WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, December 1, 2012 (at 7:30 pm), the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the ADC Women's Initiative present their second annual cultural event of the year, Turaath: Celebrating Arab Culture in America, at the historical Lincoln Theatre, 2015 U Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20009.
The evening will feature live musical performances by the Alwan Arab Music Ensemble and the Two Rivers Arab Jazz Ensemble and a special presentation of traditional and modern Arab dance choreography,
"As the leading grassroots civil rights organization for Arab Americans, ADC regards preserving Arab cultural heritage as a key part of its mission." said Warren David, ADC President. "In contrast to the misaligned and derogatory image of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S., Arab heritage is rich and sophisticated, and ADC is proudly committed to celebrating it. Turaath is ADC's signature cultural event of the year, and we are honored to present what we anticipate to be a memorable and beautiful evening of Arab music and dance."
About Turaath: Celebrating Arab Culture in America:
Alwan Arab Music Ensemble will feature guest appearances by female Syrian vocalist Loubana Al Quntar and Palestinian vocalist George Ziadeh and Iraqi maestro Amir AlSaffar. The Alwan Arab Music Ensemble is comprised of six of the leading practitioners of Arab music in New York, all of whom sing and play a wide range of Arab musical styles on traditional instruments and will present performances of classical, folk, and popular music from the Arab world. The Ensemble is comprised of instruments such as the 'oud (Arab lute), santur (Arab dulcimer), nay (Arab reed flute), violin, bass, and percussion.
Two Rivers Arab Jazz Ensemble is a sextet of jazz and Middle Eastern musicians, featuring acclaimed Iraqi-American trumpeter Amir ElSaffar and has made innovative strides in using the maqam modal system to transform the jazz idiom. Deeply rooted in musical forms of Iraq and nearby regions, the music still speaks the language of swing, improvisation and group interaction, and the resultant sound is distinct from other contemporary cross-cultural musical fusions. The Two Rivers Ensemble includes Nasheet Waits, one of the most dynamic drummers in jazz who is best known as a mainstay in Jason Moran's Bandwagon; bassist Carlo DeRosa, whose CD Brain Dance was released earlier this year to considerable acclaim; multi-instrumentalist and virtuoso Zafer Tawil who is one of the most in-demand Arab musician in New York; and tenor saxophonist Ole Mathisen, who has been active on the New York scene for almost 20 years in a wide assortment of contexts including Persian, Indian and Latin music, and is one of few musicians to have mastered microtonal playing on the saxophone.
About the ADC Women's Initiative:
The ADC Women's Initiative is an initiative that combines the dynamism and acumen of a national consortium of influential Arab-American women with ADC's mission to empower and celebrate the Arab-American community. The Initiative seeks to support ADC in its mission to dispel negative stereotypes, defend civil rights, and provide educational and cultural programming about Arab Americans.
About ADC:
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage. ADC was founded by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk in 1980. It is through educating the public about Arab culture and heritage that ADC seeks to humanize individuals of Arab ancestry and evoke an appreciation for the roots of the Arab American community.
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