Mae Mai » Egyptian music http://blog.silpayamanant.com Jon Silpayamanant's musings... Sun, 13 Feb 2011 07:12:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 on being a fannan asil… http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/03/03/on-being-a-fannan-asil/ http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/03/03/on-being-a-fannan-asil/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:46:28 +0000 Jon Silpayamanant http://blog.silpayamanant.com/?p=221 I posted a bit about “authenticity” and the issues modernization and Westernization in indigenous Art Music traditions previously. Here’s a quote from Ali Jihad Racy’s article, “Musical Aesthetics in Present-Day Cairo,” that illustrates a broad pan-Arabic sense of some of the issues with descriptive phrases used in value judgments about musical activities:

Common in Cairo and neighboring Arab cities is the notion of asalah, which literally means “being genuine” or “being thoroughbred.” The term is both descriptive and judgmental. In a broad sense it means “having talent” or “having musicality.” fannan asil, “genuine artist,” must be well versed in usul al-fann, “the fundamentals of art,” which in part means being competent in the area of the maqamat or “melodic modes.” (Incidentally, the Arabic word usul, or “fundamentals,” shares the same root with the word asil, or “genuine.”) Accordingly, he must have an “Eastern spirit” and tarab in his music.

pg. 392

]]> http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/03/03/on-being-a-fannan-asil/feed/ 0 Perkfection Cafe & Bar http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/02/27/perkfection-cafe-bar/ http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/02/27/perkfection-cafe-bar/#comments Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:36 +0000 Jon Silpayamanant http://blog.silpayamanant.com/?p=187 Ahel El Nagam (photo by Karen Bassett)

Ahel El Nagam (photo by Karen Bassett)

This is a prewritten post as I will be performing at the Perkfection Cafe & Bar with Ahel El Nagam, Louisville’s Classical Arabic Band, and the Gypsies of the Nile bellydancer troupe. If any readers are so inclined then please come to the show for live Classical Egyptian and Arabic music as only Ahel El Nagam can present and live bellydancing by the Gypsies of the Nile.

Show info follows:

Ahel El Nagam and Gypsies of the Nile
Perkfection Cafe & Bar
359 Spring Street
Jeffersonville, IN 47130

show begins at 7:00pm and ends at 9:00pm
The event is free and is all-ages appropriate

Ahel El Nagam is:
Denise – oud
Taletha – flute
Jimmy – electric sitar, mandolin
Melina – tabla

and special guest:
Jon Silpayamanant – cello, Arabic percussion

Gypsies of the Nile with Ahel El Nagam @ the Harvest Homecoming in New Albany, IN (2008)

Gypsies of the Nile with Ahel El Nagam @ the Harvest Homecoming in New Albany, IN (2008)

]]> http://blog.silpayamanant.com/2009/02/27/perkfection-cafe-bar/feed/ 0