Monday 27 September 2010

Mamoon Alabbasi: London's Jazza festival highlights Palestinian plight

Middle East Online


October 12th and 13th

London's Jazza festival highlights Palestinian plight

Artists to perform at pro-Palestinian music festival as Robert Wyatt releases new album in collaboration with Gilad Atzmon.

By Mamoon Alabbasi – LONDON

A music festival will be held in London on October 12th and 13th dedicated to highlighting the plight of Palestinians and help raise aid for the Gaza Strip.

The event, dubbed 'Jazza Music Festival', will feature singer-songwriter Sarah Gillespie, London-based Israeli-born saxophonist Gilad Atzmon, with the participation of other leading artists and performers such as the Mercury Prize nominated 'Unthanks' sisters.

Gillespie will be playing songs from her debut album 'Stalking Juliet', known for catchy songs like 'How the Mighty Fall', 'Ahmed and Dangerous' and the moving melody of 'Million Moons', in addition to showcasing new works.

Atzmon will be playing material from Robert Wyatt's new release, which includes a song about Palestine, with the Sigamos Sring Quartet and Cleveland Wattkiss on vocals.

The event marks the official launch of Robert Wyatt's new album, 'For the Ghosts Within', in collaboration with Atzmon and violinist-composer Ros Stephen.

Other artists featuring at the two-day Festival include Nizar Al-Issa, The Unthanks Sisters, Shathayah, Rory McCloud, Peter King, Seb Rochford, Alex Garnett, and Oren Marshall.

The Jazza Music Festival is organized in association with the Free Palestine Movement.
Meanwhile, Atzmon is currently on tour with his new album, celebrating his tenth anniversary with the Orient House Ensemble (with Eddie Hicks on drums, Frank Marrison on piano, and Yaron Stavi on bass).

The release of 'TheTide Has Changed', recorded with Harmonia Mundi (World Village) label, comes to crown a decade of success and awards for Atzmon.

The album, which follows his 'In Loving Memory of America' and the spectacular 'Refuge', features a number of Middle Eastern inspired melodies, coated with the traditional influences of African-American jazz, and played to diverse audiences in the UK.

In parallel with his (sometimes controversial) writings, Atzmon carries the wounds the Palestinian people in his tunes, as can be felt in the song 'London to Gaza', among others.

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