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Zad Hussain Pays Homage to Cultural Icons from the Arab World and Beyond

A collage of Zad's work featuring various icons and more (c) Zad Hussain Zad Hussain is a Sudanese graphic fashion designer and illustrator who is currently based in Glasgow. He is originally from Port Sudan by the Red Sea (Sudan) . Photo of artist; for more, see  https://www.instagram.com/zgraphix88/ Zad (short for Zadalrakb زاد الرَّكب حسين) earned his BA and MA in Fine Arts and Design from the Florence Design Academy in 2017) before moving to the UK where is he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field.  Zad has made a name for himself on Instagram and other media for the unique ways in which he illustrates such Arab icons as Fairuz and Um Kulthum as well as global musical sensations like ABBA and Dalida.  His digital pieces are intricately woven by the artist's pen and awake a sense of nostalgia and (be)longing to both the past and the present.   Zad often includes short video clips of his work as it progresses from a blank screen to a masterpiece.  Below is a video c

Ramzi Salti Interviews Actor Haaz Sleiman of "The Eternals" (December 2021)

Watch complete interview at  https://youtu.be/70_791NtP5o I am more than proud to share my new audio-visual interview with multi-talented Arab American actor Haaz Sleiman who, in addition to talking about his groundbreaking role as "Ben" in Marvel/Disney's  The Eternals  (playing in cinemas worldwide), discussed his extensive body of work and roles in  The Visitor ,   Breaking Fast ,  Nurse Jackie , Killing Jesus , and Little America (currently streaming on Apple TV+).   You can watch the complete interview below or at  https://youtu.be/70_791NtP5o   During the interview, Haaz also shared his experiences of working with such icons as Salma Hayek, Hiam Abbas, Edie Falco, Aladdin's Mena Massoud, Director Chloé Zhao, Richard Jenkins, and many more.   Watch complete interview at  https://youtu.be/70_791NtP5o The interview also included a personal segment about Haaz's Lebanese American identity, his relationship with his late father, and a heartfelt English/Arabic tri

'Top Chef' Arabia Winner Ali Ghzawi Interviewed by Dr. Ramzi Salti

arabology · Ramzi Salti Interviews Top Chef Arabia Winner Ali Ghzawi Over the course of my last summer vacation in Amman, I happened upon a new restaurant called "Pounder" where I found myself enjoying one of the best burgers in Jordan.  Little did I know then that the owner was/is Chef Ali Ghzawi, the winner of the 2019 Top Chef Arabia winner who, by now, had become a household name in the Middle East. I subsequently got to meet Chef Ali in person and was immediately struck by his enthusiasm, talent and personality--three traits that may explain the continuous popularity of the place.  Case in point is the way he graciously agreed to be interviewed for my Arabology show--live amidst the hustle and bustle of his restaurant where the sounds of the customers and workers only served to highlight the warm, relaxed ambiance that has made "Pounder" such an iconic restaurant. Listen to full interview at soundcloud.com/arabology/alighzawi Jordanian chef Ali Ghzawi won MB

Tamer Al Ahmar Digitally Revives Arab Cultural Icons (Stanford Talk; Recording Available)

Watch full recording of the talk + Q&A at  https://youtu.be/jlmrpK-Qjl0 Video for talk available at   https://youtu.be/jlmrpK-Qjl0 The video recording from Jordanian artist Tamer Al Ahmar's groundbreaking talk at Stanford is now available at THIS LINK  (or watch below): https://youtu.be/jlmrpK-Qjl0 The talk, which was hosted by Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti, included an amazing PowerPoint presentation by the artist in which he highlighted his digital art tributes to some of the Arab world's most iconic divas--from Fairuz and Sabah to Asmahan, Um Kulthum and Warda. For more info about artist, see  instagram.com/tameralahmarart

Best Online Resources for Students of Arabic at Any Level (Compiled by Dr. Ramzi Salti)

