DanDana

In our first episode we share a glimpse into the diverse musical landscape of Tunisia. From bass heavy hip hop beats to hypnotic rhythms with roots in Sub saharan Africa, the small country at the tip of North Africa is known for being a cultural melting pot linking Asia, Africa and Europe.

Tune in for a short interview with our special guest, Imed Alibi, a hugely talented percussionist who has worked with a variety of musicians including Boukakes, Rachid Taha and Emel Mathlouthi and has recently launched his latest album Salhi.

What follows is a selection of music chosen by our three hosts, Yamen, Christina & Emily, spanning various genres, regions and eras.

Enjoy and stay tuned for our next episode all about Stambeli and its different manifestations across the African continent.

Tracklist:

• Imed Alibi – Pour quelques dinars de plus
• Habiba Msika – Aala Sarir Enoum
• Chafia Rochdi – Maa El-Azaba
• Slah Mosbah – Yamma Lasmar Douni
• Hadhra – Ya Belahsan Ya Shadli
• Afghan Project – Haw Bayen
• Anouar Brahem, Jan Garbarek, Shaukat Hussain – Sul Lull
• Mohammed Hanesh – Sidi Mansour

DanDana returns in full force with special guest Hazem Jamjoum, who’s writing his PhD on Arabic Music and previously ran radio shows in Canada and New York.

In this episode we discuss the Cairo Congress on Arab Music held in 1938, the history and politics around in and who attended the conference. We delve deep into details about what was going on behind the scenes, while we explore the rich musical recordings that ensued from the conference.

Towards the end of the episode we invite you to attend the screening of Jumana Manna’s film A Magical Substance Flows into Me, being screened on Thursday 22nd of November 2018 at the ICA as part of the London Palestine Film Festival (https://www.ica.art/on/films/ayny-magical-substance-flows-me).

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Fatimah Al-Zaelaeyah.

A long-awaited episode from the DanDana team is back. We’re travelling to Armenia to explore the eclectic mixes of styles across region, religion and times. Our guest on the program is Armenian singer Miganouche Baghramian and we have a special interview at the end with Armenian singer and musician Apo Sahagian, frontman of Bethlehem, Palestine based Apo and The Apostles. In this interview turn a “blind ear” or tune into the noise soundscape of Bethlehem.

Dandana team's quick review of the last 70 years of Arabic Jazz across the region where we take our listeners on another magic journey. Featuring Lebanese Ziad Rahbani and Tunisian Anouar Braham (do not miss his Barbican performance in March), alongside a special intimate interview with Iraqi jazz trumpeter and genius Amir ElSaffar during his visit to the London Jazz Festival. Please note you can listen to the interview from 01:03:01.

DanDana team in cooperation with MARSM hosted Maysa Daw and Mahmood Jrere from DAM. The band visited London in March to perform at the closing night of the BBC Arabic Festival. We discussed their upcoming album, how it came into being and hot political and cultural issues, including the Palestine Music Expo. Maysa and Mahmood chose a special selection of songs, influenced by their tastes and experiences to share with us.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Ministry of Dubkey, Bashar Murad, Toot Ard, DAM, Erykah Badu and more.

DanDana hosts Christina Hazboun and Yamen Mekdad chat with music historian Hazem Jamjoum. Travelling back in history to Egypt in 1918 we explore the life and music of Sheikh Imam Issa, one of the most prominent revolutionary artists of the twentieth century Arab world. We discuss the political turmoil and historic events that Sheikh Imam engaged in his music, especially since he joined his efforts with those of street poet Ahmed Fouad Negm. In part I, we discuss the singer and poet’s lives and work until their imprisonment by Nasser in the late 1960’s.

• Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Fouad Negm Eza El Shams Gher2et
• Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Fouad Negm Ana Atoob 3n 7obbak
• Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Fouad Negm Kelmeteen la Masr
• Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Fouad Negm Baqaret 7a7a
• Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Fouad Negm El Fool Wella7ma

Early July DanDana team Christina Hazboun, Emily Sarsam and Yamen Makdad met in Athens to celebrate fellow co-host Yamen’s epic wedding. In this unique episode our musical journey follows the music of a refugee collective blending music and dignity: the project of Musikarama. A collaborative and communal initiative based within the Communitism Centre in the heart of anarchic Athens neighbourhood of Metaxourghio. We spoke to one of the main music instigators at the heart of it all: Kareem Kabbani about how music helps Syrian and other refugees settle in their host country and how the refugee crises is played out in music and space within Athens.

This episode was edited with the help of the fantastic Moody Kablawi.

Out of the drawer of history, we summoned out an interview that DanDana co-hosts Christina Hazboun and Yamen Mekdad conducted in December 2018 with the prolific producer Ammar 808 before is performance at Café Oto.

We spoke to Sofyann Ben Youssef about his work, production, electro-percussion and how the latest album Maghreb United with all its influences came into being. We also speak about cross border north African collaboration with Algerian Sofiane Saidi, Maroccan Mehdi Nassouli and Tunisian Cheb Hassen Tej

From piles of hay to isolate sound to electricity cuts and local music in west Tunisia, dive with us into the story of music from North Africa.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Aka Moon, Kel Assouf, Bargou 08 and AMMAR 808.

As we withdraw into our private spaces during this pandemic, we ponder the current state and the unknown. To exist becomes an act of resistance of the daily, of the norm and form both imposed and perceived. The last century has provided us with a wealth of resistance and solidarity songs composed by musicians whose music still holds messages for us today. In this episode we invite you to listen to music and conversations that DanDana team have over music ranging from the Arab revolution of 1936 to genre-defying electronica of recent years.

Artwork by F160

NB: This episode was recorded during the Covied-19 lockdown and aired on radio el huma #راديو_الحومة

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Naysam Jalal & Rhythms of Resitance, Mohamed Hamam, Noah Ibrahim (نوح ابراهيم), Sabreen, Koma Wetan and more.

The borders between genres such as ambient, drone, musique concrète, electro-acoustic and experimental music are blurry. Compositions sonically weave together soundscapes from natural and urban environments, recordings of instruments, voice, with synthesizers and electronics, creating immersive listening experiences which transcend linear narratives and instead invite us to discover novel notions of space and time. Join the usual sonic culprits Emily Sarsam, Yamen Makdad and Christina Hazboun in their aural exploration.

To commemorate the passing of Sheikh Imam on the 7th of June 1995, DanDana team are releasing this special second part episode on the work and legacy of Egyptian twentieth century prominent revolutionary artist Sheikh Imam. Hosts Yamen Mekdad and Christina Hazboun are joined by music historian Hazem Jamjoum to revisit his works from the point of his imprisonment and onwards from the 1970’s.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by الشيخ إمام- Sheikh Imam, ‫الشيخ إمام- Sheikh Imam, الشيخ إمام, الشيخ إمام - Sheikh Imam and Sheikh Imam.

In this intimate DanDana podcast host and producer Christina Hazboun talks to the wonderful Yousra Mansour, front woman of Moroccan band Bab L’Bluz who are reclaiming the blues for North Africa.

The Quartet released their debut album Nayda! In June 2020 on Real World Records and their unforgettable and unique style has been echoing around the globe since. Blending guembri, asiwsha (baby guembri) with fuzz guitars, drums and flutes, the band’s music transports listeners to the depths of aural consciousness, while their lyrics are aimed at awakening the sleeping consciousness of those who require it.

Yousra guides us from song to song as she opens doors and pathways to her own story and musical history, recalling early influences, key moments on the Moroccan music scene and her latest preferences.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Hoba Hoba Spirit feat. Bigg, Bab L’Bluz, João Gilberto Tom Jobim Stan Getz, 47 Soul and Mohamed Rouicha.

There is before August 4th 2020 and after August 4th in the history of Lebanon. But there is also music and sound. What is the music scene like in Beirut? What artists and venues are there? And how has history been scored into the sound of a city exploded due to corruption and negligence?

