featuring

Tarik Banzi - oud, ney, percussion

Rezgui Boujeamma - ney, kamanja, vocals

Julia Banzi - flamenco guitar

Ranjani Krishnan - vocals in Tamil, Ladino, Urdu, classical Arabic, Spanish & Hindu

Martin Zarzar - percussion

Ana Montes - flamenco and Andalusian dance

Zahra Banzi - modern & Andalusian dance

Admission $15

Alchemy: May-July 2004 Concert Performances by Al-Andalus, Tarik & Julia Banzi Contemporary Andalusian Music & Dance

see also http://www.andalus.com

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ALCHEMY: 1) an early form of chemistry, with philosophic and magicalassociations, studied in the Middle Ages. 2) A method or power oftransmutation, esp., the seemingly miraculous change of a thing intosomething better (Webster's Dictionary)

"Al-Andalus combines elements with the quiet assurance of skilledalchemists & comes up with at mix that's aural gold! A delightful proposition of exquisite music" El Pais, Madrid, Spain

May of 2004, the performance ensemble Al-Andalus, Morocco and led byMoroccan oudist Tarik Banzi & American flamenco guitarist Julia Banzicelebrates international understanding, goodwill and peace through a series of passionate music & dance presentations titled Alchemy at the Smithsonian, National Gallery Museum and Embassy of Jordan & Embassy of Egypt. Al-Andalus is honored to have been selected to perform for various events surrounding the Mosaic Foundations Seventh Annual Benefit Al-Andalus Festival. The Al-Andalus ensemble will also be filmed for inclusion in an upcoming PBS documentary on Islam, Christianity & Judaism by Auteur Productions, creators of award winning documentary "Jews & Christians: A Journey of Faith" which aired on over 200 public television stations nationwide. The concerts are scheduled to take place in Washington DC with further performances in Virginia, New York, Spain, Morocco and Los Angeles. A complete list of the performances is included below.

Al-Andalus is an ensemble that, as the name implies, focuses on musicinspired by Moorish-ruled Spain during the 8th to 15th centuries whenMuslims, Jews & Christians peacefully coexisted side by side in an inspired cultural exchange of the sciences and arts. Tarik & Julia Banzi's Al-Andalus (founded in 1988 in Portland, Oregon, but now residing in Tangier, Morocco) is a graceful and distinctive ensemble sound that straddles continents in its cultural voice and centuries in its array of techniques. The Al-Andalus concert will feature the music, dance, & poetry of Arabic, Ladino (Sephardic Jewish) Spanish & South Indian cultures with new contemporary compositions.

Last updated: 2007-11-27 10:03:13