global bio - Lebanese Export Office for Performing Arts

Ziad Al Ahmadie Quartet
Contact :
Ziad Al Ahmadieh (group leader and composer) [email protected] +9613541106
Sarah Vandecasteele (tour manager) [email protected] +32485863756
Biography of the band
The Ziad Al Ahmadie Quartet is a product of the wonderfully dynamic music scene of Beirut,
Lebanon. Ziad (Oud and vocals) has been a key musical figure in Beirut since 1992 and he had led a
number of different ensembles and has recorded two successful albums: Bilbal (2003) and Beyond
Traditions (2006). His most recent project features British saxophonist, Jeremy Chapman, who has
been living in Beirut since 1997 and the American double bassist, Miles Jay, who has been playing in
the Middle East since in 2006. The fourth member of the group is the Lebanese musician, Samer
Zaghir, a self-taught jazz drummer.
The repertoire consists mainly of Ziad's original
compositions. Whilst the music reflects Ziad's
background in traditional Lebanese music,
Jeremy, Samer and Miles bring their own
influences such as western classical, jazz and the
rhythms of North African music. This
multicultural meeting results in a bewitching
weave of influences, and Ziad’s compositions
provide enormous room for improvisation and
interaction between the four musicians.
The group's first album Silent Wave (recorded as a trio without drums) was recorded in February,
2009, and it has already been performed in Beirut and Amman (“Jordan Festival” July 2009), and will
soon be released around the Middle East and Europe.
The meeting between the warm and elegant dance of the Oud, the purity of the flute and soprano/
tenor saxophones, the deep and vibrant rhythms of the double bass and the subtle colors and
grooves of Samer's drums transport the soul in a contemplative and evocative voyage where the
silences suspend the breath and every note fills the journey with precision.
Biography of Ziad Al Ahmadieh:
Oud player, composer and singer, of Lebanese nationality and living in Beirut, he studied the oud at
the National Lebanese Conservatory, next to studying communication arts at the Lebanese American
University. Issued from and close to traditional Arabian music, he constantly broadens his researches
towards present time music and contemporary creation.
In 1999, he created the group Chromatic and won the Roland Mediterranean Festival Concourse, to
represent Lebanon in Palermo-Italy.
He recorded in 2003 his first album Bilbal (produced by Incognito) and 2006, he collaborated with
Fun Jan Shaï to record his second album Beyond Traditions (produced by Incognito).
He is regularly invited to perform at numerous concerts and festivals in the Middle East and Europe,
amongst which:
- OperAdon at Forum
Meyrin,
Geneva,
Switzerland
(2008)
composed by Robert
Clerc (Switzerland)
- A Tribute to Mahmoud
Darwish Concert with
FunJan
Shai
in
Beiteddine,
Lebanon
(2008)
- Solo Concert at Jam
Center in Geneva (2008)
- Slam et Klam Festival in
Fes, Morocco with Rayyes
Bek (2008)
- Ziad El Ahmadie and Band Concert at Babel Theater, Beirut (2007)
- The 7th International Oud Festival in Tetouan, Morocco (2005)
- The Global Village Festival and Haret Jdoudna, Jordan (2004)
- The Lebanese Week of the European Institute of the Mediterranean in Chapelle Sainte Agathe of
Barcelona, Spain (2003),
and multiple encounters with musicians all over the world.
As an oud soloist, he collaborated with several composers, amongst whom Gene Coleman (in 2007
« Tour in the USA » Tabadol Project, Chicago, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York),
and Robert Clerc (in 2006 and 2007 « A l’Ombre du Grand Arbre », score for solo oud, orchestra and
chorus, Geneva, Paris). As a composer, he caries out music for television (TV series on LBCI and
Future TV), cinema (Documentaries for the UN), and stage (Many theatrical plays by different
Lebanese and Arab Directors).
Biography of Miles Jay
Miles Jay's strong foundation in Jazz and Classical music, combined with his extensive performance
experience in the musical traditions of the Middle East and Africa, have made him one of the most
uniquely experienced double bassists in the Global Music Scene today. At age 28, his performance
credits have taken him around the world, from Cairo to Oslo, Dubai to Dakar, Carnegie Hall to the
United Nations.
These include extensive performances with Youssou N'Dour and the Egypt
Orchestra, Azam Ali and NIYAZ, Fathy Salama, Naser Shamma (Iraq), the Cairo Symphony
Orchestra, Ross Daly (Greece), Georges Lammam, Trygve Seim (ECM), Omar Faruk Tekbilek, The
Alexandria Chamber Orchestra, Dr. Ali Jihad Racy, and 'Weird' Al Yankovic.
In 2004 Miles
graduated from
the University of
California, Santa
Barbara, where
he received a BA
in Ethnomusicology under Dr.
Scott Marcus.
Immediately
a f t e r
graduating, he
moved to Cairo
to broaden his
experience
in
Egyptian music
traditions. For 2
years, he made
his living there
working
with
numerous local and international artists in musical styles ranging from traditional Egyptian
Traditional, Sudanese, Medih, and Arabic Jazz. In 2006, while still in Cairo, Miles co-founded, coproduced, and recorded 2 unique original music ensembles called Bakash and Masar. Miles has
been increasingly active in various production roles; in 2005 he was the Associate Musical Director /
Contractor / Bassist for Youssou N'Dour's US Grammy tour. Miles currently lives in Beirut, Lebanon
and is increasingly active throughout the eastern Mediterranean.
