12 October 2014
Bahrain’s 23rd International Music Festival Aïcha Redouane, a Sufism Diva Voice
As part of the 23rd Bahrain International Music Festival, the Ministry of Culture presented a jewel-toned gem encrusted kaftan combined with a bold fuchsia scarf wearing "Diva of Arabic Song," Aïcha Redouane, to an appreciative audience on Sunday night.
Artist Aïcha Redouane performed a selection of her best songs from various albums such as “Art of Singing and Instinctive Performance in the 19th Century”, “East Renaissance”, “Sakarat Album”, in addition to many other compositions. The Moroccan singer attracted and entranced the audience with her magical voice and performance experience earned while travelling between Paris and Cairo.
A true “diva and guardian of Arabic song” exhaling “all the Orient’s perfumes,” Redouane has fascinated and enchanted Arab and Western audiences for decades. Revealing the top masterpieces of maqam and Sufi poetry, her voice is an experience that overwhelms the senses and stirs the spirits. The nicknames bestowed upon Aicha Redouane are seemingly endless, but all point to the extraordinary singing talent; a talent she utilizes to recreate a bygone era of Arab music. The Moroccan-born French-raised chanteuse is a naturally adept singer, having mastered several musical genres and flavors, from Moroccan Berber songs to Western jazz and blues to classic Arabic tarab.
Before immigrating to France, Redouane practiced traditional folk songs as a child with her grandmother at her village in the Atlas Mountains, and has dedicated herself to spreading the enchanting musical heritage of the Middle East region to all corners of the world. She is joined in this noble quest by Habib Yammine, a Lebanese musician, professor, and renowned Arabic music authority living in France who specializes in Arabic rhythms. Since the mid-1980’s, the pair have endeavored to revive and promote the Middle Eastern maqam style of song and music through their group, Al-Adwar, touring extensively around the Middle East, Europe, and North America in various venues.
Redouane and Yammine are especially known for their renditions of famous Sufi spiritual poems by such luminaries as Rabia Al-Adawiyya, Ibn Al-Farid, Ibn Arabi, Al-Hallaj, and Al-Buri, producing several critically acclaimed albums in this genre.
The Bahrain Music Festival concerts will run on until 14th October at the Cultural Hall. The famous Swiss artist Bastian Baker on 13th October will pump up the energy of his fans while playing some amazing rock and pop music. At the end of this season, Macadi Nahhas a champion of freedom and human dignity will mesmerize the audience with her blend of classical and traditional songs which revive the heritage of the golden era of Arab music. Staying genuine to her fine artistic interpretations of classical Arabic music masterpieces, Macadi ends the magic of the music evenings on 17th October 2014.
