The Simon Shaheen Critic Pick

The Blue Flame Of Palestine

(*Note: This is an old article from 2008 that I lost in a computer crash. I found a copy and am now reposting it.)

Palestinian born Simon Shaheen will perform February, 14th at the University of Dayton courtesy of the Cityfolk World Rhythms Concert Series. Shaheen has had a love for music since the age of five and was appointed as the instructor of Arab music, performance and theory at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Jerusalem in 1978. In 1982, he created the Near Eastern Music Ensemble, which was steeped in the traditional standards of Arabic music. In 2001, he formed Qantara, which garnered eleven Grammy nominations with it's debut album, Blue Flame. The group blends traditional Middle Eastern music with such diverse genres as jazz, Latin American and Western Classical for a stunning musical flourish that spans a multitude of cultural boundaries. Shaheen will perform at 8pm in the University's Kennedy Union Boll Theatre, 300 College Park. General admission tickets are $18 each. For tickets or more information, call (937) 496-3863 or visit online at www.cityfolk.org.

(This article was originally published in the February 13, 2008 issue of the Dayton City Paper.)