Little Syria with Omar Offendum, Ronnie Malley and Thanks Joey

3 Performances Fri, Nov 3 - Sat, Nov 4, 2023

UCLA @ The Nimoy 1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

“By interweaving different narrative and musical techniques, Offendum shines a light on a historic Syrian neighborhood in Manhattan, New York and creates a space for communal healing.” — The University of North Carolina Press

Set in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood once known as Little Syria (1880~1940), this genre-bridging performance — spanning Hip-Hop, Arabic instrumentation, and ḥakawātī oral storytelling traditions — reimagines early 20th-century life in the heart of Arab-America. Just south of the current World Trade Center, this once vibrant cultural hub for New York’s Middle Eastern immigrants was home to artists and intellectuals, With live instrumentation by Ronnie Malley on the Oud and Piano and beats by Thanks Joey, this creative retelling of a tragically underrepresented history draws an audience attuned to stories of immigration, xenophobia, and the elusive “American dream.” 

Omar Offendum

Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he's been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.

Ronnie Malley

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, sound designer, producer, actor, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. With a focus on various musical styles from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and medieval Spain, Ronnie has performed with several artists including Allos Musica, Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, EMME, Huzam, Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Picosa, Omar Offendum, Surabhi Ensemble, University of Chicago Middle East Music Ensemble, and Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz. Ronnie has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, films, and TV series including The Band's Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), The Jungle Book (Disney, Goodman Theatre), and The New Mother (Eleva Singleton). He has recorded on over twenty albums and has co-produced several works and staged productions including Little Syria, Karim Nagi's Huzam, The Reminders, Yves Francois, and The Andalusian Trail. Ronnie was recipient of the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Thanks Joey

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Syrian immigrants & having a classical Arabic musician as a grandfather already set the palette for what Thanks Joey would be exposed to - Fairouz, Om Kalthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez with a little bit of Jay Z, BIGGIE SMALLS, Nas etc. Thanks Joey met his long time collaborator/artist/friend, NIKO IS at 13 years old in Orlando, Florida and the two immediately began creating music together. In 2009 Joey established the Colours Of The Culture label on which the 2015 NIKO IS' album “BRUTUS” was released in collaboration with Talib Kweli's label, Javotti Media. In 2018, Joey released his first instrumental album inspired by the works of Khalil Gibran entitled “On Beats.” He also produced the 2018 NIKO IS album “UNIKO” which was also released in collaboration with Talib Kweli and featured artists from around the world including Curren$y, Tego Calderón, HAIKAISS, and more. He is currently working on multiple projects set to be released on Colours Of The Culture in the near future.

Little Syria with Omar Offendum, Ronnie Malley and Thanks Joey

3 Performances Fri, Nov 3 - Sat, Nov 4, 2023

UCLA @ The Nimoy 1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

“By interweaving different narrative and musical techniques, Offendum shines a light on a historic Syrian neighborhood in Manhattan, New York and creates a space for communal healing.” — The University of North Carolina Press

Set in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood once known as Little Syria (1880~1940), this genre-bridging performance — spanning Hip-Hop, Arabic instrumentation, and ḥakawātī oral storytelling traditions — reimagines early 20th-century life in the heart of Arab-America. Just south of the current World Trade Center, this once vibrant cultural hub for New York’s Middle Eastern immigrants was home to artists and intellectuals, With live instrumentation by Ronnie Malley on the Oud and Piano and beats by Thanks Joey, this creative retelling of a tragically underrepresented history draws an audience attuned to stories of immigration, xenophobia, and the elusive “American dream.” 

Omar Offendum

Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he's been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.

Ronnie Malley

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, sound designer, producer, actor, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. With a focus on various musical styles from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and medieval Spain, Ronnie has performed with several artists including Allos Musica, Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, EMME, Huzam, Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Picosa, Omar Offendum, Surabhi Ensemble, University of Chicago Middle East Music Ensemble, and Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz. Ronnie has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, films, and TV series including The Band's Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), The Jungle Book (Disney, Goodman Theatre), and The New Mother (Eleva Singleton). He has recorded on over twenty albums and has co-produced several works and staged productions including Little Syria, Karim Nagi's Huzam, The Reminders, Yves Francois, and The Andalusian Trail. Ronnie was recipient of the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Thanks Joey

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Syrian immigrants & having a classical Arabic musician as a grandfather already set the palette for what Thanks Joey would be exposed to - Fairouz, Om Kalthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez with a little bit of Jay Z, BIGGIE SMALLS, Nas etc. Thanks Joey met his long time collaborator/artist/friend, NIKO IS at 13 years old in Orlando, Florida and the two immediately began creating music together. In 2009 Joey established the Colours Of The Culture label on which the 2015 NIKO IS' album “BRUTUS” was released in collaboration with Talib Kweli's label, Javotti Media. In 2018, Joey released his first instrumental album inspired by the works of Khalil Gibran entitled “On Beats.” He also produced the 2018 NIKO IS album “UNIKO” which was also released in collaboration with Talib Kweli and featured artists from around the world including Curren$y, Tego Calderón, HAIKAISS, and more. He is currently working on multiple projects set to be released on Colours Of The Culture in the near future.

Little Syria with Omar Offendum, Ronnie Malley and Thanks Joey

3 Performances Fri, Nov 3 - Sat, Nov 4, 2023

UCLA @ The Nimoy 1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

“By interweaving different narrative and musical techniques, Offendum shines a light on a historic Syrian neighborhood in Manhattan, New York and creates a space for communal healing.” — The University of North Carolina Press

Set in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood once known as Little Syria (1880~1940), this genre-bridging performance — spanning Hip-Hop, Arabic instrumentation, and ḥakawātī oral storytelling traditions — reimagines early 20th-century life in the heart of Arab-America. Just south of the current World Trade Center, this once vibrant cultural hub for New York’s Middle Eastern immigrants was home to artists and intellectuals, With live instrumentation by Ronnie Malley on the Oud and Piano and beats by Thanks Joey, this creative retelling of a tragically underrepresented history draws an audience attuned to stories of immigration, xenophobia, and the elusive “American dream.” 

Omar Offendum

Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he's been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.

