Morcheeba Live: As good as ever

Since moving to the US nearly three years ago, I have not had a chance to see many live concerts. I saw The Gypsy Kings live on my 30th birthday at Wolf Trap and really enjoyed it. Back then, I made it a point to see more concerts, but we got busy and did not have the time or energy to commit to attending major events.

However, things are getting less chaotic here at the Tynes House. We are slowly settling into our new home and Spring is almost here, which means time for some fun. So last week, we made our way to the 9:30 Club in DC to see Morcheeba, a band I discovered through Pandora, live.

I have been listening to Morcheeba for a year now and they have made their way to the top of the list of my favorite bands. I can listen to their album Big Calm over and over again and it always makes me smile. My favorite songs: The Sea, Friction and Blindfold. Played live, the band sounded fantastic. They were as good as the recording. The performance of the lead guitarist was impressive, as was the performance of the fairly new lead singer.

The only disappointment was the audience. Few of them seemed fully engaged, which I attribute to the uptight nature of DC in general. I felt I stood out somehow because I was among the few that knew all the lyrics and swayed constantly to the music. Although the concert was sold out and people seemed happy when they left, I wondered if the crowd uptightness was a DC thing or it was because it was a Monday. Regardless, we had a great time. I will definitely keep my eyes open for upcoming live concerts. The picture here was from the hubby's mobile phone from our balcony seat.

Meanwhile, I continue listening to Pandora. I recently discovered a band called Bitter:Sweet, which plays chilled out trip-hop tunes that appeal to me. The advent of online customized radio stations such as Pandora and last.fm is making my life more enjoyable, that's for sure!

Living on my own planet

Sometimes I wonder if I live on my own planet. The current reason this thought is going through my head is because I only got to listen to Amy Winehouse's fantastic album Back to Black last weekend on our way to the beach.

The album is a gem in every sense of the word! Winehouse's voice is so powerful that it gives you goosebumps instantly. Her breathtaking album was released last year and it took me all this time to get around to listening to it.

I was really blown away by the talent of this young British soul singer who according to The New Yorker is "a fierce English performer whose voice combines the smoky depths of a jazz chanteuse with the heated passion of a soul singer." From Rehab to You Know I'm No Good to Back to Black, every song on this album is a hit! Really, where was I all this time? How could I have missed such an incredible talent? Time to leave the planet!

Jordanian radio station grabs NAB award

I just stumbled upon this news item on Arabian Business, and yes it did put a huge smile on my face.

Jordanian music station bags NAB award

Jordanian music station, Play 99.6 will receive this year's NAB International Broadcasting Excellence Award during the International Reception on Wednesday, April 18 at NAB 2007 in Las Vegas. The awards recognize international broadcasters who have demonstrated leadership and successfully served their audience through innovative broadcasting and outstanding community service.

Play 99.6 led educational workshops to improve the role of radio in solving social and community problems. It included broadcasters from Egypt, Lebanon and Syria in its work. It also led Project Peace, a campaign that drew attention to the horrors of war in the Middle East, and collected US $78,000 to provide food and medical supplies to war victims in the region. Source: [Arabian Business]

I listened to play 99.6 briefly before my exodus from Jordan and they did indeed sound very professional. As someone who grew up listening to Radio Jordan (the one and only), I'm still baffled by the recent radio revolution in Jordan. I really can't keep track of all the new radio stations launched in the Kingdom in the past few years. According to Ahmad, not all of them are up to par. Well, at least one of them manged to win an international award. Way to go Play 99.

Ruba Saqr speaks out on music censorship

I just finished watching a fairly recent interview with Jordanian singer Ruba Saqr, during which she talks about the censorship of musical expression in the Middle East. I enjoyed the interview a great deal, as some points she raised were spot on. I also enjoyed hearing her perform her song I'm a lantern, which is, as I understand it, dedicated to the city of Amman. Ruba's voice is still just as beautiful as I remember from back in the days when I used to hear her perform in Amman.

Here is a blurb about her and her views.

Having worked as a reporter for several years, Ruba Saqr has written several articles to different Jordanian publications about the need to support underground musicians, and the need to change perceptions of musicians, in particular Arab female musicians in her part of the world. Ruba Saqr believes that female musicians are often reduced to being performers or singers and are seldom acknowledged by producers as full-fledged musicians who can write their own lyrics and music. She has experienced that some female musicians are pushed away from the music scene by society because it is not viewed as a "respectable" vocation, especially in traditional circles.

