New Arabology Podcast (June-July 2017) Ft. Indie Arabic Music + Interviews

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology113

The latest episode of Arabology--which airs on KZSU 90.1 FM in California--featured a large selection of new indie/alternative music from the Arab world (playlist below) as well as interviews with two Tunisian celebrities:  Musician Skander Guetari (3-part interview ft his songs) and Stanford student Nesrine Mbarek who spoke to us about her exciting project titled Tunisia88.

You can listen to the show below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology113



Playlist for Arabology 11.3 (June-July 2017) Artist/Track/Album:

1. Amine Souikra/ Apocalypse/ Apocalypse
2. DJ Ghazi/ Oum Kalthoum Ya Leilet El 3ed Remix/ Single
3. Maryam Saleh + Crash Nomada/ Leih Ya Hamam/ Single
4. Maysa Daw/ Ayonak/ Between City Walls
5. Rahim El Haj/ Sailors Three/ Little Earth
6. Cairokee/ Kont Faker/ Noaata Beida
7. Mahmoud Badrawi/ Fi Hagat Ktir Mistaniyak/ Single
8. Jowan Safadi/ 7asait (I Felt)/ Single
9. Muzdawaj/ Droob/ Sirrak Fe Beer
10. Ruba Shamshoum/ Randomness (Radio Edit)/ Shamat
11. Luay Hijazeen/ Kaen/ Single
12. DAM/ Street Poetry/ Street Poetry
13. Youmna Saba/ 40-2/ Arb'een (40)
14. Amine Souikra/ Last Sunset/ Apocalypse
15. Yuma/ Smek/ Chura
16. Interview with Skander Guetari (3 parts featuring musical excerpts)
17. Interview with Nesrine Mbarek of Tunisia88

Arabology is an American radio show that airs on KZSU 90.1 FM (Stanford University) and is hosted, in English, by Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti.

April 2017 Arabology Podcast ft Groundbreaking Arabic Music + More

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology111

Arabology is back with a new show that aired on KZSU 90.1 FM in April 2017.  Podcast is now available at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology111

Hosted by Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti, this episode featured groundbreaking music from the Arab world  + interviews with this year's winners of the Techwadi/RiseUp Summit.

Listen below or at THIS LINK.

Year-End Arabology Podcast Ft Top 20 Alternative/Indie Arabic Songs of 2016

Listen at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/topsongs2016

Arabology has just spotlighted the Top 20 indie/alternative Arabic Songs of 2016 during a special year-end episode which aired on KZSU 90.1 FM on Dec 10, 2016.  You can hear the podcast below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/topsongs2016



Presented with commentary in English by Stanford Lecturer + Radio Host Dr. Ramzi Salti, the show featured an amazing array of independent Arab musicians coming from Iraq, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria--including several Arab musicians living in Sweden, France, Israel, Canada and the USA.

Out of the Top 20 Arabic songs, 7 were by female vocalists, 7 by male musicians, and 6 by groups/bands. The list also featured 2 live tracks and one duet in Arabic + Spanish.

This year's "Top 20" list boasted musicians that sing in a variety of musical genres--from Jazz and Hip Hop to Rock and Ballads, to a hybrid variety that fuses Western and Eastern beats in surprisingly creative ways.

Listen to the podcast to discover new trends and talent that defined the alternative/indie Arabic music scene in 2016--and be prepared to be awestruck by the impressive amount musical productions that have been coming out of a region where music is all too often dismissed or ignored in the West.

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/topsongs2016

Arabology 10.5 Podcast Spotlights Arabic Reggae, Hip Hop, Ballads, Electronica, Folk + Interviews

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology105

Arabology 10.5 aired on August 18, 2016 and featured indie Arabic music by groundbreaking musicians from Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Sudan (Nubia), Morocco, Lebanon, Palestine/Israel--plus 2 tracks by Zebda the Spy from Cairo, including a special Fairuz remix.

Listen to the podcast below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology105

Show also included interview with Arab American author Frank Gelat, author of the bilingual Arabic/English book of proverbs The Forbidden Heights (order your copy at www.forbiddenheights.com/main/book-buy)

This podcast also featured an interview (ft musical excerpts) with Egyptian American Opera singer Ashraf Sewailam who spoke about Opera in the Arab world and beyond.

Playlist at THIS LINK.