Ronnie Malley

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, sound designer, producer, actor, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. With a focus on various musical styles from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and medieval Spain, Ronnie has performed with several artists including Allos Musica, Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, EMME, Huzam, Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Picosa, Omar Offendum, Surabhi Ensemble, University of Chicago Middle East Music Ensemble, and Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz. Ronnie has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, films, and TV series including The Band's Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), The Jungle Book (Disney, Goodman Theatre), and The New Mother (Eleva Singleton). He has recorded on over twenty albums and has co-produced several works and staged productions including Little Syria, Karim Nagi's Huzam, The Reminders, Yves Francois, and The Andalusian Trail. Ronnie was recipient of the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Thanks Joey

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Syrian immigrants & having a classical Arabic musician as a grandfather already set the palette for what Thanks Joey would be exposed to - Fairouz, Om Kalthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez with a little bit of Jay Z, BIGGIE SMALLS, Nas etc. Thanks Joey met his long time collaborator/artist/friend, NIKO IS at 13 years old in Orlando, Florida and the two immediately began creating music together. In 2009 Joey established the Colours Of The Culture label on which the 2015 NIKO IS' album “BRUTUS” was released in collaboration with Talib Kweli's label, Javotti Media. In 2018, Joey released his first instrumental album inspired by the works of Khalil Gibran entitled “On Beats.” He also produced the 2018 NIKO IS album “UNIKO” which was also released in collaboration with Talib Kweli and featured artists from around the world including Curren$y, Tego Calderón, HAIKAISS, and more. He is currently working on multiple projects set to be released on Colours Of The Culture in the near future.

RONNIE MALLEY: ZIRYAB, THE SONGBIRD OF ANDALUSIA

OCTOBER 22 @ 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Benaroya Hall: Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall

200 University St
Seattle, WA 98101 United States + Google Map

From 9th century Islamic Spain to present day America

Oudist Ronnie Malley presents his original musical narrative about the life of Ziryab, a 9th century musician and polymath, who traveled from Baghdad to Muslim Spain and shifted the course of history. 2023 Recipient of the Michael Jaffee Visionary Award of Chamber Music America,

“Ronnie Malley’s musicianship is superb and his interweaving of his own life with the story of Ziryab’s, as well as his highly-informative discourse on the medieval master’s legacy, make for an enlightening performance.” — Jacob Davis, chicagocritic.com

Ziryab, The Songbird of Andalusia

– SOLO PLAY WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY RONNIE MALLEY

TAKE AN ENCHANTING MUSICAL JOURNEY FROM 9TH CENTURY ISLAMIC SPAIN TO PRESENT DAY AMERICA. ARABIC MUSIC, POETRY, AND SONGS BREATHE LIFE INTO THE STORY OF ZIRYAB, A FORMER SLAVE FROM BAGHDAD, WHOSE MUSICAL ABILITIES BROUGHT HIM FAME THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA, AND AL-ANDALUS: A LAND WHERE CHRISTIANS, JEWS, AND MUSLIMS CO-EXISTED FOR CENTURIES CREATING A UNIQUE AND DIVERSE SOCIETY. THE PLAY DESCRIBES THE HISTORY OF ZIRYAB, ISLAM IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, AND EL OUD – A MIDDLE EASTERN LUTE THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME THE GUITAR. THE STORY ALSO WEAVES PAST AND PRESENT INCLUDING ANECDOTES FROM RONNIE’S OWN LIFE GROWING UP AS A MUSICIAN AND MUSLIM PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN IN THE UNITED STATES.

Presented by By Fawaz Kannout's Muntada and Sunflower Chamber Orchestra

Dominican University Performing Arts Center

7900 Division Street River Forest, IL 60305

Join us for a mesmerizing evening of Arabic music and culture at the Dominican University Performing Arts Center! Immerse yourself in the enchanting melodies of Lubana Al Quntar, a renowned vocalist, and a lineup of exceptional guest performers, who will add their own flair to the evening. Prepare to be captivated by their soulful performances and experience the beauty of live music. This in-person event promises to be a memorable night filled with harmony and joy. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to witness the magic unfold on stage.

Lubana Al Quntar is celebrated as Syria's first opera singer and the first Arab opera singer to participate in international opera voice competitions. Born in Damascus, she has won multiple international singing competitions and studied at renowned music institutions in London, Damascus, and Holland. Globally recognized as a soloist, Lubana has performed at prestigious venues such as the Opera Bastille in Paris, Opera Avicenna in Doha, and the Kennedy Center in the United States, blending traditional Arabic singing with opera techniques. Overall, her unique vocal talent has allowed her to traverse a broad range of genres, from classical Arabic and folk songs to pop and classical opera, showcasing her skills as a dramatic coloratura. Currently based in Washington DC, Lubana uses her voice to promote Syrian culture and aids refugees through fundraising concerts.

Lubana Al-Quntar comes from a Syrian family that is deeply rooted in classical Arabic music. She is related to singer/actress Amal Al Atrash (known by her stage name, Asmahan) and her brother, renowned composer and singer Farid Al Atrash. These connections influenced her musical path and played an important role in her decision to seek a career as a professional singer. Born in Syria, she began singing at an early age and had an unusual gift for singing challenging sung poetry from childhood. Today Lubana performs a wide a range of repertoire within the Arab music canon which include music from the classical, contemporary, folk, and pop genres. Her expressive voice allows her to add luster and richness to the various singing styles.  In addition to traditional Arab song, Lubana studied opera and became the first Syrian opera singer to attain international recognition, as she appeared in concerts throughout Europe.  She returned to Syria to head the Department of Opera Singing and launched the Department of Classical Arabic Singing at the Syrian National Conservatory. This was a ground-breaking event because, for the first time, students could study both operatic and traditional singing at an accredited institution. She established the Arabic Music Singing Ensemble that performed across the Middle East. She came to the United States in 2012 and has since performed in numerous venues across the country in addition to her European performances.

Fawaz Kannout's Muntada Whether it be as a player or a listener, Dr. Fawaz Kannout’s love and passion for music were unimaginable. He wanted to organize a way to share his love of music with his family, friends, and community. This mission led to the creation of Muntada, a platform where musicians could show their talents and audiences could appreciate and learn the beauty of music. Despite his uphill battle with cancer, Fawaz introduced the Chicago land community to many talented artists and musicians and hosted four large-scale successful concerts. Unfortunately, Fawaz lost his battle with cancer, but his love and motivation to expose people to the beauty of art will grow and continue through Muntada.

