Brooklyn Maqam, an organization dedicated to presenting, promoting, and building community around Arab music in the metropolitan area. He has performed in a variety of theater productions from downtown to Times Square, including Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812.

Gilbert Mansour, a brilliant percussionist who graduated from Berklee College of Music, has performed with the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra and accompanied various renowned Middle Eastern artists around the world. He played on the Middle Eastern version of The Voice and The Idol. Mansour has shared the stage with many acclaimed artists such as Luis Enrique, Simon Shaheen, Marcel Khalife, Trio Joubran, Pepe De Lucia, Gian Marco, Javier Limon, and Susana Baca.

Eddy Fadel, born in Lebanon, graduated from the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music. He has accompanied well-known pop singers and artists in the Arab world such as Najwa Karam, Saber Al- Rubaei, Myriam Fares, Maya Diab, Gay Manukyan, Ghassan Saliba, Elias EL- Rahbani, and Marwan Khoury.

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