Sat 9th December, 2017
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Doors: 7:30pm)
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Bookings are closed for this event.
CHAPEL ARTS CAFE IS OPEN THIS EVENING – last orders 7.00pm, to book a table please call: 01225 920256.
Live music and dance from the Middle East and beyond…
Live Middle Eastern music from Hazir plus special guest from West Africa Amadou Diagne and his band.
Egyptian, Persian and African dance performances from the Club Cairo dancers and African dancer Oumar Sagna.
Amadou Diagne
Amadou Diagne is a musician who has the traditions of West Africa at his fingertips. Singer, songwriter, percussionist, Kora and guitar player, Amadou comes from a long family line of Drummers and praise singers from the area around Dakar, Senegal. A former member of l’Orchestre National du Senegal Amadou regularly performed as a percussionist with some of the top west African stars for concerts and television.
Since moving to England Amadou has been inspired by meeting, and collaborating with musicians from many different backgrounds. Writing and performing his own material as a songwriter and multi instrumentalist Amadou has developed a unique style of his own which draws heavily on his skills as a percussionist and a love of improvisation. With an eclectic musical inspiration and dynamic delight in performing Amadou has been busy forging a growing reputation as an exciting live artist, both solo and with his band Group Yakar.
“Honey-smoked vocals …Plaintive, acoustic and brimming with an unhurried assurance.” Jamie Renton, fROOTS Magazine no.361, July 2013
In 2012 he was signed by World Music Network, and his debut solo album Introducing Amadou Diagne was released in february 2012, it went straight to no.16 in the European World Music charts. His follow up Yakar (produced by Griselda Sanderson) was released on the Waulk Records label in May 2013. The album Yakar received a Four star review in Songlines magazine, and top pick playlist review in fRoots. A track from the album was included on fRoots CD download as well as being included in their top 50 album list for 2013. Amadou Diagne’s third album Ligee was released in 2015 on LongTale Records to great reviews. Amadou’s music has been gaining global airplay on radio stations from Australia to Israel, Denmark and the USA as well as on BBC Radio 3 Late Junction.
Club Cairo
Club Cairo presented its first event in 2010. Seven years on after many sell-out shows it’s going stronger than ever. Last year being a major highlight. They took their production on a UK tour!
Each incarnation wishes to share new aspects within the genre, creating a fresh and exciting new experience every time. The aim is to inspire, educate and bring fun and fantasy to the audience.
A regular feature at Club Cairo are our invited guests from cultures far and wide. Their traditions, rhythms and dance are a wonderful addition, creating an even more potent experience.
Another exciting aspect to our evenings has been the introduction of theatre. Again, combining the traditions of Middle Eastern music and dance but this time with drama.
Each production is historically based and then transformed into an abstraction of sight, sound and movement with a difference. Drawing on the roots of tradition yet branching out to explore new forms of expression. A provocative and super-sensory experience combining fantasy with reality.
Club Cairo has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, always encouraging not only the audience to observe but to participate too. We are very proud to appeal to such a cross section of people. A multicultural gathering all drawn together to enjoy a feast of global delights!
Club Cairo – showreel 2015 from Andy McCreeth on Vimeo.
Carmen Jones
Carmen Jones is the core producer. She has been working with musicians regularly teaching and performing for many years in UK and abroad – Ibiza, Turkey and Egypt.
She has drawn on this experience to create a show that is fueled by her passion and understanding of these art forms. Music, Dance, theatre and Vibrant Visuals combine to create a captivating display straight from the heart of the Middle East.
Carmen’s dance is one of expression, expansion and fun! Her years of experience have been a journey of self discipline, self discovery and adventure. She has travelled internationally, works within the theatre and teaches and performs internationally.
She has trained with many great teaches from Egypt, UK and USA and continues to develop her style by taking classes in contemporary dance. She hopes to convey an authentic Egyptian style with her own dynamic form of expression that truly resonates with the music.
Her real passion is working with “live” music. Not only has she performed on several occasions with Hossam Ramzy and his Ensemble but also has guested with Brothers of the Baladi (USA) and has, since 2007, performed regularly with UK based bands Mazaj and Souk-Bab-El -Louk (formally the Arabic Balkan Gypsy Band) and now Hazir.
Her close collaboration with the musicians have led her to gain a deep understanding of the connection between musician and dancer. It is this that she especially enjoys sharing with her students through her teaching.
As well as performing with the musicians she also runs workshops with them regularly working in schools and at many festivals nationwide (Glastonbury, WOMAD, Drum Camp Norfolk, Middle Eastern Music, Drum and Dance Camp nr Bath, Majma, The Big Chill) She also did travel annually to the Sinai (Egypt) where she helped host a music, drum and dance holiday (www.arabicmusicband.com).
Her travels have also taken her and Mazaj to the Bergen Festival (Norway) to Turkish teaching and performing on TV and in the summer of 2011 they did a short tour of Ibiza (Spain).
Back home amidst her Club Cairo shows she also is a regular feature at the Bath Fringe Festival. A second tour is now planned for spring 2018. She is really looking forward to presenting her next theatrical production so will be returning to the Bath Fringe for their final show.
STEPHI BRIGGS
Stephi Briggs is a Bellydance performer & teacher based in Southwest, UK. She has been described as a powerful & earthy dancer, providing uplifting performances full of fun and warmth. Her dance style is predominantly Egyptian and she trains regularly, with top dancers in the field. Stephi taught regular classes in Bristol and has taught and performed at large festivals and dance events around the UK. She is also the manager and choreographer for Easton Bellydance Troupe in Bristol.
www.facebook.com/stephi.bellydance
www.sjb-bellydanceinbristol.co.uk
NATALIE BIBI
Natalie’s relished a life long affair with an extensive range of dance styles and disciplines. But her love of the expressive musicality and spellbinding complexity in Bellydance have led her to enjoying the charms of this ever evolving folkloric dance through 17 years of enchantment. With smooth scintillation, let her show you a captivating glimpse of this cultural phenomenon and flash a sparkle of light on this often misunderstood art form.
ANISA FARMER
Anisa is a beautiful and elegant belly dance artist. She has studied with Carmen Jones for the past 5 years and has played an integral role in the development and creation of Club Cairo. Her versatility, natural talent and maybe being of Persian decent too, have all contributed to her speedy transformation from student to professional. One of Club Cairo’s true treasures.
HAZIR
The Hazir Ensemble play their own intoxicating, high-energy, shimmy-inspiring interpretations of popular, folk and classical melodies, songs and rhythms from across the Middle East, Turkey and beyond.
Elvin Herrick (Darabuka/Riq/Frame drums)
Simon Leach (Oud/Saz/Percussion/Mizmar/Voice)
Tom Parry (Clarinet/Saxaphone/Percussion)
With guest musician Maren Lueg [Ney/saxophone]