Al-Qasar

When continents collide, they make a thunderous sound. Al-Qasar creates the soundtrack to that fission. Arabian fuzz, they term it, a vision that's brazenly electric and deeply connected to its roots. The band was started in the Barbès neighborhood of Paris by producer Thomas Attar Bellier. The musicians came together from France, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and the United States. Shows followed, first in Europe and then in the Middle East. They put out an EP in 2020, the widely-lauded Miraj, recorded in Cairo. On Al-Qasar's first full-length album, Who Are We? (out September 16, 2022), bass, drums and percussion create an irresistible groove, while electric saz and guitars build a wailing wall above, with Moroccan vocalist Jaouad El Garouge's ecstatic Arabic vocals, steeped in his Gnawa upbringing, inspired by history as it strides into the future. Like a psychedelic celebration on the dancefloor, it bristles with the kind of deep energy that makes Al-Qasar sound like the world's most dangerous wedding band. Al-Qasar's magnetic pull drew big names from around the world, such as The Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Sudanese innovator Alsarah, Algerian oud virtuoso Mehdi Haddab (Speed Caravan), and acclaimed Egyptian singer Hend Elrawy (Orange Blossom). Al-Qasar's music never wavers, pulling from the hypnotic roots of North African trance and threading it into a fabric with the elaborate beauty of Arabic scales and the shock and thrill of rock'n'roll. https://alqasar.bandcamp.com/album/who-are-we

World Music Festival Chicago (Sept 22 – Oct 1) brings global grooves by award-winning artists from around the world to the citywide, multi-venue festival featuring more than 30 artists and ensembles representing 22 countries and regions of the world.

The festival also celebrates 11 years of Ragamala, the largest all-night long presentation of live Indian classical music in the United States.

Register here and follow us on our social media platforms for updates, changes, and other announcements.

This event is free, however registration is encouraged to help us plan accordingly. Space may be limited, and your RSVP does not guarantee entry – so please arrive early.

Instagram @chicagodcase

Twitter: @WMFChicago

Facebook @WorldMusicFestivalChicago

Yves Francois and Rocambu Jazz LIVE music dates

Nights out in the Park with Yves François Rocambu Jazz in Chicago Illinois

All times 6.00 to 7.00 pm

FREE - ALL AGES

BRING A CHAIR

AUGUST 9 - Cosme Park 9201 S Longwood Dr

AUGUST 22 - Hiawatha Park 8029 W Forest Preserve

AUGUST 23 - Donovan Park 3620 S Lituanica Ave

SEPTEMBER 7 - Mount Greenwood Park 3721 W 111th St

SEPTEMBER 14 - Park #567 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz

Yves François et Frank Youngwerth trumpets, Marc Smierciak et Eve Monzingo reeds, Ronnie Malley oud, guitar, percussion , Greg Nergaard bass et George Lawler trapkit percussion

LISTEN and BUY OUR NEW ALBUM

CANCELLED:

We’ll be back with a scheduling update soon!

***

KARAMA Arab Dance & Music Troupe

 SUNDAY SEPT 10

EPIPHANY CENTER CHICAGO

 5pm - 6:30pm

All Ages

$20 & $10

Sept 10 info & tickets

KARAMA webpage & video

Performing The Kufiya & The Quftaan a dance & music tableau from around the Arab world, with live music & group choreography

KARAMA (Arabic for dignity/respect) is an Arab heritage troupe based in Chicago IL. KARIM NAGI composes original music and choreography that authentically engage in the continuum of Arab tradition. With an ensemble of 8 musicians and dancers, the troupe endeavors to represent the diversity of Arab culture within this unique interpretation. The balance between ancestral customs and urban diaspora-based sensibility is vigilantly observed. The goal is to express the culture not as a standard tourist spectacle, but as a living art form created by inspired performers.

Their current program of THE KUFIYA & THE QUFTAAN is a pan-Arab dance excursion set to a live score of both traditional and original Arabic music. The iconic items of regional clothing create the scenes that feature dynamic community dances, along with performances on musical instruments of Arab tradition. The voyage starts with a humble interactive living room party, singing and dancing to traditional songs from various Arab regions. It continues onward to the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Egypt and Near East with troupe dances and full ensemble musical accompaniment. Dancer & Musician KARIM NAGI guides the audience with educational oratory and participatory joyfulness.

THE ENSEMBLE
Karim Nagi - percussionist, dancer, composer, choreographer, orator
Ronnie Malley - oud lutist
Emad Ibrahim - keman violinist
Naeif Rafeh - nay flutist
Indrani Hadia - dancer
Phaedra Darwish - dancer
Azeema Naheed - dancer
Soumaya MaRose - dancer, guest choreographer
Arti Ishak - dance understudy

Yves Francois and Rocambu Jazz LIVE music dates

Nights out in the Park with Yves François Rocambu Jazz in Chicago Illinois

All times 6.30 to 7.30 pm

FREE - ALL AGES

BRING A CHAIR

AUGUST 9 - Cosme Park 9201 S Longwood Dr

AUGUST 22 - Hiawatha Park 8029 W Forest Preserve

AUGUST 23 - Donovan Park 3620 S Lituanica Ave

SEPTEMBER 7 - Mount Greenwood Park 3721 W 111th St

SEPTEMBER 14 - Park #567 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz

Yves François et Frank Youngwerth trumpets, Marc Smierciak et Eve Monzingo reeds, Ronnie Malley oud, guitar, percussion , Greg Nergaard bass et George Lawler trapkit percussion

LISTEN and BUY OUR NEW ALBUM

Vernon Area Public Library 8/29 world music performance with Lamajamal

Lamajamal, a musical trio presented with Old Town School of Folk Music, explores classical, folk, and sacred music traditions from around the world. With each member trained in various musical traditions and instruments, the group has an extensive repertoire from the Middle East, North Africa, Balkans, Turkey, Greece, and South Asia.

This outdoor concert is on the Annex Lawn. Bring a chair; a hat and bottle of water is recommended. 

If the weather is inclement, this program will move to the meeting room.

