BERLIN: Arab musicians in Berlin are bringing their musical roots to Germans — with a little help from American jazz.
At the monthly Arab Song Jam in the German capital, musicians use famous Arab songs as a starting point before inviting other musicians onto the stage for a jam session in a style pioneered by American jazz musicians before World War II.
“All musicians know these jazz sessions. So we use that technique on Arab songs,” said Moroccan musician Alaa Zouiten, who plays the oud, and who led a recent session. “It is a great idea because it brings popular Arab songs to life here in Berlin.”
Berlin’s already large Arab community has grown since 2015 with the arrival of tens of thousands of refugees from Syria.
That has led to an increased interest in Arab culture and music in the city, said Philippa Ebene, CEO and artistic director of “Werkstatt der Kulturen” — the “Cultural Workshop” — where the jam sessions are held.
“We have all these new Berliners from the Arab world and they brought their music with them,” she said. “At the same time, Berlin is a city that is always hungry for new culture.”
The Arab Song Jam is part of a yearlong celebration of Arab culture at the venue, also including poetry readings and Arab film nights.
The first jam session was held in March and it has become so popular that the basement venue often has to close its doors because it has reached its capacity. The audience is mixed — elderly Arab couples mingle with young European hipsters and groups of curious, middle-aged Germans. “Is there a singer in the house?” Zouiten asks the crowd after the first song, and several people raise their hands.
Milo Kanefaty from Syria joins the musicians on the stage and as he sings the first words of a song by famous Lebanese singer Fairuz, the crowd cheers wildly and sings along. Soon people start dancing, hugging and applauding.
At other sessions, Germans from the audience also join in. While Zouiten said he does not want to turn the Arab Song Jam into a political event, he does hope the music will help break down barriers between migrants and Germans who remain concerned about the large influx of newcomers.
Jazz it up: Arab musicians bring their songs to Germany
Jazz it up: Arab musicians bring their songs to Germany
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
