Global Music Showcase

Program

World Music Ensemble
Chris Witulski, director

Nasam ʿalayna al-hawa | The Rahbani Brothers

text and translation:

لهوا من مفرق الوادي
يا هوا دخل الهوا خدني على بلادي

The breeze is upon us, the air from where the rivers come together
Oh wind, the wind has come and taken me to my homeland

يا هوا يا هوا يللي طاير بالهوا
في منتورة طاقة وصورة خدني لعندن يا هوا
فزعانة يا قلبي أكبر بهالغربة
ما تعرفني بلادي خدني على بلادي

Oh wind, flying through the air
With powerful energy and memory, take me to them
My heart is scared, even more so in this foreignness
You don't know me, my homeland; take me to my homeland

شو بنا يا حبيبي شو بنا؟
كنت وكنا تضلوا عنا وافترقنا شو بنا؟
وبعدا الشمس بتبكي عالباب وما تحكي
يحكي هوا بلادي خدني على بلادي

What is wrong, my love? What is wrong?
We were lost to each other and parted ways
The sun is crying at the door, what is it saying?
It tells the story of my homeland, take me to my homeland

Ah ya hilu | as sung by Sabah Fakhri

text and translation:

أه يا حلو يا مسلِّيني يللي بنار الهجر كاويني 
إملا المدام يا جميل واسقيني من كثر شوقي عليك ما بنام

Oh sweet one, you who entertain me, you who burn me with the fire of separation,
Fill the cup, oh beautiful, and give me a drink. I long for you and cannot sleep.

حبِّيت جميل يا ريتني ظلُّه حاز الجمال والحسن كلُّه
لمَّا رأيت ملك فؤادي صَبَّرت قلبي وحملت ذلٌّه

I loved the beauty. I wish I were her shadow. She possessed all beauty and grace.
When I saw the king of my beating heart, I consoled it and carried its humility.

Hijaz mandra | Traditional

Zuruni | Sayyed Darwish

text and translation

زوروني كلّ سنة مرّة
حرام تنسوني بالمرّة

Visit me once per year
It is shame for you to forget me completely (in each moment)

يا خوفي والهوى نظرة
تجي وتروح بالمرّة

Oh, my fear, love is a glance
that comes at goes at once

حبيبي فرقتك مرّة
حرام تنسونا بالمرّة

My separation from you is bitter, my love
It is shame for you to forget me completely

Raqsat Huzam | Layth Sadiq

Helwa ya baladi | Dalida

text and translation

كلمة حلوة وكلمتين حلوة يا بلدي
غنوة حلوة وغنوتين حلوة يا بلدي
أملي دايماً كان يا بلدي إني أرجعلك يا بلدي
وأفضل دايماً جنبك على طول

One sweet [beautiful] word and two sweet words, my country is sweet
One sweet song and two sweet songs, my country is sweet
My hope has always been that I would return to you, oh my country
And I prefer to be at your side, always

وذكريات كل اللي فات فاكرة يا بلدي؟
قلبي مليان بحكايات فاكرة يا بلدي؟
أول حب كان في بلدي مش ممكن أنساه يا بلدي
فين أيام زمان قبل الوداع

Do you remember all that has happened, the memories, oh my country?
My heart is full of stories, do you remember, oh  my country?
My first love was in my country, I can never forget it, oh my country
Where are the times from before my farewell?

كنا بنقول إن الفراق ده مستحيل
وكل دمعة على الخدين كانت بتسيل
مليانة بأمل إن احنا نبقى موجودين
في بحر الحب على الشطين

We used to speak of how separation was impossible
And that every tear on my cheek was falling
Full of hope that we still exist
In the sea of love on both shores

Personnel
Szu An Chen
Joshua Douglass
Taryn Grey
Meredith Gulla
Majid Naddaf
Bradlee Keaffaber
Mason Marquette
Nazanin Mousavi
Mina Neizari
Haley Smith
Liam Lockhart
Samantha Stack
Heather Strohschein

**********************************************

Afro-Caribbean Ensemble
Nicholas Kiekenapp, director

Marabi Jazz | Mfongozi Guitar Players
South Africa, 1953

African Marketplace | Abdullah Ibrahim
South Africa, 1979

Ominira | West African Rhythm Brothers
Nigeria / England, 1959

Azawade | The Touré-Raichel Collective
Mali / Israel, 2012

Mascaram Setaba | Mulatu Astatke
Ethiopia, 1971

Blow Your Cover | Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band
Germany, 2021

Ominira lyrics and translation 

(transcribed and translated by Tiyinoluwa Omotosho Olushola-Alao)

Yoruba:

irọrun re re lo de fun gbogbo wa, awa ọmọ Africa, adupẹ
rọrun re re lo de fun gbogbo wa, awa ọmọ Africa, a r'ominira

awolọwọ, oṣe
awolọwọ, oṣe
awolọwọ oluwa "ke p'o ti ṣe ke awọn" ara ilu ẹ

irọrun re re lo de fun gbogbo wa, awa ọmọ Africa, adupẹ

English:

good comfort has come for all of us, children of Africa, we're grateful
good comfort has come for all of us, children of Africa, we're free

"thank you, prophet"
"thank you, prophet"

(referring to Nigerian nationalist and pan-african, Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ)

this line is a little slurred and sorta melismatic and serves as adulation for Awolọwọ and all he did for Nigeria

good comfort has come for all of us, children of Africa, we're grateful

Personnel
Chris Cavera- drums and percussion
Clayton Rosati- drums and percussion
Josh Douglass- piano and keyboard
Karly Folger- steel pan and tenor sax
Nick Kiekenapp- guitars
Max Welch- drums, percussion, vibraphone and calabash
Theo Forde-Stiegler- bass and vocals