Beirut and Beyond’s director Amani Semaan joins DanDana’s Christina Hazboun in an intimate, deep and honest conversation about the music scene in Beirut and the latest Beirut 20/21 compilation.

Amani Semaan recalls the events of the October Revolution, the exceptional, homegrown edition of Beirut and Beyond’s showcase festival in February 2020 and takes listeners through the last twelve months on the music scene in Lebanon.

From an intersectional socio-political and mainly musical perspective, you will hear about Beirut’s indie scene and how a whole community of artists, festivals and cultural operators came together to release a sonic postcard of the time of Beirut 20/21.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Elyse Tabet, Sandy Chamoun, Jaafar Touffar, Liliane Chlela, Jana & Scarlett and more.

In light of the multiple events that have swept the globe this year, DanDana team decided to reflect on some of the music that matters. As protests highlighting the importance of black lives after the brutal killings of George Floyd and Brayonna Taylor and the rise of the decentralized Black Lives Matter movement, we felt the urge to shine a light on the rich musical heritage of black people in the region from Andalusia to Mongolia and from Yemen to Anatolia.

We dig into the musical heritage of the region, and discuss worls of prominent figures on the music scenes like Ali Hassan Kuban or Sitti Bent Saad, to more forgotten names like Asmar Omar and Aster Aweke.

All of these wonderful singers and musicians captured parts of their struggle and the oppression they underwent in their melodies and lyrics. From Ethiopia to Djibouti, Zanzibar to Bahrain, these works stand as an acoustic testimony to injustices past and present, that we all listen to for inspiration and reflection.

Playing tracks by Sitti Bent Saad, Maalouma, Hamza El Din, Aisha Al Marta, Aster Aweke and more.

Tracklist:

• Sitti Bent Saad – Ashee Regea Swahili
• Maalouma – Khayala
• Hamza El Din – Shortunga (The Spirits)
• Aisha Al Marta – Ya Leil Dana
• Aster Aweke – Y’Shebellu
• Khojali Osman – Malo Law Safeetna Inta
• Amira Khair – Manaok (Forbidden)
• Ali Hassan Kuban – Habibi
• Tsehaytu Beraki – Atzmtom Keskisom (Tigrigna)
• Dahi Ben Elwalid – Ya Man Hawah
• Alnubia Band – Koban
• Asma Omar – Buuraha U Dheer (The Highest Mountains)

In this special episode, DanDana team goes wandering. Co-host Christina Hazboun gets lost in New York, while co-host Yamen Makdad ventures into Istanbul to find long lost sister and co-host Emily Sarsam with whom they embark on a treasure hunt for musical gems in one of Istanbul's eclectic vinyl stores. Join the fun!

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Vashti Bunyan –, Suzanne Menzel, Ayten Şenkal & Ergüder Yoldas Orkestra -, Fikret Kızılok, Üç Hür El ‎ and more.

Expanding on our first part of Ep. 13 Resistance and Solidarity, we carry on the path to explore intersectional and multifaceted forms of resistance to social injustice, wars, gender inequality and more. In this episode we immerse ourselves in music from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Armenia, Sudan, Tunisia and more. The music we explore is outside the usual media framing and we detangle the circumstances surrounding the songs of our revered musicians.

Tracklist

Playing tracks by Nass El Ghiwan, Naseer Shamma, نشيد الشعب فرقة أولاد المناجم (Awlad El-Manajem, Samih Choukaer, فرهــاد مهراد Farhad Mehrad and more.

On top of the high mountains of Haifa, by the Mediterranean sea there lies a vibrant scene of Palestinian music, from which singer songwriter Rasha Nahas emerged. With her guitar and poetic voice, Rasha’s music talks about the personal, political, space, movement and emotions.

On the eve before the release of Rasha Nahas’ debut album, DanDana host and producer Christina Hazboun delves with Rasha Nahas into the music scene in Haifa, what tunes inspired her and what magical ingredients Rasha has sprinkled into her debut album Desert.