LEBANON: IRAQI SINGER KAZEM AL-SAHER GIVES CONCERT AT THE BEITEDDINE FESTIVAL

Record ID: 388614

  • Title: LEBANON: IRAQI SINGER KAZEM AL-SAHER GIVES CONCERT AT THE BEITEDDINE FESTIVAL
  • Date: 12th August 1999
  • Summary: (REUTERS -ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KAZEM AL-SAHER SAYING: "No I don't. I don't like this word. Politics controls you. I speak in a human voice, a voice from within, a legacy from what I took from my land, people and from within. This is very beautiful. I remember when I first started to sing out of my country people did not know about the embargo in Iraq. So Iam glad I transmitted this message to them and to prove to my people that I did not forget them during difficult times. My position was very thorny." **** STORY INCOMPLETE AS THESE SEQUENCES NOT ON CLIP *** (POSSIBLE PERFORMANCE CLEARANCE) KAZEM AL-SAHER PERFORMING (REUTERS -ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KAZEM AL-SAHER SAYING: "A lot have watched and contacted me from Europe, the U.S and Canada. There has been a lot of praise and they like my music. My intention is to bring about the right message in a song. A song which has no message is of no interest to me. Trust is very important. You can bring about anything in trust. The song about the children of Iraq has touched and thrilled people because it depicts a truthful picture..' (POSSIBLE PERFORMANCE CLEARANCE) VARIOUS KAZEM AL-SAHER PERFORMING AUDIENCE APPLAUDS VARIOUS KAZEM AL-SAHER
  • Embargoed: 27th August 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEITEDDINE, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA2P0YRLV8LAV07BD5EOPRKBQEK
  • Story Text: Set against the backdrop of the Lebanon's Chouf mountains, Iraqi singer Kazem al-Saher wooed his way into the hearts of an enamoured audience last week.The thirty seven year old singer was performing to mostly female fans at this year's Beiteddine festival.
    Kazem al-Saher captivated his audience last week with the beautiful lyrics of the late Syrian poet Nizar Kabbani.
    The popular musican considers Kabbani as his mentor and reproduced a representation of the poet's works that brought a crowd of people to their feet.
    Al-Saher has a unique and bewitching voice, that blends tenderness and passion with purity.
    Born in Iraq in 1960, Kazem at 12 years of age tore himself away from toys and childish games to work and make a living.
    He started his career by selling his bicyle to buy a guitar.Later, he joined the Institute of Music in Baghdad.
    Al-Saher's appearance at the annual Beiteddine festival marks his emergence as an Arab super star, with a host of middle aged female fans.
    But at Beiteddine, al-Saher showed that he is more than just a sex symbol, he is also a serious musician, who is both an accomplished composer and a trained oud player, which is an arabic stringed instrument similar to a lute or mandolin.
    The Iraqi singer coped with his dual images well, demonstrating a professional delivery and responding well to enthusiastic fans who began clapping and dancing two bars into the first song.
    Nizar Qabbani's poetry coupled with al-Saher's soft harmonies and exotic palatial surroundings lended a haunting resonance to the performance.
    But al-Saher denies that his songs are political.

    (soundbite) al-Saher says: "No I don't.I don't like this word.Politics controls you.I speak in a human voice, a voice from within, a legacy from what I took from my land, people and from within."
    Iraq has suffered from stringent embargoes since the Gulf war.
    Besides the standard Arabic instruments of Oud, Qanoun and Riq, al-Saher's orchestra included an electric guitar, drums and a saxophone, demonstrating that Middle Eastern tastes have opened up to Western vibes.
    Infact his songs have captured the West's attention too.

    (soundbite) al-Saher says: "A lot have watched and contacted me from Europe, the U.S and Canada.There has been a lot of praise and they like my music.My intention is to bring about the right message in a song.A song which has no message is of no interest to me."
    For three hours al-Saher sang an array of his most recent songs--from his latest album "Habibati wal-Matar" (My love and the rain) perhaps and a few crowd pleasers like "Kullak alla baadak" (All of you) and "Hathal laoun" (This colour becomes you).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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