Lamajamal, a palindrome for jamal, the Arabic word for beauty, is an ensemble that explores classical, folk, and sacred music traditions from around the world. With each member trained in various musical traditions and instruments, the group has an extensive repertoire from the Middle East, North Africa, Balkans, Turkey, Greece, and South Asia. For over ten years, Lamajamal has established itself as a vanguard in the world music market performing at international festivals, renowned venues, interfaith events, as well as houses of worship for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim services. Lamajamal’s core mission is to identify historical and social commonalities among different musical styles, cultures, and religions to foster a sense of global citizenry. www.interculturalmusic.com/lamajamal

MUSICIANS

Percussion - George Lawler

Santouri, Woodwinds - Eve Monzingo

Bass - Joseph Spilberg

Yves Francois and Rocambu Jazz LIVE music dates

Nights out in the Park with Yves François Rocambu Jazz in Chicago Illinois

All times 6.30 to 7.30 pm

FREE - ALL AGES

BRING A CHAIR

AUGUST 9 - Cosme Park 9201 S Longwood Dr

AUGUST 22 - Hiawatha Park 8029 W Forest Preserve

AUGUST 23 - Donovan Park 3620 S Lituanica Ave

SEPTEMBER 7 - Mount Greenwood Park 3721 W 111th St

SEPTEMBER 14 - Park #567 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz

Yves François et Frank Youngwerth trumpets, Marc Smierciak et Eve Monzingo reeds, Ronnie Malley oud, guitar, percussion , Greg Nergaard bass et George Lawler trapkit percussion

LISTEN and BUY OUR NEW ALBUM

Yves Francois and Rocambu Jazz LIVE music dates

Nights out in the Park with Yves François Rocambu Jazz in Chicago Illinois

All times 6.30 to 7.30 pm

FREE - ALL AGES

BRING A CHAIR

AUGUST 9 - Cosme Park 9201 S Longwood Dr

AUGUST 22 - Hiawatha Park 8029 W Forest Preserve

AUGUST 23 - Donovan Park 3620 S Lituanica Ave

SEPTEMBER 7 - Mount Greenwood Park 3721 W 111th St

SEPTEMBER 14 - Park #567 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz

Yves François et Frank Youngwerth trumpets, Marc Smierciak et Eve Monzingo reeds, Ronnie Malley oud, guitar, percussion , Greg Nergaard bass et George Lawler trapkit percussion

LISTEN and BUY OUR NEW ALBUM

Lamajamal performs on the Ribfest Main Stage 1pm August 20th

Like their name, a palindrome derived from the Arabic word for beauty, these five creative musicians take the music of our global ancestors and turn it inside out creating something fresh and innovative yet true to its roots. The group formed in 2004 after meeting for late night jam sessions at a belly dance store in Chicago. Since then they have played events such as the Chicago World Music Fest, Chicago Turkish Festival, Milwaukee's Global Union fest, the Chicago Arabesque Festival, Chicago Cultural Center, CBS morning news, as well as local venues likt the Empty Bottle, the Hideout, the Double Door, Martyrs', and many more. Whether its a folk fest or an underground dance club, Lamajamal has gained a reputation as one of the most energetic live “gypsy party” bands in Chicago. In 2007 Lamajamal released the album "Gypsy Surf", an edgy interpretation of Balkan and Arabic classics done on guitar, drum set, oud, clarinet and electric bass. Their follow up to Gypsy Surf is a highly danceable blend of original music, and dance music from Turkey, the Balkans and the Middle East, recorded with a tasteful influence of urban production techniques such as dub and hip-hop. In 2010, Lamajamal released an album of Kashmiri folk music which was commissioned by the Funkar International Organization for the purpose of the preservation of the Kashmiri language and culture.

“…Lamajamal is a band without borders." - Tony Sarabia, Chicago Public Radio

"…when they're on, they're on, arriving at a fuzzy, garagey take on Roma music thanks to a knack for sexy, serpentine grooves and a mean, mean oud player." - Monica Kendrick, Chicago Reader

“Lamajamal--it must be said--isn't a novelty act. Nor are they taking traditional Gypsy music and simply updating it. They take folk music from all over the world and they put their own spin on it. The response for what they have performed and released has been very encouraging.” - Pioneer Press

"So, here's my thumbs-up to Lamajamal for creating a fun and accessible musical experience that offers the full range of expression from silly to sophisticated. Some of the tight harmonies and culturally-mixed lines and phrases stopped me cold as I found myself transported to who-knows-where. The skill and confidence it takes to be that relaxed playing complex material can only be achieved through much hard effort. What ensemble work!” - Roxane Assaf, Public Relations, Chicago Arabesque

Friday, August 18 | Surabhi Ensemble presented by Old Town School of Folk Music

The free summer series Water Colors returns Fridays at 6:30PM from July 14–August 25. Chicago is known for its colorful influence on jazz music, which takes center stage in this waterfront series of singers and musicians who specialize in “America’s classical music” at the Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park.

Polk Bros Park near Navy Peri) 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL

Surabhi Ensemble performs Friday August 18th from 6:30-8:30pm

The Surabhi Ensemble was founded in 2010 by Indian veena player Saraswathi Ranganathan, director of the Ensemble of Ragas School of Performing Arts in Schaumburg and “Best Asian Entertainer of the Year,” according to the 2018 Chicago Music Awards. The core of the group has included fellow local musical luminaries such as Spanish flamenco guitarist Carlo Basile, tabla master Dhananjay Kunte, and percussionist Bob Garrett. About 8 years ago, the Surabhi Ensemble expanded to include oud player Ronnie Malley and bassist Greg Neergard, and more recently incorporated modern and Indian dancer Kinnari Vora and flamenco dancer Leticia Aravena. Along with virtuosic musicianship, the Surabhi Ensemble is known for its activist mission: to demonstrate connections between cultures and how togetherness can create positivity. The ensemble has performed globally in Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Senegal and Mexico with plans to tour India in 2024. 

Mission: 

The mission of the Surabhi Ensemble is to demonstrate the connections between cultures and to teach a positive message of togetherness in creating, performing, and demonstrating new works of music and dance. Members of the group work in many settings such as schools, hospitals, theaters, concert halls, festivals, refugee organizations, neighborhood parks, and cultural centers to bring this positive message of cultural unity and outreach. 

