 June 29, 2005 As part of its World Music From Lebanon series, Forward music has released in the U.A.E with Daxar Records its new 3 CDs Box-Set at Virgin MegaStores: World Music From Lebanon Vol.1  This 3 CDs Box was first released with the launching of Forward Music at Virgin MegaStores - Beirut where the artists were present amidst a big crowd of music aficionados . Forward Music is preparing for a concert uniting the artists and their bands in Dubai beginning next year to promote their albums. We anticipate that the music will be well received in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi because of the world music influences that exist there The Box-set is available at all virgin Megastores in the UAE. Forward Music is an offshoot of Forward Productions s.a.r.l. It was established in 2002 by Carol Mansour and Ghazi Abdel Baki as a music label that pools together the cooperative efforts of young Lebanese artists. It aims to encourage new and creative trends in the musical arts, blending the various cultural currents that meet and interact in the country in new fusions and fresh perspectives. It hopes to draw on the rich musical past of the Arab world and the array of contemporary influences to find new musical dialects. Forward Music is committed to making an authentic contribution to our ever-changing culture and to the growing global dialogue of World Music CONTACT INFORMATION General Email: info@fwdprod.com World Music From Lebanon Vol.1 Contains three CDs Communiqué #1 by Ghazi Abdel Baki Madinatuna by Paul Salem Oyoun El Bakar by Ziyad Sahhab Ghazi Abdel Baki Communiqué #1 He co-recorded and co-released his first album with fellow musician Ramzi Moufarrej (Bare Necessity Crucial, 1994 in New York City) and with the band members of Virus he released his second album (Beirut Salsa, 1999 in Beirut). His third and latest CD is Communiqué#1. Communiqué # 1: (Arabic/Brazilian Fusion) In Communiqué # 1 Ghazi Abdel Baki sings the poems of classical Arab poets such as Eliya Abu Madi and modern poets such as Nizar Kabbani in a form that ranges from Bossa Nova, Samba and Reggae to Gypsy folk, Acid Jazz and Rap. Communiqué #1 made the top 40 World Music Charts during November 2004. During the late sixties, a new musical style emerged in Lebanon and a departure from traditional Arabic Music gained in momentum. Beirut was transformed in the early seventies into a cradle for interacting cultures and a fertile breeding ground for mixing musical influences and experimentation. With a soundscape that varied from traditional Arabic Music to Psychedelic Rock, a synthesis was born. A musical form that has its roots in traditional Middle Eastern Music but that is strongly influenced by Blues, Jazz, Rock and Bossa Nova. The allegresse that characterizes the Arabic Maqams (modes) found a new home in the melodic minors in which the western form was adopted. Today forty years later, musicians in this region are still pushing the envelope to create more variations and new contemporary colors. Communiqué #1 stands out as a lively example of this musical fusion. It is also a tribute to the musicians of Ras Beirut from which Ghazi Baki learned and with whom he plays today. Communiqué # 1 features: Ghazi Abdel Baki: Guitars, Drums, Percussions, Voice Abboud Saadi: Electric Bass Jack Gregg: Double Bass Tom Hornig: Alto, Tenor Sax and Flute Claude Shalhoub: Violins Samir Siblini: Nay (Middle Eastern Pan Flute) Ghada Shbeir: Mawal (Voice partition) Munir Khawli: Hammond Organ (on What for) Rayess_bek: Rap (on What for) Loulwa Abdel Baki: Backing Vocals Paul Salem Madinatuna Madinatuna: (Arabic/Brazilian Fusion) Madinatuna is a CD about the city. Our city. Beirut. It encapsulates the richness and variety of the voices that interact within it. It is an expression of the energy and dynamism that characterize the city; the congruencies and contradictions; the harmonies and dissonances. The compositions in Madinatuna are as varied as the city from which it sprung, with influences as diverse as bossa nova, jazz, lounge, and Arabic music, expressing an equally wide array of emotions. Madinatuna features: Paul Salem: Piano, Guitars and Vocals Abboud Saadi: Bass Fouad Afra: Drums and percussions Ali Khatib: Arabic Percussions and Bouzok Samir Siblini: Nay Charbel Rouhana: Oud Sherman Irby: Alto Sax Tom Hornig: Alto Sax Zilke Pfeifer: Vocals Jack Gregg: Double Bass Walid Tawil: Drums (on Bazarkan) Claude Shalhoub: Violin Ziyad Sahhab Ouyoun El Ba'ar Ziyad composed music for plays such as "Marche", by Issam Bou Khaled ?waiting for Godo? by Roger Assaf and films such as ?Alive in Limbo? Ouyoun El Ba'ar: (Arabic Music/Tarab/Oud) For his first release Ziyad chose not to be accompanied by his band as a ?contre-point? in this era where arrangements and decorations precede and take over the actual compositions - hence eclipsing the real substance of musical works. In Ouyoun El Ba'ar, Ziyad strips down his compositions to the bare minimum and focuses on the authentic natural mood: He plays the Oud, sings and is accompanied by light Arabic percussions. In Ouyoun El Ba'ar, Ziyad sings the lyrics of renowned Poet Salah Jaheen and some of his own poetry. Ouyoun El Bakar features: Ziyad Sahhab: Oud, Vocals Ahmad Khatib: Rik, Katem |