INTRO BY DR. RAMZI SALTI (STANFORD) Having taught Arabic at Stanford for the past two decades, I have become all too familiar with the need to supplement students' language skills/proficiency by continuously exposing them to various cultural productions from the Arab world in a way that will entertain Arabic learners while further informing their language studies.  It is my firm belief that teaching culture as an integral part of any language course--especially when it comes to Arabic--leads to a remarkable increase in language proficiency and is truly essential for any student who truly wishes to master the language. Towards that end, I have carefully compiled this list of available online resources that aims at enhancing classroom learning by providing a much needed guide to various websites, programs and apps that students can utilize, at their own pace, in order to retain if not increase their language proficiency. CLASSICAL ARABIC LANGUAGE SITES AND RESOURCES Aswaat Arabiyya أ

Rania Kurdi Interviews Dr. Ramzi Salti for Her "Breaking Free" Podcast (June 29, 2021)

Listen below or at  https://open.spotify.com/episode/2CmXavINMz3QTwXq3lzRS5 It was an honor and a pleasure to be interviewed by Rania Kurdi for her "Breaking Free" Podcast (June 29, 2021) in which we discussed everything from my 20+ years of teaching teaching at Stanford to my Arabology program to personal struggles and successes that I have rarely spoken about. You can listen to the whole podcast BELOW or directly on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Stitcher , and TuneIn .  You can also listen via this link . "Being interviewed by RANIA KURDI for her "Breaking Free" podcast was an honor, a pleasure and an experience that I will not soon forget. Rania knows how to make her guests feel at ease and allows them to "break free" by sharing various aspects of their struggles and successes in a way that will hopefully inspire others to do the same."--Dr. Ramzi Salti MORE INFO ABOUT THIS EPISODE Episode title:  Breaking Free: Expression through Language with

Ramzi Salti's Talk + PowerPoint on Jawdat Haydar (LAU April 2021)

Watch video at  https://youtu.be/ZDMa7uER23Q Stanford Lecturer + Arabology Program host Dr. Ramzi Salti was recently invited by The Department of Humanities in the School of Arts and Sciences at the Lebanese American University (LAU) to give a talk titled "Identity, Representation, and the Creation of an Alternative Discourse in the Poetry of Jawdat R. Haydar" to mark the 115th anniversary of the renowned Lebanese poet’s birth. The talk took place online on April 29, 2021 and was followed by a lively Q&A session. With special thanks to Professor Vahid Behmardi, Mrs. Shahina Osseiran, and the Friends of Jawdat Haydar. You can watch a video of the talk below or at https://youtu.be/ZDMa7uER23Q   FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ONLY (NO VIDEO): You can also view the PowerPoint through this link  where you can click on right arrow to advance to next slide. EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:   Also see this link RAMZI SALTI'S BIO: Dr. Ramzi Salti is a full-time Lecturer in Arabic at Stanfor

Ramzi Salti Interviews Iraqi-Jordanian Violinist Layth Sidiq

Watch at  https://youtu.be/z9f-54LuMqM Stanford Lecturer + Arabology Host Dr. Ramzi Salti recently spoke to Iraqi/Jordanian violinist Layth Sidiq ليث صِدّيْق  in an audio-visual interview which includes an exclusive live performance as well as the following musical excerpts:  0:00 ​ - 01:14 ​ Bagdad by Layth Sidiq (Album: Son of Tigris)  15:10 ​ - 16:27 ​ Eastern Waves by Layth Sidiq (Album: Son of Tigris)  19:17 ​ - 20:32 ​ Foag El-Nakhal by Layth Sidiq, Rohith Jayaraman (Album: Hamsa)  30:13 ​ - 30:51 ​ Zaha Bi Khadayk al-Khafar - زها بخديك الخفر by Layth Sidiq; Violin arrangement: Mohammed Othman Sidiq (Full video at https://youtu.be/fThYA345ZDo ​)  33:50 ​ - 38:39 ​ Grief is a Journey | الحزن رحلة by Layth Siqiq (Performed Live) Watch below or at  https://youtu.be/z9f-54LuMqM ABOUT LAYTH SIDIQ: Layth Sidiq is an award-winning violinist, composer and educator and the current artistic director of the New York Arabic Orchestra. He has toured the world and shared the stage with major a

