Ya Layl plays Mostly Middle Eastern

Saturday Sept 17 8pm, Inside concert

Mostly Middle Eastern

• Fall 2016: Ya Layl plays "Mostly Middle Eastern," an eclectic program including Arabic, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Sephardic music. From lively dance tunes to modal improvisations, American standards to Medieval pilgrim songs, Sarah Michael plays her current favorite tunes on the middle eastern zither, accompanied by the astonishing drumming of Peter Maund and the elegant and inventive cello of Suellen Primost. Special guest Niko Bakulich brings the energy only the bass can supply.

 

• Sarah Michael, kanun

  Sarah Michael recieved her B.Mus. in music history from San Francisco State University and M. A in composition from Mills College. She has been playing and studying Middle Eastern music for the last twenty years, primarily with the great composer and accordion virtuoso Elias Lammam. She has performed on the kanun with groups including Aswat, Flowers of the Nile, Elias Lammam ensemble, the Mevlevi Mutrib, El Azifoon, and Ya Layl. Prior to that she had an energetic career in Early music, primarily as a viola da gamba player, and as a composer.

 

• Peter Maund, percussion

A native of San Francisco, Peter Maund studied percussion at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and music, folklore and ethnomusicology at the University of California, Berkeley. A founding member of Ensemble Alcatraz and Alasdair Fraser’s Skyedance, he has performed with early and contemporary music ensembles including Alboka, Anonymous 4, Berkeley Contemporary Chamber Players, Chanticleer, Davka, El Mundo, The Harp Consort, Hesperion XX, Kitka, Los Cenzontles, Musica Pacifica, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Voices of Music, among others. Described by the Glasgow Herald as “the most considerate and imaginative of percussionists” he can be heard on over 50 recordings.

 

• Suellen Primost, cello

Known for her versatility, Suellen Primost is a seasoned, conservatory trained cellist, composer and recording artist, constantly engaged in multimedia collaborations, classical and world music concerts, theatre and spoken word performances, sound healing and freelance recording projects. An accomplished improviser as well, Suellen performs music spanning many genres: Classical, Celtic, Eastern European, North Indian Classical, Arabic, Latin, Jazz and Ambient. Suellen was principal cellist with The Taos Chamber Orchestra and co-founded Sedona's first "Jazz on the Rocks" Festival. After moving to CA in 2002, she assumed first chair with the Bay Area Chamber Symphony and designed the original score for Herstories "Bone Songs: Echoes of the Unknown Mother." She also served 10 years as Music Director for Artship Ensemble, a premier San Francisco's dance theatre and created music for 11 Artship productions. Her playing has been featured on numerous CD's and in 3 film scores. Suellen currently performs with Spiral Dance Chamber Jazz, The Neshamah Duo, Ya Layl and The Espiritu Ensembles.

 

• Niko Bakulich, bass

A native of San Francisco, Niko Bakulich is a composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He performs his own original material, and has composed music for modern dance and film. He is an accomplished arranger and producer of recordings, and is technically a professional conch player. He has performed with paperthreat, Lucre, and Hungry March Band. He publishes new original music at nikobakulich.com.

 

Check out this link for a sample tune....

Ya Layl

 

 

 

 

back to top