Layali El Andalus
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"Layali El Andalus's performance was wonderful and more than just engaging, I'm certain the audience felt as if it was transported to a different place and time."
Guy Yehuda,
Artistic Director,The UNF Cummer Family Chamber Series,
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL - Guy Yehuda, Artistic Director, The UNF Cummer Family Chamber Series University of North Florida
"Layali Al-andalus set the perfect mood for our event. Our VIP audience were all impressed with the way the music complemented the overall theme of the gala. I will definitely seek out their services again in the future. Their professionalism, enthusiasm and talent is unquestionable.” - Junaid Bhatti, Marketing Director, 1001 Inventions
Featured in the 12th edition of the Arab World Festival of Montreal, Layali
Al Andalus's performance gave the audience an opportunity to revive the
golden age of a mythical Andalusia. The ensemble draws inspiration from the
Islamic-Judeo-Christian repertoire of plural Spain and Maghreb, creating
unexpected and mesmerizing melodies where the luth, violin, flute and
accordion create a timeless alchemy blended with strong and alive rhythms!
- Emily-Jane Aouad - Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal
Layali El Andalus made a compelling case for the universality of the language of music in their performance at Harding University. Their engaging presentation of musical styles that were unfamiliar to most of the audience won a number of converts and reminded us all that the human experience transcends language. These folks are talented and experienced performers; they're also personable communicators and entertainers. - Cliff Ganus Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities Harding University Searcy, Arkansas
While traditional Andalusian music is hardly associated with The Museum of Modern Art,
our visitors were treated to the unexpected in a beautiful, impassioned performance
by Rachid Halihal and Layali El Andalus who appeared at MoMA as part of a special
music series in conjunction with the exhibition, Dalí: Painting and Film.
This summer event, set outdoors among the artworks, trees, and reflecting pools
in The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, took on an air of pure magic.
All 300 plus seats were filled with mesmerized listeners while many others stood
in rapt or danced with joy. It was a unique and unforgettable evening."
Melanie Monios
Assistant Director, Department of Visitor Services
The Museum of Modern Art, New York - MOMA - Museum of Modern Art
By HEATHER LOVEJOY, My Arlington Sun
The wooden floors of the historic Springfield Woman's Club house shook under drumbeats and stomping feet Jan. 23 when the music group Layali El Andalus shared its Moroccan sounds with an eager crowd of about 60 people.
Charles Ohayon of Mandarin, originally from Morocco, was among those moved by the music. A singer himself, he chimed in when the six-member band started an old tune he knew well. Rachid Halihal, the band's leader and singer, invited Ohayon to join him on stage, thrilling the crowd.
Much of the audience, however, had never seen or heard traditional Middle Eastern music played live, nor had Goliath Flores, the local guitarist and singer-songwriter who opened the concert and helped bring the New York-based band to Springfield.
"I've only seen this kind of music on YouTube," he said lightheartedly, "so thank God for YouTube and thank God for [Layali el Andalus]."
Springfield resident Jennifer Keselowsky, a belly dancer known as Najmah, also helped organize the evening. When she heard the band was scheduled to play in Jacksonville at the University of North Florida, she jumped at the chance to keep them in town to give an additional show and lead workshops on playing several Arabic instruments.
It's rare for a band as accomplished and highly regarded in the genre to come to Jacksonville, she said, so as a professional belly dancer she felt compelled to contact them.
"I've been dancing for a while," she said, "and to have live music is much more refreshing than dancing to a CD."
Michelle Harms of Arlington, another belly dancer who performed, had previously never danced to live music. Before the show, she said she was nervous about the performance, but afterward talked of the experience with a reassured smile.
"You can feed off [the musicians'] energy," she said. "The music runs the range of emotions. In it you can hear loss and beauty, and you have to really listen."
Halihal, who also plays the violin and oud (a Middle Eastern instrument similar to a lute), said his first visit to Jacksonville had been met with great enthusiasm.
When he first moved to the U.S., he thought he'd be playing primarily for fellow Arabs, but has ended up entertaining mostly Americans.
"It's beautiful. It makes me very happy for the future," he said.
