I always keep an open mind when it comes to music. My wife also shares this quality. We both come from a punk rock and DIY experimental and underground music background but also enjoy stuff completely outside of that realm. My wife also plays percussion with an ensemble called Aswat.
Aswat is a performance group which operates under a non profit organization called Zawaya that plays various Middle Eastern styles of music representing different regions. They have performed at SF State at the McKenna Theater, College of San Mateo Theater, Palace of Fine Arts, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Zaytuna College and most recently at the Asian Art Museum SF.
This means I get to see music performances in really cool places other than brick and mortar concert venues. This was the second Aswat performance at the Asian Art Museum in Civic Center in SF and the acoustics are marvelous. Both performances coincided with the wonderful Roads of Arabia exhibit which is on display through January. This performance represented Egyptian, Sufi, Yemeni and Saudi music!
More information on Aswat and Zawaya
Click on the image below for video of the ensemble in action. There are clips from the main performance, a Dabke dance, and an interactive drum session that spills out into the area just outside the theater!
Below are some photos of the ensemble which consisted of many vocalists, 2 kanoons, 3 or more ouds, 2 or more violins, multiple percussionists and a bassist. I also share some random artistic shots from around the museum and gift shop.
THREE OUDS
VIOLIN OUD AND FRAME DRUM
TWO KANOONS AND FRAME DRUM
ASWAT ENSEMBLE
My gal with the frame drum.
RANDOM SHOTS FROM THE MUSEUM
ARCHWAY
PILLARS
GIFT SHOP
STATUE
Bye for now!