You can read more here. And you can hear more of her songs along with singer Ramzi Rais here. I love the improvisations on the song Gulli walla tahbaeeh ya 3ein. You can listen to it here. According to the website, Ruba is working on her debut album, which she expects to finish by the end of 2007. I wish her the best of luck.

Hypnotized by the 'Sprinting Gazelle'

Among the many wonderful gifts that our friends Luma and Shawn gave us during their short, but very sweet visit this weekend was a pile of awesome new music. The album that grabbed my attention immediately was Reem Kilani's Sprinting Gazelle.

I have been listening to this debut album since last night and this is my assessment: it is the best Arabic music I have heard in a very, very long time. What makes it unique is Kelani's tantalizing voice and the fact that the music is based upon Palestinian folk songs that deal with every day issues, like building a house with a garden around it.

Kelani kicks off her music with the gripping Mawwal, which succeeded in transporting this listener to a different land during a different era right from the very first note. Goose bumps come later on. On more than one occasion, I found myself dancing and swaying to her tunes all by myself in our living room. Yes, it is that hypnotic. Artists like Kelani are the ones who rekindle my interest in Arabic music, which is currently plagued by trashy pop that is so off-putting.

Here is what one reviewer on Amazon thought of the album:

Think Blues of the finest nuance and transpose its disposition first to Palestine and the contingent necessity for many of its natives to relocate. This music is party to the powerful response to a tragedy. That said, Sprinting Gazelle, by Reen Kelani, is one of the most exhilerating [sic] musical experiences I've encountered. So brilliantly performed, it's impossible to believe that this is a debut effort. The rating system is inadequate to do it justice. Her singing is up there with Alim Qasimov, Dimi Mint Abba, and Aster Aweke. Emotionally, her collection is more diverse than any issued by the aforementioned luminaries. For this, she is superbly abetted by musicians and production of uncanny majesty. Even were she never to produce more recorded work, her position on the top deck of cherished CDs is assured.

Luma paid a hefty sum to get her hands on this album, which for some reason is not widely available in the US. "It was worth every cent," Luma told me. She is right. It is definitely worth it.

Opening Pandora's box!

Thanks to my bother-in-law, David, I got acquainted with one of the coolest free on-line radio stations out there: Pandora. The amazing thing about this radio is that it selects music for you based upon your taste. For example, let's say you like Massive Attack, so you add them to your list. Based on this specific choice, Pandora might select something for you along the same lines, like Thievery Cooperation.

I have been listening to Pandora for the past two days non-stop. It really is pretty cool. It introduced me to a number of new bands and artists that I'd not heard of that were similar to my choices. I'm enjoying it a great deal. I'm listening to Pandora as we speak, as it plays a song by an artist called Mary Black. I have never heard of her before but she is pretty darn good. So for all the music fans out there, make sure to pay Pandora.com a visit (no I don't make any money from this). It really is worth your time. And yeah, it is free!

Zade Dirani organizes musical tour in the US

Reader Lisa drew my attention to a series of concerts being organized by Jordanian musician Zade Dirani in the US, entitled Roads to you. According to the tour website:

The Roads to You tour has the potential to be a true life-changing experience for all those involved. As a grassroots effort, the tour hopes to create an understanding among the world's different cultures on a very human level. As the tour fosters friendships built on trust and communication, it will also lay the groundwork for dialogue between the participating members. By expressing themselves in discussions and through the universal language of music, participants will have the opportunity to discuss the challenges they face in an open and safe environment.

Here is what Lisa, who is one of the musicians participating in the tour, had to say about Zade:

He is a very proud Jordanian and has a worldview about things. The best thing is that he is using what he knows best to try to make a difference in the world. With every concert he performed, I believe he has torn down a few more cultural, political and religious barriers.

The concerts will be held in DC, Houston, and Los Angeles. More information can be found here. This is a great initiative from a young Jordanian artist. I do hope I will be able to attend the event in DC this May mainly to give kudos to this young Jordanian talent. Way to go Zade!

