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Concert Preview
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Chicago Reader, Concert Preview >>
Led by Moroccan-born qanun virtuoso Hicham Chami, the outstanding Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble includes musicians hailing from (among other places) Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and Israel. Here they'll play music from their superb new album, The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People (Xauen Music). Darweesh's career was tragically brief--he was 31 when he died of a cocaine overdose in 1923--but he remains one of Egypt's most important composers. He radically modernized Arabic classical music by introducing Western instruments and harmony, and his lyrics blended working-class and patriotic themes (he composed Egypt's national anthem); anyone who enjoys Umm Kalthoum will recognize Darweesh's influence on the diva's repertoire. Opportunities to hear this kind of music are very rare in Chicago; this group brings a historical authenticity to the material and plays it with crackling precision. --Peter Margasak 02/24/06
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