Yves Francois and Rocambu Jazz LIVE music dates

Nights out in the Park with Yves François Rocambu Jazz in Chicago Illinois

All times 6.30 to 7.30 pm

FREE - ALL AGES

BRING A CHAIR

AUGUST 9 - Cosme Park 9201 S Longwood Dr

AUGUST 22 - Hiawatha Park 8029 W Forest Preserve

AUGUST 23 - Donovan Park 3620 S Lituanica Ave

SEPTEMBER 7 - Mount Greenwood Park 3721 W 111th St

SEPTEMBER 14 - Park #567 1801 N. Milwaukee Ave

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz

Yves François et Frank Youngwerth trumpets, Marc Smierciak et Eve Monzingo reeds, Ronnie Malley oud, guitar, percussion , Greg Nergaard bass et George Lawler trapkit percussion

LISTEN and BUY OUR NEW ALBUM

South Asia Institute Presents

SURABHI ENSEMBLE

Chicago's Indo-Flamenco-Arab-Music and Dance Supergroup

WHEN: Saturday, July 22, 2023

2PM - 4PM

FREE ADMISSION

RSVP Required - Book your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../surabhi-ensemble-free...

Surabhi Ensemble : Free Family Event Bring the whole family to SAI for our new Free Family Saturday special event program happening once a month from July until September.

Surabhi Ensemble

The mission of the Surabhi Ensemble is to demonstrate the connections between cultures and to teach a positive message of togetherness in creating, performing, and demonstrating new works of music and dance. Members of the group work in many settings such as schools, hospitals, theaters, concert halls, festivals, refugee organizations, neighborhood parks, and cultural centers to bring this positive message of cultural unity and outreach.

For their South Asia Institute debut program, Surabhi Ensemble will offer an informative hands-on demonstration of their instruments and dance lessons starting 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the music and dance program. To further help kids understand the music and cultures being showcased.

Founded by Veena artist Saraswathi Ranganathan, the group has been performing for the past 10 years, delighting audiences with lush rustic soundscapes of flamenco music and Afro rhythms woven into the rich sounds of Indian Classical ragas, Turkish Maqams, embellished with blues and folk melodies. Performances often include both music and dance from the Indian, African, Spanish flamenco traditions. Surabhi Ensemble features an outstanding line-up from Chicago’s music and theater scene.

"Featured Artists:

Saraswathi Ranganathan - Veena, Vocals

Ronnie Malley - Oud, Vocals

Carlo Basile - Spanish Guitar

Bob Garrett - Percussion

Greg Nergaard - Bass

Dhananjay Kunte - Tabla

Kinnari Vora - Indian Dance

Leticia Aravena - Flamenco Dance

Phaedra Darwish - Flute/Arabic Dance

*This program is supported by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events*

Surabhi Ensemble at City Winery Chicago on Monday, June 26th at 8:00pm

Surabhi Ensemble returns to City Winery after a successful debut of a new work at the Chicago World Music Festival called “Scenes from the Pandemic” and being selected as one of Chicago’s Top International and Global ensembles in the 2022 Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago poll. The ensemble will present excerpted scenes from the new work along with special guest appearances by members of Sones de Mexico, Las Guitarras de España, Intercultural Music Production and the Ishti Collective. Additionally, the Surabhi Ensemble has been invited to perform in Pune, Bangalore, Gujarat, and Goa for late 2024. This continues the Surabhi Ensemble “Global Peace Tour” which has included stops in Vietnam, Senegal, Spain, Portugal and Mexico. This program will also feature a preview of works from the India 2024 Tour.

Featured Artists:
Saraswathi Ranganathan - Veena, Vocals
Ronnie Malley - Oud, Vocals
Carlo Basile - Spanish Guitar
Bob Garrett - Percussion
Greg Nergaard - Bass
Dhananjay Kunte - Tabla
Kinnari Vora - Indian Dance 
Leticia Aravena - Flamenco Dance 
Juan Dies - Guitar, Vocals
Lorena Iniguez - Mexican Dance
Phaedra Darwish - Flute/Arabic Dance 

The Newberry Consort will perform a concert representing the diverse musical traditions of the Ottoman court and surrounding regions. Curated by Ronnie Malley, the program complements a symposium hosted by the Newberry’s Center for Renaissance Studies that explores the Tarih-i Yeni Dünya, or A History of the India of the West, an Ottoman manuscript in the Newberry collection dated about 1600. The Tarih relates stories of the explorations of Columbus, Cortés, Pizarro, and others, and includes illuminated hand-drawn maps and images of the Americas and beyond.

Explore a digitized version of this beautiful manuscript, including maps and illuminations.

This event is cosponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS

Liza Malamut is Artistic Director of The Newberry Consort, a founding member of Incantare, and regularly appears as a trombonist, educator, and presenter throughout the United States and abroad.

Ronnie Malley is a multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, producer, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. He has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, recorded as a musician on over twenty albums, and performs with several music groups from various global musical styles with specialization in music of the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Ronnie has a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethnomusicology at the University of Chicago.

COST AND REGISTRATION

This program is free and open to all. Advance registration required.

IN-PERSON REGISTRATION

LIVESTREAM REGISTRATION

ENJOY FREE, LIVE MUSIC ON SELECT TUESDAY EVENINGS IN THE GREENSPACE OF GALLAGHER WAY

Old Town School Happy Hours return this summer to Gallagher Way! Join the legendary Old Town School of Folk Music for a weekly live music experience sure to end your day on a high note. From the familiar sounds of pop, rock, and folk from around the corner, to unique rhythms and melodies from around the world, many Happy Hours will also feature free dance lessons or other interactive music experiences. Old Town School Happy Hours are suitable for all ages, so bring your families and friends! Kicking off the series will be these amazing artists & dancers:

Dill Costa Band - Brazilian Music & Dance

Surabhi Ensemble - Global Fusion Music & Dance

Kolaam Dance Company - African Percussion & Dance

From Palestine: Our Past, Our Future

The opening ceremony event on May 20 will include a music performance by Ronnie Malley (Oud and Vocals—Palestinian music).

