Food and Dance Spectacular
proudly sponsored by the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets
The Food and Dance Spectacular will run Saturday 9 February 2013 from 10:00am-midnight throughout the City Centre, from Garema Place to Akuna Street.
Australian Palestinian Dabkah Troupe Jothour (Roots in English)
Where: Stage 2 Petrie Plaza
The Australian Palestinian Dabkah Troupe Jothour (Roots in English) is a Sydney based group established in 2011 and includes young men and women dancers whose performances reflect Palestinian heritage and culture. Dabkah is an Arab folklore dance, is popular in Arab countries and is popularly performed at weddings and other joyous occasions.
Shafqat Ali Khan
Shafqat Ali Khan (born June 17, 1972 Lahore Pakistan) belongs to the Sham Churasi school from East Punjab. This school of music has a long tradition that dates to the Mughul times of Emperor Akbar. This school was established by the two brothers Chand Khan and Suraj Khan. His uncle Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan and father Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, are internationally acclaimed classical singers, from the 10th generation of the Sham Churasi school.
Shafqat began performing at the age of seven. His first performance was at the Lahore Music Festival in 1979. He is a well established performer throughout India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Shafqat has also performed throughout Europe with concerts in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Holland, Spain and the Swiss Geneva Festival. This is in addition to concerts throughout Canada and the United States with key performances at the Smithsonian Institute in the 1988 and 1996, for the World Music Institute at the New York’s Metropolitan Museum in 1988 and Merkin Concert Hall in 1991.
Shafqat is the recipient of a number of awards. In1986 in Lahore he received the Amir Khusro Award as the best young classical singer. In 1987, he received the Gold Medal from Faislabad University, Pakistan. In 1995 he received the Ghanda Award from New Deli University. He has appeared on recordings from Nimbus(UK), EMI(India), HMV(UK), WaterLily Acoustics(USA), Westron(India), MegaSound(India), Keytune Productiona(Holland), Plus Music(India) (forthcoming), and Folk Heritage(Pakistan).
Mr Khan’s foray into the world of fusion music began with the Sufi song, Teray Ishq Nachaya Ker Ke Thaya Thaya, produced by Bollywood’s Bappi Lahiri.
Mr Khan prays five times a day, doesn’t smoke or drink. “My music includes praising God as He alone is worthy of it,” said the singer. “He will sustain us.”
In Shafqat’s view, music represents a single language shared by mankind. His own tastes in recreational listening – including symphonic works, pop, jazz and opera – evince a fundamentally eclectic nature and a willingness to experiment. Both Shafqat and his father share a love of Nat King Cole’s singing. Shafqat cites Cole’s vocals as coming “Straight from the heart.
Lloyd Barde from Backroads Music said of Shafqat and his group: “Their self-style classical fusion offers an intriguing blend of pure classical vocals and modern ambient textures.”
Sol Nation
Take a large melting pot, fill it half way with Reggae, add a dash of East Timorese folk song, a punch of Cuban Salsa, a sprinkle of Latin dance, 3 parts Afro-Beat, 2 parts tropical island rhythm, a sprinkle of Brazilian Samba, fill with funk and stir. Let it settle and taste...Sol Nation!
INFECTIOUS rhythm, worldly lyrics and impassioned musicianship are just the beginning for any Sol Nation performance. From Lisbon to Cairns, Dili to Port Louis, Sol Nation draws upon a wealth of international musical culture to bring you a melting pot of reggae, samba, funk, salsa, East Timorese folksong and African dance music. SOL NATION is the product of Melbourne's communal musical scene - at its heart lies the reggae experience of Paulo Almeida (The Dili Allstars), the rock charisma of Colin Badger (Painters and Dockers), and the fiery ardor of songstress Deline Briscoe (The Briscoe Sisters).
East Timorese vocalist Almeida is the voice of Sol Nation, soaring and weaving through the music in a mixture of English, Portuguese and Tetum, a product of his life experience living in several different countries during his homeland's occupation by Indonesia. "The band is more than the sum of its parts, though," says Almeida. "It's about having a good time, having a dance, and enjoying the global mixture of music that we've found here in Melbourne." On the back of their successful first self-titled EP, which received airplay on PBS, RRR and the ABC, Sol Nation began touring Australia in 2009 and have never looked back.
After the EP was snapped up by the Planet company MGM label, Sol Nation took to the stage at the St Kilda Festival, Reggaetown Festival (Cairns), the Sydney Road Street Party, the Canberra Multicultural festival, the Australasian World Music Expo, Woodford Folk fest not to mention near-constant tours of NSW, Queensland,SA and Victoria, gaining fans wherever they went. Sol Nation also had the pleasure of bringing in the new year on the floating stage at Darling Harbour, as well as returning to help celebrate Australia Day in 2011. Also in December 2011 the band was invited to tour Noumea (New Caledonia) as part of the Esprit Live concerts where they launched their latest single ‘Every Reason’.
All combined, Sol Nation has created one of the most exuberant, colourful, intoxicating and exciting live shows in Australia. With a charismatic, high energy, infectious live show, and a strong global conscience, Sol Nation is a unique and must-see Australian musical experience. They guarantee a performance to remember.
For all bookings and media contact: Paulo Almeida
M: +61411784838 E: solnation@gmail.com