Biography of Jeremy Chapman
Jeremy Chapman (flute, soprano and tenor saxophones) was born in Tanta, Egypt and, as a child,
lived for many years in Beirut, Lebanon. In England, from the age of 11, he studied flute and piano
and he quickly he started to improvise whilst playing in weekly church services.
Whilst at university studying music, he began to move into the world of jazz improvisation and it was
at this point that he started to play the saxophone. In England he performed extensively with an
Indo-Jazz fusion band led by the Indian tabla player, Sarvar Sabri and he performed several times in
Brussels with jazz pianist, Dan Whieldon.
After moving back to
Beirut in 1997, he quickly
established himself on the
music scene and he has
since
recorded
and
performed across the
Middle
East
with
musicians
such
as
composer and playwright,
Ziad Rahbani, singer,
Fairuz, oud player, Charbel
Rouhana. In 2000/01, he
performed several times in
France with the Lebanese
trip-hop band, Soap Kills.
In Beirut, he can be heard
several nights each week
in any one of Beirut's numerous bars and clubs, playing in duos or leading his own jazz quartet.
Biography of Samer Zaghir
Samer is largely self-taught as a drummer but has studied with luminary jazz educator Jamey
Aebersold & renowned drummers Steve Davis and Steve Philips. He has performed and recorded
with many local and foreign artists/bands such as Fayrouz, Ziad Rahbany, Henrik Andersen, JJQ and
Beirut BeBOP.
He has established his reputation through his creative drumming and his ability to both leave space
and to play with a deep sense of swing. He is in high demand on the Beirut music scene where he
focuses mainly on jazz (his first love) as
well as funk and recent explorations
into live drum 'n bass.
Extraits d’articles de presse sur le leader du groupe Ziad Al Ahmedie (traduit de l’arabe par Rima
Bas)
Bassem Al Hakim : Al Anbaa, août 2003
"Il se prépare pour une tournée au Maroc et pour un grand projet. Ziad Al Ahmadie : "Pas de
patriotisme au Liban."
Zahra Merhi : Al Kifah Al Arabi 9/10/2004
"La musique de Ziad Al Ahmadie est calme et expressive, triste et gai.; Inspirée par les mouvements et
les besoins de la société. Tandis que ses chansons disent tout ce qui peut nous passer par l’esprit"
Mohammad Hijazzi: Al Liwaa 16/12/2005
"D’après "Bilbal "on admet qui il y a une surprise positive capable si supportée d’autres expériences, à
rendre hommage au compositeur et aux compositions distinguées surtout que le public arabe se réfugie auprès de la musique classique pour satisfaire son goût raffiné dans l’écoute d’une musique de
qualité. Donc pourquoi n’attire-t-on pas son attention vers notre musique orientale qui se caractérise
parfois par des qualités mondiale ? L’amalgame entre le charme de la musique orientale et le classique occidental quasi absent dans nos pays arabes est ce qui caractérise l’œuvre de Ziad Al Ahmadie"
Ziad Abou Absi : Al-Khalij 19/1/2006
"Douze ans après son premier concert à‘ West Hall’ à l’ AUB Ziad Al Ahmadie a pu trouver une maison
de production qui produira son premier album “Bilbal” qui rassemble un bouquet de chansons et de
morceaux musicaux"
Mohammad Asi: Annahar- Nahar Al Shabab 7/12/2007
"Puisqu’il a choisi comme carrière l’art Ziad Al Ahmadie a des difficultés d’avoir un rendement stable
de sa musique. Alors il refuse de jouer et de chanter dans des restaurants car il considère que là on
s’intéresse aux plats présentés beaucoup plus qu’on ne s’intéresse à la musique jouée."
Maher Shawwa : Dalil Annahar 24/6/2008
"Le musicien compositeur Ziad Al Ahmadie va bon pas du point de vue artistique pour présenter des
chefs- d’œuvre portants un message artistique, humain et social ; différents de ce qui a été déjà présenté ; loin de la commercialisation qui rend l’art vide et loin de la création artistique."
Technical Rider for Ziad Al Ahmadie Quartet : The following items are required:
1- Drummer:
- dw or gretsch
4- Flute/soprano & tenor saxophone:
- 18"bass drum
- sm57 for flute (or similar)
- 12" tom
- condenser mic for saxophones
- 14" floor tom
- (We can experiment with both mics depending
on the size of the venue.)
- 14" snare drum
Effects:
- 4 boom stands(for cymbals)
reverb
- hi hat stand
- snare stand
- drum pedal
- drum chair
- carpet
Mics:
- 2 over head mics
- bass drummic
- snare and hatsmics
2- Double Bassist:
- 1 mic
- Bass amplifier
- 1 stool
3- Oud/Singer:
- 1 Condenser mic (for the Oud)
- 1 Vocal mic
- 1 chair with no side hands
Monitors:
4 monitors (2 different groups minimum)