Alhaan Al Siduri
by Yazz Ahmed
British Council Bahrain is pleased to collaborate with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities to present Alhaan Al Siduri by Yazz Ahmed, as part of the 25th Bahrain International Music Festival and the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of relations between Bahrain and the UK.
Alhaan al Siduri, composed by Yazz Ahmed, is a suite inspired by the work songs of the Bahraini pearl divers and the wedding songs of the women groups of Bahrain, fused with jazz elements and electronics.
Siduri is a character mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh. She is a goddess of the Gulf that lives on an island at the edge of the sea. Her land is a garden in which the sun walks in the morning. Yazz decided to imagine that this island mentioned in the epic poem might be Bahrain, the island of two seas.
The lyrics are a combination of fragments of traditional Bahraini songs, translated into English and Yazz’s own daydreams, musings on her homeland, written in this melancholy style.
Concert Details
Date: Saturday, 15 October 2016
Time: 20:00 - 21:30
Venue: The Cultural Hall, Bahrain National Museum
Minimum age: 8 years old
Tickets: Free Admission (please do arrive early to get seats)
ABOUT YAZZ AHMED
Since releasing Finding My Way Home in 2011, British-Bahraini trumpet player and composer Yazz Ahmed has emerged as a distinctive voice on the UK jazz scene. She won praise as the leader of two musical ensembles, the Yazz Ahmed Quitnet quintet and Ahmed Family Hafla septet.
Over her career, Yazz has performed with her at venues around the world and collaborated with international artists from various genres. Her musical talents and dual heritage make her a unique cultural ambassador. She has presented Bahrain and the UK in a number of high-profile cultural exchange initiatives.
Yazz has written two major suites, Alhaan al Siduri which was inspired by Bahrain’s heritage and legend of Gilgamesh and Polyhymnia. The suites earned her rave reviews and worldwide critical acclaim, and she is currently working on her second album with her two ensembles and which features more of her unique soundscapes and creative collaborations.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Please email us on events.bh@britishcouncil.org.bh
‘Her opalescent flugelhorn carried strong echoes of Kenny Wheeler.’ Fred Grand, Jazz Journal
‘Her set was an ethereal experience.’ Play Fewer Notes
‘Ahmed’s playing seemed flawless and her tone mellifluous.’ Patrick Hadfield, London Jazz News
‘Ahmed has a true tone and spins long lines over complex, self-penned structures.’ Mike Hobart, Financial Times
