tagged w/ zerobridge
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Music Workshops and Zerobridge Tour Morocco: Highlights Reel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NfgfV2BAH0&feature=player_embedded
When I was leading music workshops (under Lollipops Crown Music/Arts Initiative) for the Ministry of Youth in Bensaliman, Morocco in June, the officers at the US Embassy Bureau of Public Affairs offered to sponsor my band Zerobridge (from New York) to come to Morocco to play concerts and to do music workshops for Moroccan youth across the country. I was so stoked to have the boys in the band come here to Morocco, where I am leading a music and arts initiative for street children as a U.S Fulbright Fellow. Zerobridge was founded by my brother Din and myself. We are named after Kashmir, where our family is from and currently lives.
In each town we rolled into we were mobbed by fans who never heard us and many never seen a live rock band, let alone met Muslim artists from New York. And that made each show so special because we were introducing rock and roll and representing Muslim America. Throughout the country we were signing t-shirts, heads, arms, phones, and even fingers. We in the band certainly don’t get such attention in New York, so it was kinda nice. Although it was pretty akward when 15 year old girls slipped us their numbers. Some of the scenes on tour i’ll most remember: young girls wearing the traditional head covering throwing up fists and dancing and wanting to play drums and guitar; impromptu jam sessions with talented young Moroccan rappers and female R&B singers; having scores of fans asking for pictures and autographs with us; playing to 5,000 Moroccans in Meknes; seeing a group of traditional dancers from Saudi dance with a member of the US Embassy during our concert; and the beautiful drives through villages and mountains and coasts of Morocco.
During our workshops with the youth, we had kids come up on stage and try playing our own Zerobridge songs with us on stage. Usually we picked our song “How Long’ in which we had some kids sing the chorus with us and another group of kids drum the rythm. It was magic man. We also had question and answer sessions about music and art, and we had jam sessions with talented rappers, singers, dancers from the audience. It was just simply inspiring to feel this overwhelming energy from the kids in each town…kids who were so amped and grateful and talented. Everyone we met on tour, be it the kids or the sound guys, or the Embassy staff…everyone truly inspired us and lifted our spirits. I only hope we did the same. Morocco is all about the union between music, rhythm, and spirituality. It was so refreshing to play for kids who were just eager to learn and to dance and to express themselves, unlike in NYC where crowds at shows can be pretty indifferent or jaded. And in the end, I think we accomplished some inspiring workshops for the kids too while also using music for building better understanding between America and the Arab world. Thanks to the US Embassy for hooking this up and for giving us equipment, a driver, a sound-man, and for booking the shows. And thanks to Morocco. Here are the vid links to each day on the tour and of the workshops we lead. I never dreamed our band from New York would be playing rock shows for youth in Morocco. Life is a trip.
* Our new album 'There We Were Now Here We Are" drops 11/17
7/14: workshops with kids and private concert in Tassaout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D4uBOx231Y&feature=player_embedded
7/15: workshops with kids and private concert in Beni Mallal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngXjUWHGh8&feature=player_embedded
7/16: workshops with kids and private concert in El Jadia, Morocco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezBxYwCZrVg&feature=player_embedded
7/17: concert at Cinema Rif w The Candles in Tangier, Morocco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T0xY-1Uy10&feature=player_embedded
7/18: Volubilis Festival in Meknes Morocco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbFk7KhHfXw&feature=player_embeddedMusic Workshops and Zerobridge Tour Morocco: Highlights Reel... more
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