upcoming Events

CONTACT: PSU MESC/Lydia Beyoud, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , (503)725-4074 Al-Andalus Events:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   (503) 230-2379

WHAT: "Arches", a concert featuring traditional and contemporary music and songs from the Middle East, performed by Al-Andalus Ensemble in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Portland State University's Middle East Studies Center.

WHEN: Friday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: St. Mary's Academy, Clark Family Auditorium
1615  S.W. Fifth Avenue (Downtown, between Market and Mill Streets) Portland, Ore.

DETAILS: Experience the richness of Middle Eastern culture with Al-Andalus Ensemble this summer, when the group performs "Arches" to celebrate the golden anniversary of PSU's Middle East Studies Center!

"Arches" will unveil traditional and contemporary songs sung in Arabic, Ladino (Sephardic Jewish), Persian, and Turkish, with music from North Africa, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Andalusian Spain, the Levant, and the Gulf States. Rich instrumentation will include the oud (parent of the Renaissance lute), ney (Arab reed flute), darbuka (clay or metal drum), kamancheh (Persian/Iranian violin), ghaita (medieval bagpipe) and flamenco guitar, to create music that offers parallels and contrasts between the old and the new.

Touted as creating "a new musical language that unites the East and West" by Aramcoís World Magazine, Al-Andalus Ensemble was founded by Tarik (oud) and Julia Banzi (flamenco guitar).  The group was named after Al-Andalus,  a period (711-1492) in Spain when Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in peaceful co-existence.

Joining them for "Arches" will be Boujemaa Razgui (voice, ney, kamaja, percussion); Gavin Bondy (trumpet); Bobak Salehi (kamancheh, sehtar, violin, voice); Emily Henke (voice), Anthony Jones (drums), Nat Hulskamp (guitar, tar); and Diana LoVerso (Andalusian dance).

The mission of PSU's Middle East Studies Center is to promote understanding of the people, cultures, languages and religions of the Middle East through the university's academic programs and community outreach. Launched in 1959, it was the first federally-supported undergraduate program in the United States for Arabic language and Middle East studies.

Tickets for "Arches"  ($20/general $15/students,s seniors, green card holders) are available at 1-800-838-3006 and at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/69645.  They also will be available at the door. For more information, visit www.SonicBids.com/Andalus and  www.Andalus.com or contact PSU MESC/Lydia Beyoud  mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   (503) 725-4074.  Al-Andalus Events:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   (503) 230-2379.
Wheelchair accessible and special seating.

ARTISTS for the July 10th concert:

Tarik Banzi (oud, ney, percussion) "a superbly gifted player" (All Music Guide) was born to an Andalusian family in Tetuan, Morocco and traces his roots back to Al-Andalus. He later lived in Madrid, Spain where he completed his doctoral studies in Fine Arts and collaborated with flamenco-jazz music masters such as Paco de Lucia, Manolo Sanlucar, Enrique Morente and Jorge Pardo among others.

Julia Banzi (guitar, percussion) is one of the few female flamenco guitarists worldwide.  She lived in Spain for over a decade, studying flamenco with some of Spainís finest guitarists such as Manolo Sanlucar and Isidro Munoz, she holds a Doctorate degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and teaches guitar at Reed College and Lewis & Clark College.

Boujemaa Razgui (voice, ney, kamaja, percussion) hails from Marrakech, city of Dakka (percussion). A regular with the Boston Camerata (conductor Joel Cohen) since 2002, Razguiís recordings include "Dralion" Cirque du Soleil, "Mediterranean Christmas"  the Boston Camerata, "Al-Andalus" Sharq Ensemble, and the upcoming Shakira and Beyonce duo "Beautiful Liar." He first joined Tarik & Julia Banzi in Madrid in 1987.

Gavin Bondy (trumpet) is perhaps best known for his work as premier trumpeter for Portlandís Pink Martini.  Gavin has been a long time member of the Al-Andalus Ensemble.

Bobak Salehi (kamancheh, sehtar, violin, voice) A native of Iran, Bobak began exploring the world of musical instruments at the age eight, under the direction of his father maestro Hossein Salehi.  He later studied violin with international recording artist Davood Ganjei.

Anthony Jones (drums) is the younger brother of the bandleader Eldon "T" Jones. They come from a very talented musical family. Anthony is considered one of the best young drummers on the West Coast. In high school he also won numerous awards playing the trumpet.  He has been a long time member of the Al-Andalus "happy, dancable" ensemble the "Guardia Civil."

Emily Henke (song) recent graduate of Lewis & Clark College and another fresh and new discovery by Al-Andalus. Look for grand things coming from Ms. Henke!

Nat Hulskamp (guitar, oud, tar) began studying guitar with guitarist/composer Paul Chasman and was introduced to flamenco guitar by Jose Solano and continued to study with Tarik & Julia Banzi of Al-Andalus. He later studied ethnomusicology at the University of Washington.

Diana LoVerso (Andalusian dance) Diana LoVerso has a Master of Arts in Dance and has danced with Al-Andalus, Morca’s Flamenco in Concert (WA), Portland Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival (MA), and in Japan. Diana has studied Flamenco dance with Jose Molina, Teo Morca, Jose Greco II, La Tati, Sara de Luis, and Oscar Nieto.

The artists of the Al-Andalus Ensemble build a new artistic language that unifies Eastern and Western cultures and generates a work that is rich, layered and socially conscious, expanding the artistic horizons of both experts and novices alike.  Thank you for supporting a group that reflects a place and time where Christians, Jews  & Muslims lived together for a cultural flourishing: Al-Andalus.