Arabology Interviews Sandra Arslanian of Sandmoon

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sandmoon

Check out my new radio interview with Sandra Arslanian of Sandmoon which was recorded earlier this month via Skype.  Segment includes  2 tracks by Sandmoon: "Home" and "Time Has Yet to Come."

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/sandmoon

In this interview, Sandra Arslanian about her album 'Home,' about fleeing her native Lebanon, and about being part of the country’s diverse music scene.

Sandra Arslanian was born at the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970’s. Her family fled and resettled in Belgium, where she grew up, went to school, earned a degree in Communications and started working. 

Upon returning to Beirut, Sandra launched a musical project which developed into the band Sandmoon, recorded three albums, played the local circuit and some major festivals, and produced several striking videos: www.youtube.com/user/Sandmoonmusic.

sandmoon - Things (Official): https://youtu.be/pv5qrp2kwro

sandmoon - Time Has Yet To Come (Official): https://youtu.be/ymO65jzq0UQ

For more info:

• www.facebook.com/sandmoon
• https://soundcloud.com/sandmoon
• itunes.apple.com/album/id1125625012

Arabology 10.4 Podcast Spotlights Jordanian Musicians + Filmmakers

soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology104

Arabology 10.4 featured an amazing array of indie music from Jordan, along with exclusive interviews (mostly in English) with Jordanian musicians and Jordan-based filmmakers.
This episode was recorded in Amman, Jordan in July 2016 and aired in California on Thursday August 11, 2016.


Listen below or at soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology104

Playlist for Arabology 10.4 Thursday, 11 August 2016 11am - 2pm DJ: Dr. Ramzi Salti

1. Tareq Al Nasser (RUM Band)/ Ya Rouh/ Urdun
2. Natalie Saman/ Habbaytik Ana Amman/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun
3. Jadal/ Itha Ihna Rohna/ Malyoun
4. Interview with Muhammad Abdullah of El Morabba3/ Part 1
5. El Morabba3/ Ilham/ Taraf El Khait/ Universal
6. Interview with Muhammad Abdullah of El Morabba3/ Part 2
7. El Morabba3/ Shiber Maii Taraf El Khait/ Universal
8. Interview with Yarub Smarait/ Part 1
9. Yarub Smarait/ Balad Al Mahboub/ Ya Salam
10. Interview with Yarub Smarait/ Part 2
11. Yarub Smarait/ Before Sunday/ Single
12. Interview with Rami Rais/ Part 1
13. Fawda (ft Rami Rais)/ 3ayadat/ Single
14. Interview with Rami Rais/ Part 2
15. Interview with Linda Hejazi (In Arabic)
16. Linda Hejazi 3ala Hatet Eidak Single
17. Interview with Mohammad Tahboub
18. Mohammad Tahboub/ Saga/ Single
19. Interview with Hana Malhas
20. Hana Malhas/ Just a Dream/ Hana Malhas & the Overthinkers
21. Interview with Zeina Barhoum
22. Zeina Barhoum/ Lamma Bada Yatathanna/ El Cantara
23. Interview with Anas Khalf, Director of Driving to Zigzig Land and The Translator
24. Interview with Zain Duraie, Director of Horizon
25. Interview with Muhammad Khairy, Director of #Hashtag (View film here)
26. Ayloul/ Yawm/ Ayloul
27. Interview with Bassil Ghandour, Co-Writer/Producer of Oscar Nominated Film Theeb/Part 1
28. Jerry Lane/ Theeb's Theme/ Theeb Movie Soundtrack
29. Interview with Bassil Ghandour, Co-Writer/Producer of Oscar Nominated Film Theeb/Part 2
30. Jerry Lane/ Chase/ Theeb Movie Soundtrack
31. Interview with Faisal Attrache + Deema Dabis, Directors of From the Mountain
32. Interview with Deema Dabis, Director of The Sri Lankan and Shake
33. Interview with Natalie Seman
34. Natalie Saman/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun

Arabology 10.4 Podcast Spotlights Jordanian Musicians + Filmmakers

soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology104

Arabology 10.4 featured an amazing array of indie music from Jordan, along with exclusive interviews (mostly in English) with Jordanian musicians and Jordan-based filmmakers.
This episode was recorded in Amman, Jordan in July 2016 and aired in California on Thursday August 11, 2016.


