Ramzi Salti's Arabology

Listen to this episode at  https://soundcloud.com/arabology/top2018 The latest episode of the popular radio show Arabology , which airs from KZSU 90.1 FM (Stanford University) featured a countdown of the Top 20 indie/alternative Arabic Songs of 2018.  The program is hosted by Dr. Ramzi Salti, Lecturer at Stanford + KZSU radio host. You can listen to the show below or at  https://soundcloud.com/arabology/top2018 Here is a list of the Top 20 Songs  starting with Number 1 .  Each song is followed by info about each artist/song.  Please note that this list is followed by another list which showcases those amazing instrumentals that served to introduce some of the tracks during the show. NUMBER 1 Massar Egbari| مسار اجباري -  Nehayat El Hakawi   نهايات الحكاوي El Album (2018) Massar Egbari was founded in 2005 by 4 musicians: Ayman Massoud (Keyboards), Hani El Dakkak (Guitar & Lead Vocal), Ahmed Hafez (Bass guitar ( , and Tamer Attallah (Drums).  Mahmoud Siam (

Dr. Ramzi Salti (middle) with Khaled Mouzanar (left) and Nadine Labaki (right) December 2018 was a month to remember because I finally got to meet and interview two amazing Lebanese artists whom I have long admired:  Lebanese Director Naine Labaki and her husband Composer/Producer Khaled Mouzanar.  The couple was in San Francisco to promote Labaki's new film Capernaum . Here are some pictures and short video clips from that day--including some that were taken at an exclusive screening of Capernaum by the AFMI which overseas the Arab Film Festival.  Here I must thank Serge Bakalian and Sony Picture Classics for making this interview possible.  Shukran also to Ahmad Anka for taking the pics + videos. Pics from my interview with Nadine Labaki in San Francisco: Listen to the interview at  https://soundcloud.com/arabology/nadinelabaki Pics from my interview with Khaled Mouzanar in San Francisco: Listen to the interview at  https://soundcloud.com/arabology/khal

Fairuz: Habbaytak Bil-Saif [I Loved You in the Summer] فيروز – حبيتك بالصيف On a cold winter day بأيام البرد وأيام الشتي Where the pavement is a lake, and the streets are drowning والرصيف بحيرة والشارع غريق She would come from her old house تجي هاك البنت من بيتها العتيق He would tell her "wait for me," so she would wait in the street ويقلا انطريني وتنطرعالطريق He would leave and forget her while she withered in the rain ويروح وينساها و تدبل بالشتي I loved you in the summer, I loved you in the winter حبيتك بالصيف حبيتك بالشتي I waited for you every summer, I waited for you every winter نطرتك بالصيف نطرتك بالشتي Your eyes became my summer, mine became your winter وعيونك الصيف وعيوني الشتي Our meeting place my love will be beyond seasons and time. ملقانا يا حبيبي خلف الصيف وخلف الشتي A stranger passed by and she gave me a letter