Jordanian rappers condemn terrorist attacks

I just listened to a Jordanian rap tune entitled Ready by a new "local" band called Last Standing Poet. The song condemns the 9 November terrorist attacks that rocked Jordan. The song is actually not bad at all. I like how they based their piece on one of Fairuz's songs, although, as I mentioned in a post last year, I'm a bit over Fairuzed.

Frankly, I was not aware that a rap scene even existed in Jordan. I guess things have been changing quite rapidly since my exodus. You can listen to the song here. Many thanks to Jordan First and Nasim for drawing our attention to this song. Here is a brief sampling of some of the lyrics via Jordan First.

Narrator: Hundreds of Jordanians are now marching through the streets of Amman, they're carrying Jordanian flags and pictures of King Abdullah. The suicide bombing we're right outside one of the hotels that was blowed up, people say they DON'T want Al Qaeda in this country, they DON'T want terrorism, they wanna live in peace.

Rapper: LSP, Last Standing Poet, 99.6. I'd like to say rest in peace, all the people who lost their lives in the 9th of November, my prayers go to your family and friends

'La Ya Amman': Song condemning the terrorists attacks

Yazeed from the Jordan First blog has a link to a Jordanian song, entitled La Ya Amman. The song was made following the terrorist attacks in Jordan and is performed by a number of Jordanian singers, including Zein Awad, Nany Petrao, Fadi Ghassan among others.

Alghad has an article (Arabic) about the song. The article also includes the song's lyrics (in Arabic). I have already listened to it a number times and I have to say it was very touching. Yes, it brought tears to my eyes. My favorite part is the line: "No matter what happens, we are Jordanians". You can listen to the song here. And read the article here.Thanks Yazeed!

Jazzing it up with 'Shusmo'

We had a unique musical outing last night when we got the chance to listen to a live performance by the band Shusmo, Arabic for "What's his name?'' The band performed at The Jerusalem Fund in downtown DC, enthralling us with their compositions that mesh jazz elements with Arabic melodies.

The performance space was extremely cozy, designed to mimic a jazz bar, something that allowed for direct interaction between the band and the audience. I really enjoyed the outcome of this marriage between jazz and Arabic music, which got me engaged for the whole two hour performance.

The percussion was just fantastic. I loved the interaction between the tabla and the congas. You can check out the band here where you can listen to a sample of their music. It is also worth noting that Beisan, who graced us with her presence last night, also enjoyed the performance.

Franz keep on rocking!

One piece of good news I've heard this week was that Franz Ferdinand released a new album yesterday. According to the reviews on-line, this album is as brilliant as the first one, which I thought was a masterpiece.

On their debut album every song is a hit. I have been listening to it non-stop for the past month. I downloaded the whole album to my Ipod just to make sure Franz' tunes accompany me wherever I go. Singing along with songs like Take me out, Darts of pleasure, Auf Acshe and Matinee is becoming one of my favorite past times nowadays.

For those not familiar with this Scottish band, all I can say is that if you like British pop, then you will tremendously enjoy Franz' style. Their music has elements of both 80's music and contemporary pop. They also remind me of The Strokes, a band that tops my list of favorites. If you enjoy British pop and have some money to spare, then go get these two albums now! Yes, this is an order. They are worth every penny!

Mental Mayhem radio is here!

In a bid to share our favorite music with dear readers of this blog, we created Mental Mayhem Radio, which can be accessed from the top menu bar (or click here!). Click it and it will begin playing a random track. It has around 85 songs so far with more to come late tonight. If you are interested in being entertained while surfing the pages of Mental Mayhem, just press the radio button.

The player is fairly straight forward. There's a scroll bar to move the list [it's a bit slow]. The 'Zap' button takes you to the next track and there's volume and pause button at the bottom. On board you'll find hits by XTC, Fiona Apple, Cat Stevens, Jimmy Buffet, Chris Isaak, Alicia Keys, INXS, Counting Crows, Franz Ferdinand and many more. Just click and enjoy! Happy surfing!

Majida, the Lebanese diva

Last night, we once again conquered fear of another Doha terrorist attack and made our way to the city's iconic Sheraton Hotel to see Lebanese singer Majida al-Roumi in concert as part of the Doha Cultural Festival. It was exhilarating. We had a blast! Majida gave a top-notch performance that I will personally remember for years to come. She kicked off her concert by praying for the safety of Qatar, something I found very considerate and unexpected.

