Ramzi Salti's Arabology

Fetish Systems, a book by Raafat Majzoub, will be launched at Zico House on April 8, 2011 at 8:00, followed by an eponymous party.  >>Click here for a recorded excerpt from the book by Rosette AlGhossain<<   Music by AA Visuals by Haig Papazian and Raafat Majzoub -  Book Signing [Free Access for the after party – Books will be sold for 12 USD]* 20:00 - 21:30 After Party: [20.000 LBP = 2 Drinks] 21:30 – This is an event by PAPA+236m3 More Info on the Facebook Event Page:  FETISH SYSTEMS *Those who attend the book signing have free access to the after-party and one free drink.

Syrian-American rapper Omar Offendum has recorded his own Hip Hop version of the classic song "Qari'at Al-Fingan" [The Coffee Cup Fortune Teller] by Abdul Halim Hafez عبد الحليم حافظ.  The song was originally recorded by Hafez in the 60's to a famous poem by Nizar Qabbani by the same title in which a female fortune teller sits with a young man and reads his freshly consumed coffee cup--revealing the most intimate details about his life, past and present. Omar Offensdum keeps/recites the lyrics in Arabic at the beginning of his version but soon moves into an amazingly lyrical English translation of the poem with a great beat.  The song can be found on Omar Offendum's brand new album "Syrianamericana." Here is the original song as performed in concert by Abdel Halim Hafez on TV, followed by Omar Offedum's song "Fingan" I am also including the verses to the Qabbani poem in Arabic and Omar Offendum's amazing lyrics so you can follow a

On March 4th, 2011, Beirut's Rafic Hariri airport came to life with employees and passengers of all ages spontaneously dancing to a mix of Lebanese folk & modern dance music! Gotta love the Lebanese spirit!

Mashrou' Leila just performed in Dubai and, according to sources who attended, the concert was nothing short of fabulous. Thursday, March 3 at 7:30pm - March 4 at 10:30pm Location JBR the walk / Burj Khalifah Park More Info Mashrou' Leila Live in Dubai at the du world music festival for full schedule: http://www.du.ae/en/about/events/WMF Performed for 2 consecutive nights: on March 3rd - the JBR[the walk] at 7:30 pm on March 4th - Burj Khalifah Park at 10 pm for more information: http://www.mashrou3leila.com/ http://www.facebook.com/mashrou3leila

The official music video of the Egyptian Revolution  7kayet el seyassa ( starring Raqib Al Nassery in cooperation with Tanbouly Studios Entertainment Productions) has been removed from YouTube. Clip was directed by Ahmed Al Tanbouly Music by Game Hoover Guest appearance: Kordy Sand Nikka, 3iouty, Abdallah Camara Instead, here is a report about the artist in French:

DJ Ramzi Premieres "Hi Keefak Ça Va" on KZSU 90.1 FM (Free Podcast Available) PODCAST: The broadcast DEBUT of my own radio show "Hi Keefak Ça Va?" is finally available (in 3 Parts)! Please support me and show your love for Arabic music--old and new--by listening, tweeting, forwarding, sharing, and/or downloading at: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/49915 Description: This tri-lingual greeting is the way most people say hello in Lebanon where Arabic, French and English are spoken daily. This show will thus showcase new music,mostly underground/alternative, in all 3 languages. The program premiered on March 1, 2011 and is hosted by Dr. Ramzi Salti of the African and Middle Eastern (AME) Languages and Literatures Program at Stanford University. To listen/download, go to this link then click on the arrows on the bottom right of that page (right-click to save) http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/49915 PLAYLIST: Artist/Track/Album/Label

Lesbian character portrayed positively on Lebanese TV drama. Thank you MTV Lebanon and director Mrs. Claudia Marchelian for advocating "respect". Watch this touching scene (Arabic). The series is called "Generations" اجيال and in this scene the lesbian character declares her love for her straight female friend while grappling with issues of love and sexual identity. المسلسل اللبناني اجيال الحلقه 19 الجزء الرابع بطولة يوسف الخال ورد الخال ندين نجيم وسام حنا باميلا الكيك

As part of the festival Across the Street, Around the World, Opera Holland Park and Chelsea Music Academy joined forces for a unique performance that fused musicians and singers from Western opera with Middle Eastern music.

