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Middle Eastern Classics
by
Al 'Azifoon plays instrumental and vocal music from the following Arabic genres: Note: click on the highlighted titles for sample recordings!
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Ahava dances to Alf Leyla Wa Leyla at Setareh's Hafla Grande 10/14/07
Cassandra dances to Fakkarouni at El Morocco 2/1/09
Crystal dances to Laylet Hob at El Morocco 1/6/08 (Part 1)
Livi dances to Fakkarouni at El Morocco 1/4/09
Najmes dances to Habibi Ya Nour Al Ayn at El Morocco 2/1/09 (Part 1)
Natira dances to Fakkarouni at El Morocco 6/7/09
Sahar dances to Samra Ya Samra at El Morocco 1/4/09
Zahara dances to Alf Leyla Wa Leyla at a 40th anniversary party in Alameda, 3/28/09 ~
Alf Leila Wa Leila ~
Paul Ohanesian, Yosifah Rose, Zaid Ali and Nathan Craver
Song List:
Raqs Sharqi, classical Arabic pieces, Muwashahat, folk songs, and popular songs, including, but not limited to:
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Akhod Habibi
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Original version by Faiza Ahmed (over 10 minutes long)
Our dancer-friendly version is about 4 minutes long.
Ala Dela 'Ona
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Lebanese Debke
Alf Leyla Wa Leyla
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Instrumental introduction to the Om Koulthoum classic
Composed by Belig Hamdi
Video: Ahava dances to Alf Leyla Wa Leyla
Video: Zahara dances to Alf Leyla Wa Leyla
Andah Alaek
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Al 'Azifoon Home Studio Recording
Instrumental introduction to the Warda classic
Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Aziza
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
From the 1955 film Aziza, starring Naima Akef
Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Bint Al Shalabiya
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Originally recorded by Fairuz
Composed by the Rahbani Brothers
Video: Livi dances to Bint Al Shalibiya
Duqq' Al Mazahar
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Al 'Azifoon Home Studio Sample
Egyptian wedding song (Zaffa)
El Helwa Di
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Century-old Said Darwish song
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009 with Troupe Tangiers
Fakkarouni
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Instrumental introduction to the Om Koulthoum classic
Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Video: Cassandra dances to Fakkarouni
Video: Livi dances to Fakkarouni
Video: Natira dances to Fakkarouni
Gamil Gamal
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Classic by Farid Al-Atrache
from the film Lahn AL-Kholood (Immortal Song)
Ghanilli Shwey Shwey
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Sung by Om Koulthoum in the 1944 film Sallama
Composed by Zakariya Ahmad
Habibi Ya Nour Al 'Ayn
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Egyptian pop song by Amr Diab
Video: Najmes dances to Habibi Ya Nour Al Ayn
Hebbina
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
From the 1975 film Nagham Fi Hayati (Melody In My Life),
starring the composer Farid Al-Atrache
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009
Itmakhtari
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Al 'Azifoon Home Studio Sample
Egyptian wedding song (Zaffa)
Lamma Badda
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Al 'Azifoon Home Studio Recording
Samai 10/8 Rhythm
Credited to Ziryab circa 800AD
Layla
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Khaleegi Rhythm from the Arab Gulf Region
Laylet Hob
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Instrumental introduction to the Om Koulthoum classic
Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Video: Crystal dances to Laylet Hob
Muhobbet
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Also known as "Ah Ya Zein"
Nassam Alayn el-Hawa
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Sung by Fairuz in the 1967 film Bint Al Hariss
Composed by the Rahbani Brothers
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009
Video: Cassandra dances to Nassam Alayn el-Hawa
Qadduka el-Mayyas
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Syrian song by Sabah Fahkri
Raqs Leyla
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Samra Ya Samra
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Originally written and recorded by Karim Mahmoud
Video: Sahar dances to Samra Ya Samra 1/4/09
Video: Sahar dances to Samra Ya Samra 2/1/09
Skaba
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Syrian folk song
Taht El Shibbak
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
Egyptian baladi song
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009 with Troupe Tangiers
Tamr Henna
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
From the 1957 film Tamr Henna with Naima Akef
Composed by Daoud Hosni
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009 with Khalilah
Tfarrag Al Halawa
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Original version by Metkal Kenawi
Video: 'Live' at Rakkasah 2009 with Troupe Tangiers
Ya Shadil Al Han
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Century-old Said Darwish song, in the Muwashahat style
Zaffa Medley:
- Itmakhtari
- Duqq' Al Mazahar ~
Al 'Azifoon 'live' at an outdoor wedding, June 2008
Medley of Egyptian wedding songs
The bride for this wedding requested that her Zaffa start
at a "dignified and stately tempo with no zhagreets"
and then pick up in tempo as the Zaffa procession continued.
This recording was taken from a handheld video camera.
We have included it for reference use only.
Zeina
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Al 'Azifoon 'live' at El Morocco
From the film Yannoubia, starring Samia Gamal
(We haven't been able to find out anything about this film.
If you have it or know something about it, please let us know!!)
Composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Taqsim and Rhythm examples:
Qanun Taqsim by Yosifah, with Chiftetelli backing by the guys, Live at El Morocco
Oud Taqsim by Nathan, with Masmoudi backing, Live at El Morocco
Oud Taqsim by Nathan, with Rhumba backing, Live at El Morocco
Nathan has some more examples of his oud taqsims, recorded at the 2006 Belly Dance Fantasy Festival, on his Eastern Strings site.
(Go to the Recordings page and click the Al 'Azifoon link.)
We are constantly adding music to our repertoire, so please check back for an updated listing.
We are adding some sound files as they become available, so you can actually hear what our versions of these songs sound like!
If you know of some music that you think we should learn, please let us know!
Al 'Azifoon is featured in the recent DVD release 'Secrets of the Stage, Vol. 3',
playing for Nanna Candelaria at the Belly Dance Fantasy Festival.
Al 'Azifoon now has our own YouTube Channel,
featuring live performance videos and links to the original versions of many of the songs we play,
including some of our recent Rakkasah performance. Take a look and have fun! www.youtube.com/alazifoon
Here are some live performance videos, recorded and uploaded by the dancers:
Cassandra dances to Nassam Alayn el-Hawa at El Morocco 6/7/09
Crystal dances to Mark Bell's Drum Solo at El Morocco 1/6/08 (Part 2)
Livi dances to Bint Al Shalibiya at El Morocco 6/7/09
Najmes dances to Nathan's guitar taqsim at El Morocco 2/1/09 (Part 2)
Najmes dances to Paul and Zaid's drumming at El Morocco 2/1/09 (Part 3)
Sahar dances to Samra Ya Samra at El Morocco 2/1/09
With Mark Bell and Louay Dabhour on percussion.
More short clips: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Here are some older video performances, recorded and uploaded by Zaid's friend Franck,
from the April 2007 Dancer's Night at El Morocco.
We had Hector and Sarah playing with us at this show.
Andah Aliek (with Yosifah Rose dancing)
El Helwa Di
Fakkarouni
Al 'Azifoon at El Morocco, with host Fadil Shahin, February 2009:
Contact
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The Musicians
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The Instruments
~
Upcoming Performances
~
Past Performances