Her first song was Beirut ma bitmout, or 'Beirut won't die.' She performed it so passionately. It was very touching in light of the political tensions occurring there these last months. The audience -- a good portion of whom were Lebanese -- clapped and cheered as she sang the lyric calling for the "removal of the foreign hand," which I assumed was a reference to Syrian interference in Lebanon. This is the Middle East, you can never escape politics!

During the two-hour concert, Majida performed a number of masterpieces like Kon Sadeeqi, or 'Be my friend,' Kalimat, or 'Words' and 3am biesalouni 3aleik el nas, or 'People are asking me about you.' [links pull Real Audio feed] I surprised myself by knowing a number of her songs by heart. I guess they were buried there deep down in my subconscious.

Majida looked absolutely stunning and performed so elegantly. I can't believe she is almost fifty. She just looked amazing.

One interesting thing happened during the concert when a group of people that appeared to be Lebanese left the hall running with mobile phone to ear. I figured something must have happened like an explosion. I was right. As we were enjoying our time listening to Majida's tantalizing voice, a bomb exploded in yet another Christian area in Lebanon. It is very sad indeed. But I quote Majida: Beirut Ma bitmout or Beirut won't die.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had become over-saturated by the continual playing of the songs of Fairuz, another Lebanese diva. Last night I couldn't help but wonder why Majida had yet to reach the pinnacle that Fairuz occupies in the hearts and minds of her Arab audience. Majida belongs at the same or even a more elevated position than Fairuz.

All in all, we had a great time! I'm still humming the tunes from the concert. I will definitely make sure to add some of Majida's albums to our humble music collection very soon.

The BRIT Awards

Last night we watched the 25th BRIT Music Awards, or BRITS, on MBC 4. I was extremely impressed by the performances of some of the new bands that were fairly unknown to me. Where have I been hiding the past year? Oh yeah ... Qatar.

Anyway, some of the bands that really grabbed my attention were: Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters, Keane and Green Day. Time to download some of their stuff.

Zade Dirani plays on

Jordanian composer and pianist Zade Dirani will present his blend of Arabic and Western music to Holland-area audiences at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the historic Park Theatre in downtown Holland. Dirani, 24, has won several prestigious awards and has performed before thousands in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

He studied Eastern Arabic scales and contemporary Western music at the National Music Conservatory in Amman, Jordan, and Berklee College of Music in Boston. At 19, Dirani performed with the Jordanian National Symphony Orchestra and Choir at the ancient citadel in downtown Amman. Since then he has performed before Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth and the British royal family, and other dignitaries

Source: [The Holland Sentinel]

It seems Ziad Dirani continues to go places. Good for him. I remember attending one of his concerts in Amman at the Citadel years ago. I thought then he was pretty good. Sadly enough, you have to leave Jordan in order to make it on the international scene.

The Tynes turntable

For some reason, I have not been pursuing music as aggressively as I used to in my earlier years. This might have something to do with a shifting of priorities or maybe it's just because I feel so uninspired in this country that music has become something of a luxury instead of a necessity. Nowadays, the only time I really get to enjoy music is when I'm in the kitchen making a meal, washing dishes or cleaning up the house. Here are some snippets of the eclectic mix playing on our kitchen music station:

U2 ~ How to dismantle an atomic bomb: I'm totally digging this album. In this latest work, U2 seems to have re-embraced their earlier style, as this album bears little similarity to their techno-inspired recent work like All that you can't leave behind or Pop. It is a mix of the old and the new. Great stuff.	Alison Krauss and Union Station ~ Lonely runs both ways: I'm not really a country-music fan, but this one is different. It is what I think of as modern country music. Alison has a tantalizing voice. I'm hooked on her music.	Dave Matthews Band ~ Under the table and dreaming: This is an album that I can never stop listening to. It always enjoys a prestigious place among my music collection. Every track is a delight.	Maroon 5 ~ Songs about Jane: On this, their debut album, this young band made it big simply because their music is so engaging. My favorite is She will be loved.
Peter Cincotti ~ Peter Cincotti: A young jazz singer with lots of potential. He meshes pop with classic jazz tunes. Very enjoyable listening.	Nelly Furtado ~ Folklore: This is the album I go to whenever I'm in a dark state of mind. It is enjoyable, up- beat listening; each song is a treat.	Sarah McLachlan ~ Afterglow: The latest addition to the Tynes collection. It provides soothing songs for the troubled soul.