My Podcast from "At the Cafe Bohemian" radio show is now available for free downloading at this link. Show includes my commenatry (in English) and amazing music by مشروع ليلى Mashrou' Leila, Fairuz, May Nasr, Dalida, Natacha Atlas,Yazan AL Rousan & Autostrad, Stereo-tip and many more. http://radio4all.net/index. php/program/49873 Go to the page above then scroll down to the arrow at the bottom right and click on it to listen. Even better, RIGHT-CLICK on the arrow to "Save As.." the large MP3 file on your computer. Enjoy the show! Ramzi

Original Post at:  http://silvertonguetimes.com/2011/03/02/changing-egypt%E2%80%99s-identity/ Changing Egypt’s Identity One Picture at a Time! (Great Moments in Public Signage 2) MARCH 2, 2011 by ethanpullman Recently, an image circulated on social networks and the internet at large that spread like wild fire – “has gone viral,” as one Facebook user comments. Shown left (above), the image documents the recent  Egyptian protests . At first glance, it seems to simply make a political commentary. The sentence “Walk like an Egyptian,” centered below an image of demonstrators, calls for solidarity with Egyptians. A closer analysis, however, reveals how truly revolutionary (pun intended) its message is. “Walk like an Egyptian” became iconic with the release of the 1986 hit by the Bangles (although one can argue that the depiction of the walk in American pop culture dates back to 1947, with the release of a Bugs Bunny cartoon titled “ A Hare Grows in Manhattan ,” where the wack

l e i t m o t i f ( s ): february was nice to me. Book Review of Fetish Systems by Raafat Majzoub This book is not only daring and courageous; it is also beautifully written, powerful, and difficult to categorize within established literary genres.  It is also impossible to forget. The work seems to function as an autobiographical account that reminds the reader of a love letter, written without regard to time, space, chronology or traditional (expected?) plot development.  The result could have easily been chaotic and alienating (and it is, but in an empowering way), yet Majzoub's style of writing keeps the reader interested, curious, often uneasy, but always fully involved in the 'narrative.'  We often feel courted by the lyrical quality of the work and the questions that arise--centering on narrating the self, on questioning the alleged impotence that seems to define the work as a whole--ultimately leads the reader to turn inward in an attempt to recuperate the

Playlist Hi, Keefak, Ça va? DJ: Ramzi S. Tue, 1 Mar 2011 / 2000-2300 Artist Track Album/Label Ramy Ayach and Abeer Nehme Belaaks Belaaks Oreole Records Atlas, Natacha Ne Me Quitte Pas Ayeshteni Mantra/Beggers Banquet Rouhana, Charbel Hi, Keefak, Ça Va? Hi, Keefak, Ça Va? Forward Music Gorillaz Orig Clint Eastwood Virgin Records (Rap) Mashrou' Leila Ghadan Yawmon Afdal Single Mashrou' Leila Christophe Les Mots Bleus 20 Grands Succes Chrsitophe Amina Les Mots Bleus Annabi Universal Imports Fayrouz Habbaytak bil sayf Very Best of Fairuz EMI Jean-Francois Michel Coupable Jean Francois Michel JFM Dalida Helwa ya baladi Paroles d'ailleurs Orlando Zade Helweh ya baladi One Night in Jordan ONJ Rousan, Yazan And Autostrad 'ayyat Fi 'l-Matar (Sing In The Rain) Autostrad Planet Records Fayrouz Nassam Alyana El hawa Safarbarlik/Bint Al Haaris EMI Said Mrad Nassam Alayana El hawa 1001 Nights Music Moods DJ Nader Nassam Aleyna El Hawa Hizzy