Listen below or at soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology104

Playlist for Arabology 10.4 Thursday, 11 August 2016 11am - 2pm DJ: Dr. Ramzi Salti

1. Tareq Al Nasser (RUM Band)/ Ya Rouh/ Urdun
2. Natalie Saman/ Habbaytik Ana Amman/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun
3. Jadal/ Itha Ihna Rohna/ Malyoun
4. Interview with Muhammad Abdullah of El Morabba3/ Part 1
5. El Morabba3/ Ilham/ Taraf El Khait/ Universal
6. Interview with Muhammad Abdullah of El Morabba3/ Part 2
7. El Morabba3/ Shiber Maii Taraf El Khait/ Universal
8. Interview with Yarub Smarait/ Part 1
9. Yarub Smarait/ Balad Al Mahboub/ Ya Salam
10. Interview with Yarub Smarait/ Part 2
11. Yarub Smarait/ Before Sunday/ Single
12. Interview with Rami Rais/ Part 1
13. Fawda (ft Rami Rais)/ 3ayadat/ Single
14. Interview with Rami Rais/ Part 2
15. Interview with Linda Hejazi (In Arabic)
16. Linda Hejazi/ 3ala Hatet Eidak/ Single
17. Interview with Mohammad Tahboub
18. Mohammad Tahboub/ Saga/ Single
19. Interview with Hana Malhas
20. Hana Malhas/ Just a Dream/ Hana Malhas & the Overthinkers
21. Interview with Zeina Barhoum
22. Zeina Barhoum/ Lamma Bada Yatathanna/ El Cantara
23. Interview with Anas Khalf, Director of Driving to Zigzig Land and The Translator
24. Interview with Zain Duraie, Director of Horizon
25. Interview with Muhammad El-Khairy, Director of #Hashtag (View film here)
26. Ayloul/ Yawm/ Ayloul
27. Interview with Bassil Ghandour, Co-Writer/Producer of Oscar Nominated Film Theeb/Part 1
28. Jerry Lane/ Theeb's Theme/ Theeb Movie Soundtrack
29. Interview with Bassil Ghandour, Co-Writer/Producer of Oscar Nominated Film Theeb/Part 2
30. Jerry Lane/ Chase/ Theeb Movie Soundtrack
31. Interview with Faisal Attrache + Deema Dabis, Directors of From the Mountain
32. Interview with Deema Dabis, Director of The Sri Lankan and Shake
33. Interview with Natalie Seman
34. Natalie Saman/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun/ Habbaytak Ya Urdun

5/13 Arabology Podcast Ft Indie English Songs from Lebanon

Listen at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology102

The May 13, 2016 Arabology Podcast highlights the rise of indie music, in English, by musicians in/from Lebanon.  The vast amount of musical talent is reflected throughout the show, from groundbreaking early groups like Soapkills, to current musicians like Aufgang and the Wanton Bishops, to singers who usually sing in Arabic but have occasionally recorded tracks, both originals and remakes, of the classics.

This show was co-hosted by Junior Daou, Founder of the Wickerpark Festival which plays a very unique role in the dynamics of alternative culture in Lebanon.  Junior brings listeners an encyclopedic knowledge of indie Lebanese music who in English and offers a unique commentary on musicians and songs that have played at Wickerpark.

You can listen to the podcast by clicking below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology102

PLAYLIST FOR ARABOLOGY 10.2 (May 13, 2016)

Soapkills	Cheat on Me	Bater Soapkills
Soapkills	Coit Me	Bater Soapkills
Zeid And The Wings	General Suleiman	Radio Beirut Galileo Music Communication Gmbh / Ioda
Zeid and the Wings	Ocean	Zeid and the Wings Zeid Hamdan
Sae Lis'	The Way You Treat Me	The Quest Sae Lis
Doors to Aspiration	Running Free in Lebanon	Single Faris, Mike & Nader
Grace Deeb	Calling You	Ghannali el Aalam Kello Rotana
Saleh, Tania	Slow Down	Wehde Forward Music
Scrambled Eggs	Let It Go	Peace is underrated and war misunderstood Scrambled Eggs
Incompetents, The	It Could Happen to You	Of Minor Differences...And Narcisism Tunefork
Charlie Rayne	Cascades	Wider Water Charlie Rayne
Wanton Bishops, The	Sleep with the Lights On	Sleep with the Lights On Wanton Bishops
Gurumiran	Dreamer	Aberrance GuruMiran
Postcards	Walls	What Lies So Still (EP) Postcards
Safar	Overlove	23 Kilograms (EP) Safar
Who Killed Bruce Lee	Put it in a bag (album version)	Who Killed Bruce Lee Who Killed Bruce Lee
Aufgang	Summer (Album Version)	Summer Blue Note/Universal (France)
Wake Island	Your Doctrine	Use It As A Weapon/ Uncomfortable B Sides Wake Island
Kassis, Tania	One Last Dance	Oriental Colors Magnum Records International
Mike Massy	Nature Boy	Single Falak
Gary Tannus Nassif	Nevertheless	Sing, Romance Man, Sing CD Baby

Arabology Interviews Hana Malhas

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/hanamalhas

Arabology has just interviewed Jordanian singer-songwriter Hana Malhas about her groundbreaking musical career and her Bala Feesh بلا فيش project, which she founded to give a voice to indie musicians in the Arab world.

