peoples grammy award winning contemporary classical andalusian music Al-Andalus Ensemble celebrating Islamic Spain onstage at Veranos de la Villa
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Led by oudist Tarik Banzi, the Al-Andalus Ensemble is internationally known for a creative fusion which etches a fine line between the exquisite and raw, the passionate and powerful while treating the listener to a confluence of the best of the East and West. These sophisticated artists with extraordinary breadth and creativity soulfully merge classical, jazz and contemporary music with musical traditions from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Thus embodying the new vision of America as a modern society that embraces its cosmopolitan cultural heritage.

Charting new terrain with Grammy Award winning violinist, Charlie Bisharat, this contemporary World-chamber trio of oud, violin and guitar moves with grace between the classical and the modern, subtly weaving tradition with sophisticated innovation into an energetic musical tapestry performed with a freshness and originality that has earned the Al-Andalus Ensemble a devoted international audience. For festival settings, the Al-Andalus Ensemble expands with additions of modern Andalusian dance as well as trumpet, vocals, piano, bass and drums for a vital, energetic and absolutely beautiful experience.

"Al-Andalus" refers to Spain from 711-1492 AD. During these eight centuries, Andalusian Spain witnessed a cultural melding between Africa, the East and the West, as well as among Christians, Muslims & Jews. "Andalusian music" is the courtly music of Medieval Islamic Spain (Andalusia). Preserved and developed by the descendants of Muslim and Jewish refugees after the Reconquest, it is considered one of the longest continuous traditions of art music in the world.

News


Independent Music Awards Nominee

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Al-Andalus Ensemble's new Album "21 Strings" has been nominated for "Best Contemporary Classical Album of 2010" in the 9th annual Independent Music Awards program.


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Al-Andalus JPFolks Music Awards "Peoples Grammy" Winner for "Best World Music Song 2009"

Tarik Banzi, Moroccan Oud player, composer and founder of the Al-Andalus Ensemble together with his wife, flamenco guitar player Julia Banzi, took home the JPFolks Award for the "Best World Music Song of 2009." The winning song, title track from their album "Alchemy." The song "Alchemy" features simply oud and guitar and was selected from over 560,000 songs entered from 163 countries around the world in what is the world's largest Independent Music Awards. Founder Brian Austin Whitney felt the music made by the "other 98%" of the music world often ignored by the mainstream televised music awards shows deserved its own recognition so he created the Just Plain Folks Music Award, also known as the "Peoples Grammy" or  "Grass Root Grammy." The JPFolks Awards were started in 1999 as a simple way to recognize the worlds best music.  Just Plain Folks is a community of over 51,500 Songwriters, Recording Artists and Music Industry Professionals — and host to the world's largest independent music awards.

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