Halihal is working with Keselowsky and Flores to bring Layali El Andalus back to Jacksonville in four to six months. - My Arlington Sun
Discography
Rachid Halihal - Halayla Mimuna
Rachid Halihal - Resonances
Photos
Bio
This exciting North African Music band was formed in 2006 in New York City when Moroccan Singer / Oud / Violin master Rachid Halihal, highly respected in his native land, joined forces with Moroccan Percussionists Brahim Fribgane and David Buchbut, Ney/flute player Daphna Mor and Piano/Accordion player Uri Sharlin to form Layali El Andalus.
Together they bring to life a diverse repertoire of music including songs from ancient Andalusia, North Africa, and the Middle East.
The group's passionate performance was well described by Melanie Monios from MoMA:
"While traditional Andalusian music is hardly associated with The Museum of Modern Art, our visitors were treated to the unexpected in a beautiful, impassioned performance by Rachid Halihal and Layali El Andalus...The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, took on an air of pure magic. All seats were filled with mesmerized listeners while many others stood in rapt or danced with joy. It was a unique and unforgettable evening."
Layali El Andalus has been performing in music festivals and music series including Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal, Musikfest, MoMA summer concert series and The Metropolitan Museum of Arts.
In their hometown NYC the band can be regularly heard in varies clubs and venues. It also performs at universities in concerts and educational workshops.
Rahcid's natural ability to communicate his passion on stage breaks the barriers between the audience and performers. Combined with the band's power to engage the crowd into spontaneous singing and dancing- Layali El Andalus' concerts are simultaneously intimate and exhilarating experience for large outdoors stages and cozy seated venues.
Musician's Bio:
Rachid Halihal: Oud, Violin and Vocals
Artist’s biography for Rachid Halihal:
As a world-class musician, Rachid Halihal brings to
the community the true character and spirit of musics from the classical Egyptian repertoire which is much loved throughout the Middle East from the Fertile Crescent from diverse regions of Morocco and North Africa and also the mesmerizing music of the Arabian Gulf.
As a child, growing up in Fez, Morocco, Rachid played the nei and sang, imitating the famous singers of the time.
At age fourteen he entered "Dar Aadyil" the Conservatory of Music in Fez. At first he studied Western classical and Andalus music on piano and violin.
He soon expanded to include a variety of other instruments in order to better express his native music.
In addition to his voice, which is best featured in the Andalus style, his strongest instruments are the oud (similar to a lute without frets) and the violin, which he plays in both the classical manner and upright resting on the knee for Moroccan folkloric music.
In Summer 2004 Rachid toured the USA with The Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble playing Moroccan Andalus music with Abdelfattah Bennis, including Genesis at the Crossroads Festival in Chicago.
He was presented at Columbia University in concert with visiting Israeli singer, Michel Cohen, with Moroccan singer Pinhas in New York and Miami, as well as other ethnic concerts and events throughout New York City.
In 2003-4, Rachid was presented with his band at Denver's Global Groove World Music Festival, with Nawang Kechong in Aspen, in two separate Mid-East Dance concerts at the Boulder Theater, Colorado, with Souhail Kaspar in Denver, Boulder, Portland, and Los Angeles.
Rachid also played at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the inaugural King Tut exhibit in the US on June 15,05. In Summer of '05 Rachid toured the USA and Canada with Rachid Taha (Algerian/French)
Rai-rock band.
In 2010 was invited to conduct the prestigious Aswat Ensemble in the Bay Area of San Francisco.
Daphna Mor: Recorders, Nays
Hailed as a ‘Recorder virtuoso’ by the NY Times, Daphna Mor has performed throughout Europe The United States and Canada as a soloist and as an ensemble player. Her appearances include the most prestigious Classical Music stages – performing as a soloist in Carnegie Hall and as an orchestra member with the New York Philharmonic in Lincoln Center in New York, as well as acclaimed world music venues as Summer Stage, Central Park. NY.
Internationally, Ms mor has performed for various audiences in Canada, Poland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and Israel
Ms. Mor received her Bachelor of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory with highest honors as Valedictorian of the class of 2000. She acts as musician to the education department of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
She is frequently involved in performing of contemporary music. This season she was featured as a soloist with the The Metropolis Ensemble, performing the world premiere of ‘Tears, Puffes, Jumps, and Galliard’ by British composer David Bruce. In 2009 she joined St Luck’s Orchestra to perform the NY premiere of ‘The Flowering Tree”. Composed and conducted by John Adam
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