Join this special class to learn the system of Arabic melodies and scales – known as maqam – from Sami Abu Shumays, a world-renowned master practitioner.

Maqam Mastery Made Simple, with Sami Abu Shumays 7pm-8:30pm, December 6th 2023 Brooklyn School of Music - 126 St Felix St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Tickets on Sale Now: https://www.viewcy.com/e/maqam_mastery_made_si_1

Sami’s approach is hands-on and practical: through call-and-response imitation, students will learn the core melodic vocabulary of the maqam, the key to improvising and composing in Arabic music. Students will also listen to and analyze Arabic songs in the same maqam, to continue to build their experience.

The class is open to students of any level, from complete beginner to advanced practitioner: because Sami presents the music in its raw form, everyone gets something out of melodic repetition. Singers, dancers, and players of any instrument are welcome.

About Sami Abu Shumays: One of the leading Arab violinists in the U.S., Sami Abu Shumays is internationally known as a master of the maqam system. He is co-author of the acclaimed book Inside Arabic Music (Oxford University Press 2019), and his passion for teaching and oral tradition is also expressed through his YouTube series "Maqam Lessons," the website www.maqamlessons.com, and his contributions to www.maqamworld.com. Co-founder and director of the NYC-based Arabic music and dance ensemble Zikrayat (www.zikrayatmusic.com), Sami has also recently released his first solo album Circles, available on all streaming platforms (https://samiabushumays.hearnow.com/)

A second-generation Palestinian-American, Sami originally studied Western music before traveling to the Arab World to reconnect with his roots. He studied with Alfred Gamil in Cairo; Mohamed Qasas, Abdel-Basit Bakkar, and Abdel-Minaim Senkary in Aleppo; and Simon Shaheen and Yusuf Kassab in New York.

Rami Gabriel (Lebanon/Chicago) and Karim Nagi (Egypt/Chicago) create a dynamic and unique amalgam of traditional Arabic music and Chicago Blues. The Oud, Buzuq, Tublah and Riqq are used along with Guitar and Drum Set to create a sound that could have only been imagined in America. Karim & Rami express their tradition and identity through compositions and improvisational excursions that draw from their two traditions.

The Arab Blues with Rami Gabriel & Karim Nagi with Special Guests! Sunday December 10th, 2023 8pm (7:30 doors) Jalopy Theatre - 315 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, NY 112311 $25 ($20 Advance) https://www.viewcy.com/e/brooklyn_maqam_presen_21

The Arab Blues traces an innovative trajectory between the call of tradition and the response of the diaspora. The synthesis Rami and Karim create is an auditory expression of not only the power and persistence of il Turath but equally the validity of transformations under the unique cultural conditions we inhabit.

The basis of our work is the canon of classical Middle Eastern compositions and improvisational techniques. This rich heritage consists of melodic and rhythmic exposition and instrumental interaction at countless levels of depth. We interpret these forms in the context of the sounds of the contemporary North American metropole. In this project, the equally lush traditions of Blues and Jazz in Chicago provide the context of how we approach and assimilate the Turath. This marriage of forms is fruitful because of the emotional range of the Blues and the improvisational flexibility and ingenuity of Jazz.

The Arab Blues was developed by Lebanese-Egyptian oud, buzuq, and guitar player Rami Gabriel through a research fellowship at the Center for Black Music Research, two Illinois artist grants, and a decade of experience as a jazz and blues musician in Chicago. Native Egyptian, Chicago based percussionist Karim Nagi is a two-time beneficiary of the Doris Duke Build Bridges grant for Muslim artists, a TEDx speaker, and accomplished teacher who plays traditional and non-traditional Middle Eastern percussion instruments including Riqq, Tublah, and uniquely assembled drumset.

Psyched to present the Barbes-debut of American oudist Gabe Lavin, performing music from Turkey, Egypt, and the Arabian Peninsula with his band.

Gabe Lavin & Friends 7pm Wednesday December 13th, 2023 Barbes - 376 9th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215 $20 cover

Gabe Lavin is an American oudist, guitarist, and composer. He has studied oud in Egypt at Beit al Oud and in Oman with the Oud Association. He is currently a member of the New York Arabic Orchestra.

Featuring: Gabe Lavin - oud John Murchison - Bass Nezih Antakli - Percussion Phillip Meyer - Percussion Guest artist: Insia Malik - Violin