Sarah McLachlan Surprise

I got a nice surprise yesterday in the form of a package from FedEx that was delivered to my workplace. Inside the package was a copy of Sarah McLachlan's album Afterglow, a CD Ive been wanting for a while now, with an accompanying letter congratulating me for winning the Music Now! competition.

The letter, addressed to me, was from Orbit! To the best of my recollection, I hadn't participated in any Music Now! or Orbit sponsored competitions, so it took me a few seconds to figure things out. The husband, who is some kind of a pop-culture walking encyclopedia, answered a question featured on the Music Now! channel and gave them my details as the winner so the prize would go to me. It was a nice surprise and a clever one too! I have been listening to her music all the day and it is so soothing!

'Jo' features Tariq Nasser

I was very glad to find that JO magazine decided to put Jordanian musician Tariq Nasser on the cover of this month's issue. It's about time no? Nasser, founder of Rum musical group, has contributed tremendously to the development of the music scene in the Kingdom. I love his work. This recognition is well deserved.

Fairuz Overload

We had an enjoyable evening last night. Amal came over and we cooked a Chinese dish with cashew nuts for dinner along with some banana bread for dessert. They both turned out very well. Following our brief dinner, we watched a Dutch documentary entitled Fairuz, We Hielden Zoveel Van Mekaar, or "Fairuz: When we loved each other so much." The documentary, which Amal worked on as a field producer, examines the Lebanese infatuation with the diva Fairuz, explaining how she provided the soundtrack to the lives of so many Lebanese during the civil war that shattered that country's soul.

Those interviewed talked passionately about their attachment to Fairuz songs and how she helped shape their emotions and nationalism while growing up in a war weary world.

Naturally, the soundtrack of the movie was Fairuz songs, which did make enjoyable listening. But after watching the documentary I felt the urge to bring up a controversial topic in these parts: Fairuz overexposure. I know this might offend the many ardent Fairuz fans out there, but I really have had enough of her. Wherever you go — at least in Jordan — a sampling of Fairuz melodies is required. You hear her everywhere and I mean everywhere: The bus, the cab, on national TV, all radio stations, even your neighbor's CD player.

When it is Christmas, we hear Fairuz singing Laileh Eid or "A festive night." When it it is snowing she chants Talj, Talj or "snow snow." When there is a Palestinian solidarity campaign we hear Ya qudos or "Oh, Jerusalem." There is a Fairuz song to suit every occasion.

It is just too much! I know most of her songs by heart but sometimes I wish they would just stop playing them! I don't hate her beautiful melodies or her tantalizing voice; don't get me wrong. I'm just suffering from Fairuz overload! I cannot allow myself to hear her songs anymore. I have had it! Enough!! It is about time for a new diva to step into the limelight.

Ok. I'm finished venting. Attack me if you will ;-)

The soundtrack of my adolescent years

Ahmad Humeid wrote a very nice piece in the Jordan Times about the advent of private English radio stations in the kingdom. He also suggested ways to improve long-standing Jordan Radio's English language FM station. It is worth your time to take a look.

On the same note, the mere idea of flipping through radio channels while in Jordan will be a novel one for me, as the English FM station had always been my only choice of audio entertainment.

For me, part of growing up in Jordan was spending hours listening to pop tunes on Radio Jordan alongside the ramblings of the loud, obnoxious DJs. Those were fun days. There is no doubt that the music of Radio Jordan FM was the soundtrack of my adolescent life. I do not think I can give it up, despite the advent of these alternative choices.

Music from 'Rum'

The band 'Rum' is really going places. I love their music. The last time I attended their concert was last year when it was held at the Street of Culture (Share3 al thaqafeh) in Shmeisani. I had a blast. They performed in the open air, as the show was held in public and gratis for everyone. Their music reverberated across the neighborhood of Shemisani, serving as an invitation for the residents to come and enjoy the show. It was the perfect setting: Great atmosphere, phenomenal music and pleasant weather. Two thumbs up!

Peter Cincotti, anyone?

I recently got introduced to the music of Peter Cinocotti and I'm really enjoying it.