Palestine Museum US announces participation in European Cultural Centre (ECC) Venice Biennial Architecture Exhibition: Time Space Existence. The exhibit is one of 192 presented by ECC at three venues in Venice. Occupying 150 square meters of historic Palazzo Mora, it is the largest exhibit in the building.

The exhibit focuses on 1948 when Israel was created on May 15 as the culmination of a 50-year settler colonial project to establish an exclusive Zionist Jewish state in Palestine and expell its non-Jewish population. The Zionist forces in Palestine launched a military campaign implementing a pre-planned strategy to depopulate and destroy Palestinian towns and villages. Over 200 villages were depopulated  by the time the State of Israel was declared. By the end of 1948, 500 villages were depopulated and many of which were destroyed to prevent the return of their inhabitants. About 800,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes and exiled to refugee camps which still exist today in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Israel changed the names of Palestinian towns and villages, in some cases covered the ruins with invasive tree species and changed the history books to erase any reference to Palestine or Palestinians.

“This exhibit shines a light on what Israel did in 1948 that most people of the world are not aware of,” says Faisal Saleh, founder and director of the Palestine Museum US and chief curator of the exhibit. “We hope to identify all the villages that were erased and unearth the truth that was buried by Israel,” he continues.

The works of 19, mostly Palestinian artists and architects along with four faculty-advised teams of architectural students, are featured in several groups including, animated maps, virtual reality displays of reconstructed destroyed Palestinian villages, architectural student projects re-imagining four lost villages, artwork, photography, and textiles.

An animated map of 1948 Palestine shows the timeline of village depopulation and destruction. Over a 10-minute span, viewers watch chronologically as the area of each village lights up on the map in one of three colors depending on the method of depopulation initialy used by the Zionist forces and later the Israeli military. One color identifies the 36 villages that experienced massacres, other villages where the population was terrorized (psychological warfare) into panic and fled with their children fearing for their lives, and the third color signifies evictions by force at gunpoint. Palestinian refugees and their descendants (who now count in the millions) can watch  the name of their village come up on the date it was taken down. “This will bring to life what exactly happened in 1948 and clearly debunk Ben-Gurion’s (first Israeli prime minister) prediction and myth of the old dying and the young forgetting,” Saleh emphasizes.

Four virtual reality videos simulate re-created villages and neighborhoods developed from archival photographs and maps. Eight video display monitors are used to showcase high-tech exhibits and student village projects.

Half the floor of the exhibit hall is substantially covered by a seven-meter-long walk-on map of 1948 Palestine. In the other half, a two-meter (diameter) disc holding a collage of 1,000 photographs from the Great March of Return (Gaza 2018-2019) will rotate once every minute.

Four historic B&W and four current color photographs feature Palestinians and Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza, West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon.

Artwork of different genres representing Nakba sentiments and a future free Palestine is showcased. Colorful painted and embroidered banners hang from the ceiling.

Participating artists and architects
Salman Abu Sitta, Ghassan Abu Laban, Alaa Albaba, Tala Alfoqaha, Nabil Anani, Samira Badran, Shaima’ Farouki, Jørgen Grinde, Hanin Haydar, Jacqueline Béjani, Samia Halaby, John Halakah, Margaret Olin, Sobhiya Hasan Qais, Taqi Spateen, Steve-Sabella, Zain Al Sharaf Wahbeh, Nisreen Zahda, Ola Zareini.

Featured student village projects
Qula (Architect Arwa Qalalwa) / Saffuriyya (Nayrouz Ali) / Suba (Majd Jahshan, Donia Alsalman, and Sajeda Alnaqrooz) / Suhmata (Maha Mansour, Alaa Hammad, and Asma Al Saqqa).

Press contacts: Faisal Saleh +1 203 530-2248 Faisal.Saleh [​at​] PalestineMuseum.US.
Press preview: May 19, 11-3pm

The opening ceremony event on May 20 will include a music performance by Ronnie Malley (Oud and Vocals—Palestinian music).

This Event takes place in Venice, Italy. Start time is 18:30 local time - End time is 21:00 Italy time.

Event Program

Keynote Address  by Faisal Saleh, Exhibit Curator and Exec Dir of Palestine Museum US (English & Italian)

Presentation of Nakba animated map and virtual reality recreation of Palestinian Villages

Music Concert by Palestinian Musician Ronnie Malley (Oud & Vocals - Palestinian Music)

Directions to the Event: Take Vaporetto Line 1 to Ca' D'Oro Stop, take alley then at turn left past Mac Donald's. Palazzo Mora is on the right after the first bridge.

Italian Version

Questo evento si svolge a Venezia, Italia, dalle 18.30 alle 21.00 ora italiana.

Cerimonia di apertura della mostra proposta dal Palestine Museum US “From Palestine: Our Past, Our Future”.

Programma dell'evento

Discorso di apertura di Faisal Saleh, curatore della mostra e direttore esecutivo del Palestine Museum US (inglese e italiano)

Presentazione della mappa animata della Nakba e ricostruzione virtuale dei villaggi palestinesi

Concerto del musicista palestinese Ronnie Malley (Oud e voce - musica palestinese)

Indicazioni per l'evento: prendere il vaporetto linea 1 fino alla fermata Ca' D'Oro, imboccare il vicolo e poi dirigersi a sinistra oltre Mac Donald's. Palazzo Mora si trova sulla destra dopo il primo ponte.

Little Syria with Omar Offendum, Ronnie Malley, Thanks Joey

Set in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood once known as Little Syria (1880-1940), this genre-bridging performance - spanning Hip-Hop, Arabic instrumentation, and akaw t oral storytelling traditions of the Levant - imagines early 20th-century life in the heart of Arab-America. Just south of the current World Trade Center, this once vibrant cultural hub for New York's Middle Eastern immigrants was home to artists and intellectuals including Ameen Rihani and Kahlil Gibran. This creative retelling of a tragically underrepresented historical narrative draws an audience attuned to stories of immigration, xenophobia, and the ever-evolving “American dream.”

4545 N Lincoln Ave · The Myron R. Szold Music & Dance Hall · 773.728.6000

$25 General Public / $23 Members

BUY MAY 12 FRI 8:00 PM

BUY MAY 13 SAT 8:00 PM

Omar Offendum

Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he's been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.

