Beyond Walls, Beyond Wars: The Arab Cultural Initiative continues @ La Peña

La Peña, in partnership with the Arab Cultural & Community Center, SF, continues the 2007 Beyond Walls, Beyond Wars: Arab Cultural Initiative with Palestinian-born oud player and composer Saed Muhssin (Aug. 3) and the Bay Area’s North African fusion ensemble The Dunes (Aug.10).

Beyond Walls, Beyond Wars: Arab Cultural Initiative, is a ground breaking series sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, UC Berkeley, and ACCESS. It is an opportunity to bring greater visibility to the outstanding contributions of Arab Americans to the cultural and artistic life in the United States in general and to the Bay Area in particular. This astounding effort, comprising more than 14 performances throughout 2007, showcase a diversity of cultural expressions, featuring artists whose country of origin includes Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, and the U.S. The series will also include workshops, outreach to Arab high school youth and promote cultural exchanges with artists from other backgrounds.


Saed Muhssin in Concert

Friday, August 3, 2007. 8pm
Palestinian-born, Saed Muhssin is a oud player and composer. His musical education includes Arabic and Turkish classical, North Indian, Jazz, Western classical and Composition. He is currently completing an MFA in improvisation at Mills College. Saed has performed widely as a soloist, with Al-Marjanah ensemble which he founded and directed, Aswat choir which he directed, and in collaboration with other musicians in a variety of idioms.

Saed Muhssin will perform from a repertoire that demonstrates the ease and naturalness with which it is possible to move between Arab classical music and other musical traditions. The concert will include classical Arab instrumental favorites as well as Muhssin’s original compositions and improvisations, blending hints of Indian, Jazz and western atonal music.


The Dunes in Concert

Friday, August 10, 2007. 8pm
Based in the Bay Area, The Dunes specialize in North African fusion. Their repertoire is based in traditional and popular song forms from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisa as well as in contemporary fusions coming out of the North African community in France. Singing in Arabic, Berber, French and English, The Dunes use North African percussion (bendir, darbuka and qarqaba) and string instruments (Algerian mandol, Moroccan Gnawa guinbri) to augment a North American pop band format (guitar, bass, keyboard and drums). By combining funk, rock, reggae and salsa grooves with North African forms, The Dunes turn the stage and the dance floor into meeting places for groove-based intercultural interaction.

While the nucleus of the band dates back to 2002, the current Dunes line-up took form in the spring of 2004. Since then, the band has performed often at local clubs such as San Francisco's El Rio and Berkeley's Lucre Lounge and Ashkenaz. The band has also performed at community events sponsored by the Algerian-American Association of Northern California, Middle East Children's Alliance, the Arab Cultural and Community Center, and UC Berkeley's Center for Middle East Studies.


A local cultural center with a national reputation and a world vision

Since 1975, La Peña Cultural Center has raised the social, political & cultural consciousness of our diverse communities. Constantly seeking and supporting new & old voices, La Peña has become an integral part of the Bay Area's cultural & political life. At La Peña, one can enjoy progressive expressions of art and culture, impassioned poetry, innovative waves of new music, theater, and good Latin American Food.
A not-for-profit, community-based performing arts and cultural center in Berkeley La Peña (lapena.org) relies on the support of the community. In this era when public funding for the arts has virtually disappeared, we need your support more than ever. All donations to La Peña are tax-deductible. In this season of giving, please consider sending a donation directly to La Peña at: 3105 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705 USA. Please become a member of La Peña or renew your membership today!

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