Ramzi Salti Moderates Arab America Event Celebrating Literature, Poetry, Art, and Music

Watch video at  https://vimeo.com/539106216 In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month (April 2021), Arab America recently held a  monumental event titled "Celebrating Arab American Literature, Poetry, Arts, and Music" featuring 5 panelists whose work has much to inform any discourse that centers on Arab American culture(s), identity and history.   The lineup featured such writers/performers as Nathalie Handal, Heather Raffo and Dana Dajani in addition to acclaimed Syrian America calligrapher/artist Dr, Mamoun Sakkal and Iraqi-Jordanian violinist Layth Sidiq.  The event was moderated by Stanford Lecurer/ Arabology host Dr. Ramzi Salti and was organized by Dr. Amal David and Warren David of Arab America .  Read more about this event at  this link . Watch video of the whole event below below or at https://vimeo.com/539106216 National Arab American Heritage Month--Celebrating Arab American Literature, Poetry, Arts, and Music from Arab America on Vimeo . Watch video of ev

Ramzi Salti Interviews Tania Saleh about Her Groundbreaking New Album

Watch a https://youtu.be/mx9ACfDuPrE Dr. Ramzi Salti has just interviewed Lebanese singer/songwriter/artist Tania Saleh (by Zoom) about her groundbreaking new album "10 A.D." which was released in March 2021. The interview, now available on  Arabology's YouTube Channel , includes these audio-visual/musical excerpts from the album*: 1. The Most Beautiful Love Story أحلى قصة غرام (Listen at  00:00 ​) 2. You Are Going Astray انت رايح فين (Listen at  09:04 ​) 3. The Fan المروحة (Listen at  16:46 ​) 4. Anyone but You إلَا فيك (Listen at  19:43 ​) 5. The Fortune Teller بصّارة برّاجة (Listen at  24:04 ​) 6. Caveman مغارة (Listen at  30:09 ​) 7. I Hate Everything بكره (Listen at  30:31 ​) 8. We Are in a Fix حالتنا حالة (Listen at  33:21 ​) You can watch the interview below or at  https://youtu.be/mx9ACfDuPrE * All tracks licensed to YouTube by The Orchard Music (on behalf of Kirkelig Kulturverksted) Official YouTube Playlist (ft. all album tracks with English subtitles): Click he

JadaL Releases New Rock Cover of Dalida's "Helwa Ya Baladi"

Jordanian Arabic Rock band JadaL, which was formed in 2003 by Composer/Music Producer/Guitarist Mahmoud Radaideh, has just released a new single that revives one of Dalida's most celebrated songs "Helwa Ya Baladi" but with a rock twist. The project/song carries the name of JADALIDA (Jadal+ Dalida) and is available below on YouTube at https://youtu.be/_bQBGeFmsc8 The original song, recorded by Dalida back in the 1970's, can be viewed below or at https://youtu.be/aUPSBCDUeXA

Auditions for Betty Shamieh's Play 'As Soon As Impossible' on Feb 23-24 (Stanford TAPS, Online)

FEBRUARY 23 + 24 2021 06:00-09:00 PT | ONLINE IMPORTANT DATES Audition Dates TUE+WED FEB 23+24 from 6-9PM PT Callbacks THU FEB 25 from 6-9PM PT Performance Dates THU-SAT   July 8 -July 17 Roble Studio Theater Auditions for As Soon As Impossible will be held via Live Zoom Auditions. Actors will be slotted into 45-min to 1-hour long small-group auditions. To be slotted, actors will need to fill out their audition form here .  If you are unable to attend auditions live via zoom, please email tapsinformation@stanford.edu for separate accommodations. WHAT TO PREPARE The Director has prepared sides, available for viewing/download on this page under “Resources.” Actors should familiarize themselves with all parts on the sides provided. CHARACTER BREAKDOWN Multiple casting of characters is under consideration. In this case, actors would play their character “in rep.” Understudies are necessary and needed in this rehearsal process for all four roles. Layla, Ramsey’s granddaughter, age 18 [mig