His music is mainly a mesh of jazz with some revisits of pop tunes. If you like Nora Jones, you will dig this guy. I'm not a huge jazz fan but Cincotti's music has really grabbed me. Highly recommended.

Soap Kills

I'm not sure if anyone out there is familiar with the Lebanese band Soap Kills, but I really dig them. For the past hour or so I have been busy making a carrot cake while listening to their album “Cheftak” or “I saw you”. It is really great stuff. Their music is a mesh of jazz, downbeat electronica with oriental influences. I attended one of their concerts last year in Amman at the Blue Fig and I remember being well impressed by not only their music but by their animated stage presence. I vividly remember keyboard and guitar player, Zeid, jumping from the top of one table to the other in attempts to get the crowd, who seemed far too involved in the eating, to dance and groove along. Maybe their music was too complex for patrons of Blue Fig. These are a few pictures from the Blue Fig show last year taken by my one and only hubby.

A night in Jerash

Yesterday Tania got us free tickets for a soprano and clarinet concert taking place in Jerash as part of the annual cultural festival there. So we, accompanied by mom and her friend Ra'da, drove to Jerash, about one hour north of Amman, to enjoy the festivities and the music.

The concert was a combined French-Jordanian effort with Jordanian musicians Dima and Nadim Bawwab accompanied by musicians from Toulouse, France presenting a unique evening of clarinet and soprano coloratura performance.

I was particularly impressed with Dima, the young soprano. Her voice is really something else. I can tell she is really working on it, as each year I notice an improvement. This young woman has a bright future ahead of her! I can really see that. She has both a strong voice and strong passion about her music -- a perfect combination.

Her younger brother Nadim was really impressive as well. His performance on clarinet (in far right and middle below) was top-notch. It was also touching to see Nadim and Dima's dad acting as maestro and announcer, as he worked to ensure everything went properly.

Their dad, a musician as well, is the primary person behind last night's event. His constant support and encouragement of his kids is certainly one of the main reasons they have excelled in such a way! Kudos for his efforts!

Jerash festival

I'm really looking forward to Jerash Festival this year that, fortunately, will take place while we are in Jordan. I have always enjoyed the activities during the festival and I owe that to my parents who used to take me and my two sisters there every summer to attend at least one of the international shows playing there.

I remember the first time I went there I got fascinated by the vibrant atmosphere of the festival. Until now, I remain a devoted fan. Any Jerash fans out there? Below is an article in Arabic which summarizes this year's schedule. Take a look!

الاثنين 28 يونيو 2004م , 10 جمادى الأولى 1425هـ Monday - June 28, 2004

جرش ينطلق في 21 المقبل بامسية لدرويش وحفل مع "سوبر ستار العرب" ... الساهر واليسا وشاكر على الجنوبي وندوة حول "آلة القانون"

عمان- سميرة عوض - تنطلق في الحادي والعشرين من تموز المقبل فعاليات مهرجان جرش للثقافة والفنون في دورته الثالثة والعشرين باحتفال رسمي كبير يقام بقصر الثقافة في عمان، بمشاركة الشاعر الفلسطيني محمود درويش صاحب «الجدارية» وحفل تحييه الفنانة الادرنية سوبر ستار العرب ديانا كرزون. وبحسب مدير عام مهرجان جرش الشاعر جريس سماوي فان المهرجان يعمل على تكريس رسالته الثقافية التي تنطلق من حوار الحضارات وتمازجها واستقطاب فعاليات ثقافية، فنية، ادبية، تلبي توجهات الزوار العرب والاسرة الاردنية

