Wisaal wsg Elden Kelly & Bobby Bringi

On Wednesday, March 30th, (Scene) Metrospace presents a concert featuring Wisaal, and Michigan artists Elden Kelly and Bobby Bringi.

Doors at 7:00, show at 7:30. Students: $3. General Public: $5.



photo credit: Lynne Brown

Michigan artists Elden Kelly and Bobby Bringi collaborate to seamlessly synthesize melodic and rhythmic elements of jazz, delta blues, Indian ragas, bluegrass, African, Latin and Middle Eastern influences to create a new music that is fresh, original, and inspired -- Global Roots Music.



Wisaal, an Arabic fusion ensemble based at the Michigan State University College of Music, was formed in February 2010. Wisaal is an Arabic word meaning links, connections, or unities. This reflects our attempt to present high-quality concert and educational presentations of music that fuse elements of the Arabic musical heritage with Klezmer (Jewish dance music), Classical Indian, and American influences while respecting the spirit of these musics. Wisaal’s repertoire consists of Classical Arabic instrumental pieces, contemporary fusion pieces, and our compositions.

Classical Arabic instrumental pieces from the twentieth century become frameworks within which traditional Arabic forms and rhythmic patterns blend with Western harmonic backgrounds and rhythmically charged pop and world-music grooves. Arabic instruments - oud, percussion, and bass - are joined by Klezmer-influenced clarinet, American folk mandolin, and Indian tabla. Contemporary fusion pieces and original compositions combine these various influences and allow for extended improvisations that showcase the different improvisatory traditions represented in Wisaal.

Wisaal has been active in creating projects and finding performing opportunities. Wisaal recorded a demo cd in March/April 2010 and updated it in January 2011; performed in various galleries and venues in the Mid-Michigan area such as SCENE Metrospace (East Lansing), Michigan Historical Museum, Elderly Instruments, Art Alley and Creole Gallery (Lansing) and Art Reach Center of Mid-Michigan (Mount Pleasant); opened for a reading by the Arab American poet, Suheir Hammad, when she came to Michigan State University in March 2010; performed in Detroit for the Arab American community. Wisaal’s highlight was performing one piece at the Wharton Center Cobb Great Hall to a packed house in the Collage Concert, an event hosted by MSU’s College of Music.

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