Ronnie Malley

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, sound designer, producer, actor, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. With a focus on various musical styles from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and medieval Spain, Ronnie has performed with several artists including Allos Musica, Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, EMME, Huzam, Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Picosa, Omar Offendum, Surabhi Ensemble, University of Chicago Middle East Music Ensemble, and Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz. Ronnie has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, films, and TV series including The Band's Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), The Jungle Book (Disney, Goodman Theatre), and The New Mother (Eleva Singleton). He has recorded on over twenty albums and has co-produced several works and staged productions including Little Syria, Karim Nagi's Huzam, The Reminders, Yves Francois, and The Andalusian Trail. Ronnie was recipient of the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Thanks Joey

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Syrian immigrants & having a classical Arabic musician as a grandfather already set the palette for what Thanks Joey would be exposed to - Fairouz, Om Kalthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez with a little bit of Jay Z, BIGGIE SMALLS, Nas etc. Thanks Joey met his long time collaborator/artist/friend, NIKO IS at 13 years old in Orlando, Florida and the two immediately began creating music together. In 2009 Joey established the Colours Of The Culture label on which the 2015 NIKO IS' album “BRUTUS” was released in collaboration with Talib Kweli's label, Javotti Media. In 2018, Joey released his first instrumental album inspired by the works of Khalil Gibran entitled “On Beats.” He also produced the 2018 NIKO IS album “UNIKO” which was also released in collaboration with Talib Kweli and featured artists from around the world including Curren$y, Tego Calderón, HAIKAISS, and more. He is currently working on multiple projects set to be released on Colours Of The Culture in the near future.

Little Syria with Omar Offendum, Ronnie Malley, Thanks Joey

Set in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood once known as Little Syria (1880-1940), this genre-bridging performance - spanning Hip-Hop, Arabic instrumentation, and akaw t oral storytelling traditions of the Levant - imagines early 20th-century life in the heart of Arab-America. Just south of the current World Trade Center, this once vibrant cultural hub for New York's Middle Eastern immigrants was home to artists and intellectuals including Ameen Rihani and Kahlil Gibran. This creative retelling of a tragically underrepresented historical narrative draws an audience attuned to stories of immigration, xenophobia, and the ever-evolving “American dream.”

4545 N Lincoln Ave · The Myron R. Szold Music & Dance Hall · 773.728.6000

$25 General Public / $23 Members

BUY MAY 12 FRI 8:00 PM

BUY MAY 13 SAT 8:00 PM

Omar Offendum

Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he's been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.

Ronnie Malley

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, sound designer, producer, actor, playwright, educator, and executive director of Intercultural Music Production. With a focus on various musical styles from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and medieval Spain, Ronnie has performed with several artists including Allos Musica, Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, EMME, Huzam, Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Picosa, Omar Offendum, Surabhi Ensemble, University of Chicago Middle East Music Ensemble, and Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz. Ronnie has worked on award-winning theatrical plays, films, and TV series including The Band's Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), The Jungle Book (Disney, Goodman Theatre), and The New Mother (Eleva Singleton). He has recorded on over twenty albums and has co-produced several works and staged productions including Little Syria, Karim Nagi's Huzam, The Reminders, Yves Francois, and The Andalusian Trail. Ronnie was recipient of the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Thanks Joey

Born in Brooklyn, New York to Syrian immigrants & having a classical Arabic musician as a grandfather already set the palette for what Thanks Joey would be exposed to - Fairouz, Om Kalthoum, Abdel-Halim Hafez with a little bit of Jay Z, BIGGIE SMALLS, Nas etc. Thanks Joey met his long time collaborator/artist/friend, NIKO IS at 13 years old in Orlando, Florida and the two immediately began creating music together. In 2009 Joey established the Colours Of The Culture label on which the 2015 NIKO IS' album “BRUTUS” was released in collaboration with Talib Kweli's label, Javotti Media. In 2018, Joey released his first instrumental album inspired by the works of Khalil Gibran entitled “On Beats.” He also produced the 2018 NIKO IS album “UNIKO” which was also released in collaboration with Talib Kweli and featured artists from around the world including Curren$y, Tego Calderón, HAIKAISS, and more. He is currently working on multiple projects set to be released on Colours Of The Culture in the near future.

SJP IIT proudly presents our annual PalFest event taking place on April 6th!

Join us for a night of spoken word, live art, traditional music, comedy, a dabka performance, henna art, a photo booth, & of course, mocktails, traditional food & sweets (live knafa included)!

If you’d like to attend this wonderful night of Palestinian culture, please register using the QR code or by using the link in our bio! We only have a limited amount of tickets so get yours before they’re gone!

The Malley Family Band performing at #PalFest 2023

The Malley Family Band performing at #PalFest 2023 #oud #darbuka #palestine #palestinearts #sjpiit #chicago

Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz CD Release Party

Old Town School of Folk Music

The Myron R. Szold Music & Dance Hall

4545 N Lincoln Ave · 773.728.6000

FREE!

World Music Wednesdays

A weekly showcase of world music and dance featuring the best local and touring talent! Most shows are Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM.

Most World Music Wednesday concerts are free with a $10 suggested donation. TO GUARANTEE YOUR ENTRY MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS IN ADVANCE EITHER ONLINE OR BY CALLING THE BOX OFFICE AT 773.728.6000. Reservations unclaimed 10 minutes before showtime will be released to waiting patrons.

Yves Francois is a jazz trumpeter and an esteemed artist award recipient from DCASE. His Rocambu Jazz project draws on influences of his family's connection to Tunisia and North Africa and also explores world jazz genres including retro Afro-Caribbean grooves, congas, high life, rumbas, soukous, and New Orleans jazz. Yves honed his skills on the south side of Chicago, by playing alongside jazz legends such as Paul Bascomb, Odie Payne Jr, Eddie Johnson, and his mentor, Franz Jackson. He is a Delmark Records recording artist and will be releasing a new album this year through Intercultural Music Production with funding from DCASE.

Yves Francois was first inspired to be a trumpeter after hearing Louis Armstrong on TV. He honed his craft on Chicago's South Side, and was mentored by jazz legends including Franz Jackson and Paul Bascomb. In 2006, Delmark Records released Blues For Hawk which included his early recordings with Franz, Eddie Johnson and blues drummer Odie Payne. Yves currently gigs around Chicago, including at the Green Mill with Alfonso Ponticelli.

