Ali Khattab
11th Annual World Traditional Song Winner
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Record Label: Nuevos Medios S.A.
www.myspace.com/alikhattab
Home Base: Madrid, Spain and Cairo, Egypt
Genre: World Music
Categories Entered: World Traditional Song
Work Submitted: “A…dios”
Artists Featured:
Ali Khattab (flamenco guitar)
Ibrahim Kawala (Egyptian flute)
Wael El Naggar (accordion)
Amer Barakat (electric bass)
Ayman Sidqy (Latin percussion)
Ramadan (darbuka)
Label: Nuevos Medios
Who are your influences? Tchaikovsky, Rahmaninov, Abdu Dagher, Mozart, Paco de lucia, Riad al Sunbaty.
Describe your nominated work. Describing the journey of the soul in its last moments before departing the body, this piece floats on the rhythms of a steady heartbeat. Elevated to a state of harmony and evenness with the universe, the soul is able to enter a new dimension that reaches beyond earthly life. The guitar, the cello, and the oud play melodies echoing mystery and peace until the violin takes over, crying out its last notes of inevitability. This music resounds the soul’s moment of truth, all its memories of the past and its fear of the unknown. The piece undeniably expresses sorrow but somehow a sense of tranquility is predominant as its journey continues…
Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? Not really
Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned? Everything as planned
How did you raise the funds for this project? How long do you expect it will take to recoup your out-of-pocket recording expenses? Life time savings from music, I think the coming year.
Why did you choose to submit this work to The 11th IMAs? IMA offers support to promote music in the US and worldwide.
What’s your definition of success and how will you know when you’ve achieved it? When I keep on composing until I die.
How will you leverage your IMA honors to achieve your career goals? First of all, IMA honors will allow me to contact with a larger audience. Then this might give me the chance to perform my music in venues and festival worldwide and in the US in particular, to license my recordings, and to open ways of collaboration in the music business through music composition.
Who’s sitting in your audience and what makes your fans unique? People who want to listen to the truth. The unique thing about my fans is that they appreciate my music more than time.
Who are your musical heroes & influences? Tchaikovsky, Rahmaninov, Abdu Dagher, Mozart, Paco de lucia, Paganini, Ziriab
Are there any songs you wish you wrote and why? “Symphony No. 4, Op. 36” by Tchaikovsky, because I hear the voice of the universe in it. The composer takes the music harmony to a different level without exaggeration.
What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans? Jimmy Hendrix
How do you discover new music? Do you buy music or are you content with streaming? Both
How will musicians make a living if fans continue to expect music to be free? Teach or do side jobs.
What don’t fans/audiences understand about the music industry today? A lot of things, one of them is that they (fans/audiences) are actually in control of shaping this industry not the other way around. That it is just a mirror that reflects their actual tastes.
Are digital singles/EPs vs. full albums the future? I think so
Finish this sentence: The music industry is…a reflection of culture.
What do you have in the works for the upcoming year? A new album that is the harvest of 5 years of composing and arranging.
Where fans can find you and your music:
www.facebook.com/messages/606077859#!/profile.php?id=840815323
www.myspace.com/alikhattab
www.panthermusicagency.com/artists/alikhattab/index.html