La Danza Poetica #40 The Silent Poet
In February La Danza Poetica crosses lines and walls, real and imagined, through the eastern Mediterranean and Levant, from Persia to Palestine, from ancient to modern. Featuring the new album from Palestinian poet and activist Rafeef Ziadah, as well as an earlier album interpreting the poems of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám in song and music, from Italian ensemble Milagro Acustico. Experimental spoken word and electronic oud from Fawda, Jewish/Arabic/Sufi/Indian/Balkan fusions from Abdalak, activist hip hop from Katibeh Khamseh, Portugal’s Karetus remixing A-Wa, a dialogue between music and cinema from La Mirza and Rayess Bek, Palestinian poet of exile Suheir Hammad. This show is dedicated to the struggle of poets who would be silenced by ignorance. We feature two readings of the work of Ashraf Fayadh, a 32-year-old poet and art curator currently on death row in Saudi Arabia over charges of apostasy. From worldwide readings and protests, Fred Marchant of New England and Fadhil al Azzawi of Iraq read his work.
Tracklist
Milagro Acustico Ensemble - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Wine
Milagro Acustico Ensemble - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: Comacam Com
Milagro Acustico Ensemble - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: Vinni Comu L'acqua
Ashraf Fayadh - Poems read by Fadhil al-Azzawi at the Worldwide Reading for Ashraf Fayadh, Berlin
Fawda - Al Moqadema
Abdalak (Elyada Ramon & Erez Nataf) - Dervish
Rafeef Ziadah - Sieges
Abdalak (Elyada Ramon & Erez Nataf) - Open your hands
Rafeef Ziadah - If My Words
Milagro Acustico Ensemble - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Silent Poet
Rafeef Ziadah - Silence Still
Katibeh Khamseh - بين حينا وحيك (Between our neighborhood and your neighborhood)
A-WA - Habib Galbi (Karetus Remix)
Love and Revenge - Emta ha_Taaraf
Suheir Hammad - For My Mom
Milagro Acustico Ensemble - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Ashishiyyin
Ashraf Fayadh - The Last of the Line of Refugee Descendants (read by Fred Marchant, for PEN New England)
Katibeh Khamseh - Khabar Ajel
Notes on the show
An update since I recorded this show last Sunday: regarding Ashraf Fayadh, the court has overturned the death sentence, "imposing an eight-year prison term and 800 lashes instead. He must also repent through an announcement in official media." The campaign to free this poet continues. Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/02/palestinian-poet-ashraf-fayadhs-death-sentence-overturned-by-saudi-court
