WOMAD, fRoots, Songlines and Proms tickets

July 22nd, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear Friends,

In the run up to WOMAD this weekend there is lots going on so I thought I’d fill you in.

If you aren’t joining us at WOMAD this weekend, please tune in and listen to our performance LIVE on BBC Radio 3. We will be on stage this Sunday 25th July at 13:00.

BBC Radio 3 – WOMAD Live 2010: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00szxsf

The new issue of fRoots magazine includes a Root Salad feature and the new issue of Songlines magazine includes a Backpage feature written by me about my trip to Damascus earlier this summer.

You can hear one of the tracks from the live session I recorded there in the latest Songlines free Podcast 70. The composition is called Naghmat Tahrir and features Taoufik Meerkhan on Qanun. It was recorded at the Mustafa Ali art gallery in old Damascus as part of a session for BBC R3′s World Routes.

The full session and more will be broadcast on Radio 3 on August 7th. More information about that later.

Lastly, if you haven’t yet booked tickets for the concert with Andrea Piccioni and Ilham Al Madfai at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms, please book them soon. All the good seats are almost gone! http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/bbc-proms-2010/prom33/default.aspx.

Many thanks and wish us luck for WOMAD!!

Frome Festival and WOMAD Charlton Park 23-25 July

July 13th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

With his good looks and corkscrew hair, Khyam Allami could be mistaken for a rock musician – indeed, he does currently play drums for the prog-influenced outfit Knifeworld. But it’s as a dazzlingly accomplished oud player where his growing eminence resides, a reputation enhanced most recently by being named as the first recipient of the BBC Radio 3 World Routes Academy mentorship, a new initiative that places promising young musicians in collaboration with wise musical elders. That he’s chosen to link up with legendary Iraqi singer (and past WOMAD performer) Ilham al-Madfai confirms Khyam’s continuing fascination with the music of his forebears. Born in Syria to Iraqi parents, he’s been an adopted Londoner since the age of nine, but – as his beautiful and lonesome oud playing demonstrates – he’s still immutably connected to his motherland. Extra flavour comes courtesy of the equally eminent master percussionist Andrea Piccioni.
(Biography written by Nige Tassell 2010)

Live on BBC 6 Music tomorrow

June 12th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear friends,

I’ll be appearing on the Cerys Mattews show on BBC 6 Music tomorrow (Sunday 13th) between 10am-12pm. Listen live online at this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00llg30

New music from the Middle East and more

June 10th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Just wanted to remind you to tune in to World Routes on BBC Radio 3 this Saturday at 15:00 UK time.

We have put together a great show which features a live session of Cypriot Greek music sang by Nicoletta Demetriou and accompanied by me on Ud and Jacob Olley on Nay. You will also hear three features about music in Beirut, Damascus and Amman which feature interviews with Ghazi Abdel Baki from Forward Music, Ud player Tareq al-Jundi and Majd Hijjawi from Eka3.

You can tune in online here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnmp and the programme will be available on BBC iPlayer for one week after broadcast.

Hope you enjoy it.

Live on Resonance FM this Wednesday 9th June

June 7th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear friends,

This Wednesday evening between 6pm-7pm I’ll be appearing live on the Cultural Co-Operation’s London Diaspora Live programme on Resonance FM in London. You can tune in on the good old fashioned radio at 104.4 fm or listen online at http://resonancefm.com

I’ll be appearing alongside Rita Ray one of the directors and founders of the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival. We’ll be playing music by some of the artists appearing at Celebrating Sanctuary this year, some Iraqi music and I will perform a couple of tracks live. Hope you can tune in!

Blog on BBC Radio 3 website

June 2nd, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Just a quick note to let you know that I have been publishing a blog about my activities in and around the World Routes Academy on the BBC R3 website. The latest blog about our trip in Beirut was published today. If you are interested in reading any of them please follow this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio3/khyam_allami/

Thank you!

Celebrating Sanctuary Festival

June 2nd, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear Friends,

Thanks to the World Routes Academy scholarship I was selected for this year, I was asked by BBC Radio 3 to curate an afternoon of events dedicated to Iraqi culture, at this year’s Celebrating Sanctuary Festival in London. It will happen on Sunday 13th June along the South Bank.

After the hard work of many hands, we have put together a wonderful programme which includes, music, theater, poetry and much more… The afternoon will be hosted by Lucy Duran, presenter of BBC R3′s World Routes.

You can find the schedule and all the information on the facebook event here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125796204102745

Please spread the word and see you there!!

Royal Albert Hall, BBC Prom 33: Ilham Al-Madfai and Khyam Allami

April 22nd, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear friends,

World Routes Academy – Iraq at Celebrating Sanctuary Festival

April 15th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

In 2010 BBC Radio 3 launched a new scheme which aims to support and inspire young world-music artists by bringing them together with an internationally renowned figure with whom they share common cultural roots. In the first year of the BBC Radio 3 World Routes Academy, named after its flagship programme, the focus is on two Iraqi musicians: the young, London based musician Khyam Allami is the first recipient of this scholarship and he will work with the celebrated Ilham al-Madfai, the guitarist, singer and composer who will take on the role of mentor.

Radio 3′s World Routes (Saturdays, 3.00pm) follows the partnership over the nine-month scheme with regular interviews, documentary material, recordings and performances. Radio 3 World Routes Academy is about celebrating world music talent by both supporting existing performers through new collaborations and enabling younger musicians to develop and hone their skills. Performance is key to the project and the musicians will feature in BBC studio sessions, workshops, performance and concerts.

As part of this new scheme, Khyam Allami was invited by Radio 3 to curate an afternoon dedicated to Iraqi culture at Celebrating Sanctuary Festival, London’s annual free festival that celebrates the art of refugee communities. The event will take place on London’s South Bank on Sunday June 13th and will consist of live music, spoken word, theatre, workshops and discussions.

Contributors will include Radio 3′s World Routes Academy presenter Lucy Duran as well as musicians, writers, playwrights and editor of Banipal, the London based independent literary magazine publishing contemporary authors and poets from all over the Arab world in English translation.

For more information please visit the following websites:

BBC Radio 3′s World Routes Academy
Celebrating Sanctuary
Banipal

BBC R3 World Routes Iraqi music special + Workshop and Concert with Andrea Piccioini

March 19th, 2010 by Khyam | Posted in General | Comments Off

Dear friends,

It has been a seriously hectic few weeks but not without any fruit! Yesterday I recorded a 1 hour episode of World Routes for BBC Radio 3 dedicated to Iraqi music (photo below). It will be broadcast on Saturday 27th March at 3pm. Tune in: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tnmp

That very same weekend, my dear friend and percussion maestro Andrea Piccioni will be flying over from Rome to give a workshop and join me for a performance at the Green Note in Camden Town, London. All the information is on the performances page and you can buy advanced tickets here: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/74839

If you’d like to partake in Andrea’s frame drum workshop, you can find all the information here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=371847637386&ref=mf

Hope to see you at the show!