وزاد سماوي لقد عملنا وعلى مدار طيلة العام للتحضير لفعاليات تتناسب واهتمامات الاعمار المختلفة فهناك نشاطات وفعاليات مخصصة لجيل الشباب، وللاطفال، فضلا عن الفعاليات المميزة التي تقام في ساحة الاعمدة للفرق المحلية والعربية والاجنبية، يضاف لها مجموعة من المعارض الحرفية المشاركة. وأكد سماوي ان مهرجان جرش عمد الى توزيع فعالياته في عدد من محافظات المملكة وفي اماكن سياحية/ اثرية مميزة اي عمد المهرجان الى الذهاب للناس في اماكنهم. واشار سماوي الى اهمية مشاركة الشعراء العرب والعالميين في مهرجان جرش، فضلا عن تواصل اقامة الحلقة النقدية لهذا العام ومحورها «صورة الاخر في القصيدة العربية المعاصرة» بمشاركة النقاد حسن خضر/ فلسطين، صبحي حديدي/ سوريا، عباس بيضون/ لبنان. ويشارك في الإحياء عدد من الشعراء العالميين: ديفيد دوموتير/ فرنسا، كلارا خانس/ اسبانيا، شنيد موريس/ ايرلندا، غاليم جاليباي/ كازاخستان، مورتسو كوكي/ ايطاليا، وغيرهم. ومن الشعراء العرب: محمود درويش/ فلسطين، غسان رقطان/ فلسطين، حسن نجمي/ الدار البيضاء «كازبلانكا»، منذر المصري/ سوريا، منصف الوهايبي/ تونس، ريم قيس كبة/ العراق، ميسون صقر القاسمي/ الامارات. كما يشارك الشاعر الادرني المغترب امجد ناصر، فضلا عن مشاركة نخبة من الشعراء الاردنيين. فعاليات المسرح الجنوبي ويستقطب المسرح الجنوبي عددا من الفعاليات الفنية الكبرى ومنها حفلان للفنان العراقي كاظم الساهر صاحب «انا وليلى»، واللبنانية اليسا، والاماراتي حسين الجسمي، والعراقي فضل شاكر، وغيرهم. فعاليات الشمالي

وتقدّم على المسرح الشمالي جملة من الفعاليات من بينها فرقة فالنس من ارمينيا، اولدستي تانغو، وفرقة الشرقية للفلكلور الشعبي، مصر، وفرقة اكسارو/ اسبانيا، والفرقة الفرنسية، ومشاركة سيدة المقام العراقي بليلة مقامات عراقية، ووصلة «وهابيات» تقدمها فرقة المعهد الوطني للموسيقى، وحفل اردني فرنسي مشترك يقدمه ايف بايه ونديم بواب، وديما بواب، وتشارك فرقة سلمى بسهرة «على بالي»، وفرقة جلنار السورية، وفرقة سلاطين الطرب/ حلب. مدرج ارتيمس ويقام على مدرج ارتيمس العديد من الفعاليات منها: جيزيل الهاشم/ لبنان، الفنانة الاردنية مكادي نحاس، مسرح الطفل الاردني، مسرحية الاطفال هيلا هوب اخراج عمر قفاف/ نقابة الفنانين الاردنيين، فرقة الحان الرجاء، مسرحية الاطفال ميمون الخجول، وعدد من الفعاليات الاجنبية. فعاليات عمان وتتوزع فعاليات عمان بين مركز الحسين الثقافي، والمركز الثقافي الملكي، وبيت الشعر الذي يحتضن امسيات جرش الشعرية، ومن الفعاليات المميزة مسرحية ابن الحياة يخرجها ميشيل الشاكر/ لبنان عن نص للمبدع جبران خليل جبران، من هنا وهناك/ فرقة المعهد العالي للفنون المسرحية/ سوريا، امسية تذكارية للشعراء تخرجها سوسن دروزة، عزف عود/ صخر حتر، وغيرها. ملتقى القانون ومما يميز جرش للعام 2004 اقامة ملتقى القانون العالمي الاول ما بين 4 - 6 آب المقبل في المركز الثقافي الملكي وباشراف الفنانين صخر حتر واميل حداد. وتشتمل فعاليات الملتقى على امسيات لآلة القانون وورشات عمل بمشاركة باحثين وعازفين من الدول العربية والاجنبية. يذكر ان فعاليات المهرجان تستمر حتى 7 من آب المقبل.

Radio tunes

A recent discovery has added new flavour to my life: Access to the English Radio station Virgin. The other day, I discovered we can listen to Virgin through our TV satellite subscription from Orbit. Virgin really rocks! It can keep me entertained for hours with a huge playlist of English pop.

I got hooked on Virgin back in those carefree days working for my Masters in London at City University. Back then, lacking access to a TV, my Sony radio, which I brought all the way from Jordan, supplied my daily entertainment. It was while flippng around on it that I discovered Virgin. I remember spending hours listening to some of my favourite British bands such as Coldplay, Travis, Radiohead, the Dandy Warhols and others.

Now Virgin tunes are in my Doha home and life is great!