The interview showcases a selection of Hana's songs in English, her Arabic duet w/ يزن الروسان - Yazan Alrousan + live musical excerpts from Bala Feesh بلا فيش performances by Hana Malhas, Aziz Maraka and عبد الرحمن محمد Abdulrahman Mohammed (ft Ghassan Abu Haltam).

Listen below at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/hanamalhas

Interview includes the following musical excerpts:

1. Hana Malhas/Olive Tree/ Shapeshift/CD Baby + iTunes
2. Hana Malhas (ft Yazan Alrousan)/ Trooh/ Shapeshift/CD Baby
3. Hana Malhas/ How We Love/ Hana Malhas & the Overthinkers/ iTunes
4. Hana Malhas/ Just a Dream/ Hana Malhas & theOverthinkers/ iTunes
5. Abdulrahman Mohammed (ft Ghassan Abu Haltam)/ Ya Man Hawah/ Bala Feesh YouTube Channel
6. Hana Malhas + Aziz Maraka/ 'Run' in English (by Hana Malhas) and 'لحالي/La7ali' in Arabic (by Aziz Maraka)/ Bala Feesh YouTube Channel.

FOR MORE ABOUT HANA MALHAS:
Hana Malhas Website: www.hanamalhas.com
Hana Malhas YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/hmalhas
Bal Feesh YouTube Channel: youtube.com/user/balafeesh

Arabology 10.1 Podcast Features Various Musical Genres

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology101

Arabology kicked off its tenth season on March 23, 2016 with a special show that featured various genres in indie Arabic music from electronic, hip hop, and dub to jazz, ballads, remixes, and instrumentals.

You can listen below or https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology101

Arabology is a radio program that is hosted by Dr. Ramzi Salti, Lecturer at Stanford University, showcasing music and other cultural productions from the Arab world. 'Arabology' airs on KZSU 90.1 FM and previous podcasts are available at this link.

Playlist for Arabology 23 March 2016 DJ: Ramzi S.
Artist/Track/Album/Label
1. Soapkills (Rawi Mossa)/Galbi/Rawi Mossa Remix/Zeid Hamdan
2. Fairuz/ Akher Ayyam (Weela Remix/ Weela Rahbani/Weela
3. Zebda The Spy from Cairo/ Taksim Square/ Arabadub/ Wonderwheel Recordings
4. Apo and the Apostles/ Lina/ Under the Zeitun Tree/ Chimichanga Records
5. Janan/ La7za/ Single/ Janan
6. Zaid Bawab ft Jeena Haddadin/ Habib El Rouh/ Single/Bawab and Gus Kahn
7. Badiaa Bouhrizi (Neyssatou)/ Interlude/ NA
8. Didi and the Jempress/ Feen Nelqak/ Diapazone/ Idris Nadi
9. 3xoj (Othmane Jmad)/ Lawrence of Arabia (ft Asmahan)/ Diapazone/ Othman Jmad
10. Zaou (Maher Zaouali)/ Ya Msafir Wahdak Remix/NA
11. City of Djinn/ Insan Haywan/ Ether and Red Sulphur/ Somnimage
12. AlBsmeh Al3rbieh/ Malleyt/ Single/NA
13. Alhajez (Ahmed Hegazi)/Bayan/ Single/Rahal Beats
14. Naima Shalhoub/ Qaddouka Al Mayyas/ Live in SF County Jail/ Naima Shalhoub
15. Tarabband/ Misteniyak/ Ashofak Baden/ Kap Syd
16. Yarub Smarait/ Balad Al Mahboub / Ya Salam/ Yarub Smeirat
17. Mohamed Najem/ Hal Asmar El Loun/ Floor No 4/ DARNA
18. Tarek Yamani/ Ah Ya Zein (Afro Dabke Style)/ Lisan Al Tarab: Jazz Conceptions in Classical Arabic/ Edict Records
19. Ibrahim Maalouf/ Alf leila wa Leila / Kalhoum/M'ister Productions
20. Rahim Alhaj/ The Loving Mother/ Infinite Hope/UP Music

Latest podcast at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology101

Arabology Interviews El Morabba3

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/elmorabba3

Arabology is proud to feature a new interview with the Jordanian post-rock indie group El Morabba3 (Muhammad Abdullah, Odai Shawagfeh, Dirar Shawagfeh) to coincide with the release of their second album "Taraf El Khayt" on April 2,2016.

