Souhail Kaspar
Souhail Kaspar is a master percussionist, known worldwide for his brilliant technique, exciting performances, and teaching skills. A true virtuoso, his ability to improvise and embellish the rhythmic patterns of Arabic music, as well as his knowledge of ethnic musical history, have made him one of the most highly acclaimed performers and instructors of our day.
Born in Lebanon and trained at Nadi al-Fonun al-Arabia (Conservatory of Traditional Arabic Music) in Aleppo, Syria, he excelled in both classical and ethnic rhythmic patterns and techniques, and received a Degree in Classical Arabic Performance. He has traveled extensively during his 34-year career and has performed with artists such as Sting and Kenny Burrell, and with Arabic superstars such as Sabah, Feiruz, Cheb Mami, George Wassouf, Ragheb Alama, Kathem al-Saher, and Faiza Ahmed.
Additionally, he has an impressive body of recorded work, including credits on the soundtracks for the movies The Prince of Egypt and Sinbad, the documentary The Great Bazaars, and as a guest percussionist with the cutting-edge Kronos Quartet on the CD Caravan. Since the late 1970s, Mr. Kaspar has also appeared with Ali Jihad Racy at a wide variety of cultural events and performed in major concert halls, master classes, and workshops throughout the United States. He has worked with legendary Egyptian composers Farid el-Atrash, Sayyed Makowi, and Hanni Mehanna. Mr. Kaspar is a recipient of a Durfee Music Fellowship given to master musicians and teachers.
Currently, Souhail Kaspar lives in Los Angeles and is performing, recording, and teaching both nationally and internationally. A recent recording is the acclaimed Khaliji CD, a collection of popular songs from the Saudi Arabian pensinsula. He was nominated for a 2008 Grammy award in Traditional World Music for his work with Rahim Alhaj in their album "When the Soul is Settled: Music of Iraq."
Rachid Halihal
As a world-class musician, Rachid Halihal brings to the community the true character and spirit of musical styles from the classical Egyptian repertoire, 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 sang and played the ney, studying the famous singers of the time. At age fourteen he entered "Dar Aadyil," the Conservatory of Music in Fez. Initially he studied Western classical and Andalusian music on piano and violin, and then 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 Andalusian 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 Andalusian music with Abdelfattah Bennis, including Genesis at the Crossroads festival in Chicago. He has been 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. Rachid has performed with his band at Denver's Global Groove World Music Festival, with Nawang Kechong in Aspen, and has toured the USA and Canada with Rachid Taha, an Algerian/French Rai-rock band. Recently he has performed throughout the country with Souhail Kaspar and has been teaching on the faculty at Mendocino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp.
"The music which Rachid Halihal presents is soulful and poetic as well as very danceable to the point that not an empty spot can be found on the dance floor wherever he plays."