To hear the new album "Just Do What's Right", click here Brothers of the Baladi Tour the UK for the first time in thirty years! June 10th - 24th Whenever possible, the band will be encouraging local British bellydancers to collaborate with us.
Just Do What's Right CD Release March 2008 • Available on iTunes, Amazon, MTV, MySpace & SnoCap Brothers of the Baladi will bring their World Music mix to the UK in support of Just Do What's Right , a new CD that includes Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" and Chris Rea's "Nothing To Fear," plus six originals and classic Arabic, Persian and Celtic favorites. Those original songs, sung in English, are rich with a positive political message - summed up by the title track "Just Do What's Right." It is a message of hope and change that fills every cut with a new fusion of ancient and contemporary grooves, led by vocalist/percussionist Michael Beach . Just Do What's Right brings together political passion, great songwriting and a very special and unique musical dimension never heard before: a mosaic of vivid lyrics and melodies, it is truly "A sound that knows no borders." (LA Times) For the past thirty years, Brothers of the Baladi have reached out to cross the boundaries of culture and embrace music as true language of world peace and diplomacy. The Brothers of the Baladi were named after the Arabic word, baladi (bah-luh dee), which means country, country folk and people. The band has grown from a duo to a quintet, who tour the US, Canada and Europe and whose market has broadened to include a diverse fan base from the belly dancer to the World music radio aficionado to the college student discovering the wide range of global music for the first time. First known for their traditional Middle-Eastern music, the Brothers of the Baladi now tastefully mix traditional ethnic/acoustic instruments with Western instrumentation, vocals in seven languages and exotic rhythms. Along with Michael Beach the band's lineup includes J. Michael Kearsey (vocals, bass & riq), Geoff George (vocals, quarter-tone keyboards), Mark Giles (vocals & drum set), Daniel Eshoo (oud, saz & hurdy gurdy) and Kerry Movassagh (guitars). "The Brothers of the Baladi have been successful because they express their American selves through the music of another culture. You can hear it in the beat, in the phrasing: this is not alien....the longtime Portland group's role as messenger from another world has remained remarkably consistent." (The Oregonian). www.baladi.com • click here to contact • promo tools, media & rider ____________________________ Amel Tafsout, meaning 'Hope of Spring', is among the most charismatic and acclaimed International Choreographer, performer and master dance instructor of North African Maghreb Dance of our time. She has mesmerized audiences in the Middle East and North Africa as well as in Europe, the U.S.A and New Zealand with her expressive and stunning stage presence. She has been featured in "the Late Show (BBC2), and other TV programs in the UK, Germany and the U.S.A. Tafsout was an active member of the Latin-Jazz band: Chakchouka, the North African contemporary Orchesta Mambo Duniya, the Arab-Turkish music band Noor Shimaal as well as the Saladin's Orchestra. She performed with Die Dissidenten, 3 Mustapha 3, Hassan Erraji, Maurice El Medioni, Georges lammam Ensemble, Cheb I Sabbah, Rachid Halihal and Karim Nagui as well as the Algerian Andalusian singer Nassima. Emma is a dancer from Cambridge who is renowned for her precise technique, exciting performances and warm, friendly teaching style. She started learning with Pauline Sayhi in 1998 and since then she has studied with top dancers from the UK, USA and Egypt - too many to list here! Particular influences have been Randa Kamel, Josephine Wise and Aziza. Emma is especially drawn to the modern Egyptian style of bellydance, but has drawn on many influences to develop her own dancing style. She also enjoys experimenting with fusion styles, and has created dramatic pieces that blend Flamenco and Gothic influences with the beauty of Oriental dance. Mia Serra is a master teacher, choreographer and belly dance performer. In her nine years belly dancing at professional level she has been invited to perform around the globe, from the dunes of the Sahara to the Royal Festival Hall, and, yes, the photos are recent! Alexandra King is one of the foremost Middle Eastern Dance artists, instructors, choreographers and producers of Middle Eastern Dance productions and videos in Santa Barbara, the California central coast and the United States. Her services include belly dance classes on campus at UCSB from the beginning to intermediate levels; a professional level performance dance company; instructional and performance videos and dance supplies for the beginning level dancer and dance events and productions. She is the producer of the prestigious Middle Eastern Dance festival, Moon Over Morocco, which brings some of the best belly dancers and Middle Eastern dancers to the Central coast for a weekend of performances and workshops and which is held every two years in the beautiful coastal city of Santa Barbara, CA. She is the founder and director of Santa Barbara most prestigious and only professional Middle Eastern Dance company, Seher, which is the also the UCSB Mid-East Dance Ensemble. And, she is the producer of one of the most popular beginning level instructional video series’ on the market. Caitlyn has performed and taught internationally, accompanied by musicians ranging from Arabic band Mizameer to rapper Fat Joe. She has appeared on American television and will soon dance on Channel Punjab as well. She has studied with some of the top dancers and instructors of Egypt, Turkey, Germany, America, and the U.K. In addition, she has studied ballet, modern dance, Argentine tango, salsa, hip-hop, flamenco and Roman (Gypsy) dance. She has also taken academic courses in 20th Century Dance and in Costume History and Design. Caitlyn has also been a member of the Oxford University Middle Eastern Dance Troupe.
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