Since 2002 Yves Francois Rocambu Jazz has been entertaining audiences with its intoxicating mix of jazz horns and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. The new CD Viva Rocambu! will be available in March with a performance March 29th at the Old Town School of Folk Music - World Music Wednesday Series

yvesfrancoisritmo.com/rocambu-jazz

youtube.com/user/yvesfrancoisritmo

MEME Persian Concert

Middle East Music Ensemble - MEME

Performances at 2pm and 5pm

Free, donations requested: $10 general, $5 UChicago students and children

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts 915 E 60th St, Chicago, Illinois 60637

Director Wanees Zarour leads the 45+ piece ensemble, composed of university students and community members, through the music of Persia. The Middle East Music Ensemble explores a variety of classical, neoclassical, and popular musical forms from throughout the Middle East and embraces compositional and improvisational techniques unique to non-Western musical cultures. Members perform on traditional instruments, often in company with noted guest artists.

The Middle East Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago is a 45 piece orchestra that was established by the Music Department in 1997, to provide a performance space in which theoretical, practical and historical interests in Middle Eastern music could be explored, and performers from across the university and the neighboring community could share their expertise and learn from one another.

The ensemble is committed to the study and performance of a wide range of Middle Eastern music, with a certain emphasis on those underpinned by the theory and practice of maqam. It has performed on campus at various events since its establishment and its concerts at The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts are regularly "sold out" events. We rehearse throughout the year on Thursday evenings and invite any and all to come and join us at these rehearsals; participation is open to all students and to experienced community members.

The Middle East Music Ensemble explores a variety of classical, neo-classical, and popular forms from throughout the Middle East, encompassing compositional and improvisational techniques unique to non-Western musical culture. Members perform on traditional instruments, often in company with noted guest artists, in multiple concerts both on and off campus. 

More info about this concert and MEME on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memechicago/

Picosa presents: Remembrance

Picosa artists look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming concerts as we enter into our eighth season!

Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Holtschneider Performance Center, Allen Recital Hall 2330 North Halsted Street

Surviving the upheaval of the pandemic feels worthy of a celebration as an ensemble, and this season is exactly that: it’s all about Picosa’s signature style, unfiltered and unabashedly our own. Virtuosic artistry fills each concert, as we showcase music by incredible Chicago composers together with brilliant works by Galina Ustvolskaya, Asha Srinivasan, Delvyn Case, Daniel Dorff, and more.

Also featured are familiar masterpieces that are as beloved as a late afternoon coffee with an old friend. Speaking of friends, we’re also thrilled to be joined by Michael Lewanski, conductor, Peter Ferry, percussion, and Daniel Schlosberg, piano.

Picosa’s audiences are our community, and we would love to have you join us after each concert to chat about the music. We love hearing your perspectives. As we also launch a season ticket this year, we hope you’ll join us for multiple performances! We look forward to seeing you soon! 

Remembrance Program

Benjamin Horne | I Remember You
Jonathon Kirk | Tendrils in Lost Hue
Galina Ustvolskaya | Trio for clarinet, violin and piano
Asha Srinivasan | Dviraag
Delvyn Case | Psalms of Ascent

Picosa Artists
Jennie Oh Brown, flute
Andrea R. DiOrio, clarinet
Elizabeth Brausa Brathwaite, violin
Paula Kosower, cello
Kuang-Hao Huang, piano
Jonathon Kirk, composer/electronics

Guest Artist
Ronnie Malley, oud

For more information on Picosa, visit their website: www.picosamusic.com

While masks are not required inside the Holtschneider Performance Center concert halls, DePaul University continues to be a mask-friendly campus and wearing a mask will be highly recommended for all indoor spaces. Proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test will no longer be required upon entry. Details found here.

Muntada presents: Chicago In Arabic: Fireside Chat & Performance with Omar Offendum

Event by Epiphany Center for the Arts 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607

Doors: 2PM to venue | 2:30PM to the Sanctuary | 3PM START

Join Chicago in Arabic hosts Malek and Anwar for a live interview and performance with Syrian-American poet and hip-hop artist Omar Offendum as he discusses his career, collaborations on the new project Little Syria, and recent performances in the 2023 World Cup in Qatar. The event will feature local musician Ronnie Malley, artwork by Etab Hreib, and more. This presentation is brought to you in part by the University of Chicago Center for Middle East Studies, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Old Town School of Folk Music, and Intercultural Music Production.

Tickets: $30 - General Admission | $20 - Student

February Logan Center Family Saturday (Celebrating Carnival) + Performance by Omar Offendum

Event by Logan Center Community Arts

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

915 E. 60th Street Chicago, IL 60637

We are so excited to explore the beauty of Carnival through out the Caribbean Diaspora with families! Carnival is an act of celebration for freedom across the world where people celebrate their culture and remember all they have endured. Please join us February 4th for an exciting afternoon of Carnival inspired films by South Side Projections, Samba Drum Lessons by Idris Daniels, Arts and Crafts with Live Arts Studio and an exciting bi-lingual Arabic and English Hip Hop performance by Omar Offendum.

Arts and Crafts with Live Arts Studio
2-4pm

Samba Drumming Workshop with Idris Daniels
2-3pm

Performance by Omar Offendum (In Partnership with the Center for Middle Eastern Studies)
3-4pm

About Omar Offendum:
Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/spoken word artist. Known for his unique blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he’s been featured on prominent world news outlets (Aljazeera, BBC, PBS, LA Times), lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern, UT-Austin, UCLA, SOAS, American University of Beirut), collaborated with major museums and cultural organizations (LACMA / Penn Museum / Ithra / Shangri-La / Arab-American National Museum), and helped raise millions of dollars for various humanitarian relief groups (Islamic Relief, Karam Foundation, Syrian-American Medical Society). Offendum was recently named a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, an Arab America Foundation "40 Under 40" award recipient, and a member of both the Pillars Fund cohort for Muslim Narrative Change and the RaceForward Butterfly Lab cohort for Immigrant Narrative Strategy. He currently resides in the great state of New York with his wife and two little children, while daydreaming about the jasmine tree-lined streets of Damascus.