The interview was recorded on March 9, 2016; and aired on KZSU 90.1 FM (San Francisco Bay Area). You can listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/elmorabba3

Biography
In 2008, songwriter/bassist/vocalist Muhammad Abdullah (a.k.a Abdullah) decided to form a group. As he looked for other band members, he met Dirar Shawagfeh, who has been described by recommenders as "a drummer that is just different". After 3 sessions, a roommate of a friend of Abdullah, guitarist/producer Hamza Arnaout from the band Autostrad recommended inviting Dirar's brother Odai Shawagfeh for a jam, which at the time was not of an interest because the yet-to-be formed band was not looking to add a guitarist to the band, but Arnaout said "If you are not looking to add a guitarist then invite Odai anyway", which provoked their curiosity. The meeting happened, a bassist/songwriter with smooth yet edgy voice and dreamy lyrics, and the Shawagfeh brothers, a drummer with very creative grooves and a guitarist/producer who makes the guitar say something new every time, and fills the space with his minimal style and layers of keys/Synth sounds.

"El Morabba3 to us is the window in which we see things we want to express...being from a region that had seen a lot and still does every day. This window serves as our escape and our return all together" - El Morabba3

تتألف فرقة المربّع من محمّد عبد الله، بصوته و كلماته الناقدة، و عدي شواقفة، الذي يخلق الأصوات البعيدة و القريبة التي تملأ الفراغ بين الكلمات، و ضرار شواقفة، بإيقاعاته التي تحمل الكلمات و الألحان و الأصوات و تضيف لحنا ايقاعيا عليها.

المربّع هو نافذة نرى من خلالها أشياء نريد التعبير عنها..يمكنكم التخيّل ماذا نرى في هذا الجزء من العالم.."

El Morabba3 (ft El Far3i): 'Ya Zein': https://youtu.be/BHMrZjgI4H0


El Morabba3: El Mokhtalifeen: https://youtu.be/fTfTx12CtE4

Nov 20 'Arabology' Podcast ft Arabic Ballads, Instrumentals, Jazz and Sufi Music

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology913

Arabology 9.13 aired on November 20, 2015 and was hosted by Dr. Ramzi Salti along with co-host Ahmed Hashem.  The episode featured indie Arabic Ballads, Instrumentals, Jazz and Sufi Music. Listen/Download the podcast below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology913

Playlist for Arabology (Artist/Track/Album)

1. Hawa Dafi/Faragh (Space)/Our Story (Qissitna)
2. Abdulrahman Mohammed + Mohab Omer/Peace (Salam)/Single
3. Bachar Mar Khalife/ Ya Balad /Ya Balad
4. Tareq Yamani/ Lamma Bada Yatathanna/ Lisan Al Tarab: Jazz Conceptions in Classical Music
5. Zig Zag & Maestrix/ Ya Tayr/ Single
6. Mawlay Ensemble/ Firaq Mahtoum/Live
7. Asim Gorashi/ Al Qubba/ Single
8. Mahmoud Badrawy/ 7afi w 7or/Single
9. Youssra El Hawari/ El Soor/ Single
10. Janan/ El 3esh2 7ala/ Single
11. Yarub Smeirat/ Balad Al Mahboub/ Ya Salam
12. Sharaka Ensemble/ Never Again/ Never Again
13. Mohamed Najem/ Hal Asmar El-Loun/ Floor No. 4
14. Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra/ Bousa/ Blues For Tahrir
15. Gadour L'Artistou Feat. Bilal RJ/ La Reponse/ Single
16. NO Blues/ Imta / Oh Yeah Habibi
17. Ahmet Baglama/ Slave of Wishes/ Single
18. Hawa Dafi/ Undefined (Majhoul)/Our Story (Qissitna)
19. Tinariwen/ Sawt El-Wahuch (le Chant Des Fauves)/Ishumar