All 13 Seasons of Ramzi Salti's Arabology Radio Show Available on Souncloud (101 Episodes)

All 13 seasons of Dr. Ramzi Salti's  Arabology  podcasts are available on Soundcloud, for a total of 101 episodes.  Listen below or at  https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sets/podcasts . Currently in its tenth year, this radio program/podcast began airing on KZSU 90.1 FM in 2011 with the aim of highlighting various cultural productions from/about the Arab world, with a special focus on indie/alternative music.  The show is presented in English with commentary by its host, Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti. With the beginning of the pandemic back in March 2020, the show has had to change formats and is now available as a series of audio-visual YouTube interviews with groundbreaking Arab musicians, poets, artists and more.  To stay up to date with the latest episodes, please subscribe to Arabology 's YouTube Channel at   https://www.youtube.com/c/RamziSalti We are looking forward to resuming the audio podcasts as soon as the radio station reopens this year inshallah.  In the meanti

أميرة البيلي والقصيدة التي أبكت مصر(أنا مليت)

أميرة البيلي شاعرة مصرية من مواليد محافظة الاسكندرية بدأت كتابة الشعر من ٢٠١٤ واستمرت في تطوير اسلوبها في الكتابة والالقاء وتميزت في الفترة الاخيرة بأسلوبها الخاص.  وقد نالت قصيدتها "أنا مليت" والتي أبكت مصر بالمركز الاول في مسابقة ابداع الاسكندرية.  يمكنكم مشاهدة الفيديو أدناه أو عبر الرابط التالي:  https://youtu.be/_ok5bNdzTQ4 كلمات القصيدة تعبت فَ قمت كلمته مانا بنته هيفهمني ويفهم اني محتاجة يكلمني ويسمعني ويفهم اني مخنوقة وحضنه بس هيساعني فَ كلّمته. الو ؟ هوانت ليه ساكت ؟ ألو فيا حجات ماتت ! الو تعبانة في أسمعني ..  يرد يقول وايه يعني ؟ ما كل الخلق تعبانة ..وايه يعني ملامحك لسة بهتانة ما عادي كلنا مرضى .. جرحني بعجزي عن اني ارد القسوة ليه لكن .. انا قلبي مهوش داكن عشان يقسي ويكره حد..  مهواش حد فـ ليه جرّح .؟ وزعلني ياريته ما رد ، وليه اتغير بقا بارد وليه شارد بعيد عني  ما كان بيقول زمان اني مراته وام لعياله وقالي اني هبقاله انا باقية لكن هو الي بيعافر ليخسرني كسرني لكني حبيته..  ياريتني ما كُنت حبيته ووهبته القلب واديته حنين عمره ما كان يحلم بحد يحبه يوم قدي ..  خلاص عدي

10th Anniversary of Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology Program Features All Episodes on Soundcloud + YouTube

All of Dr. Ramzi Salti's  Arabology  podcasts  are available on Soundcloud. Additionally, all recent audio-visual interviews (not podcasts) are available on YouTube . This radio program/podcast began airing on KZSU 90.1 FM in 2011 and features cultural productions from/about the Arab world (with special focus on indie/alternative music from the MENA region).  The show airs from KZSU 90.1 FM and is hosted, in English, by Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti.   Listen to all previous Arabology podcasts below or by by going to this link . Below is a YouTube playlist featuring all 12 of Arabology's audio-visual interviews which were conducted by Dr. Ramzi Salti in 2020-21.  Click on the icon in the top right of the video window for the entire playlist or go to  this link . ANNIVERSARY COLLAGE:

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