Band Members:
Gaida’s concerts included a great line up of New York based musicians such as Amir Elsaffar-santoor and trumpet, Arturo Martinez-flamenco guitar, Dimitri Mikelis-oud, Johnny Farraj and Ramzi Edilbi-percussion, Tareq Abbushi-buzuk, Uri Sharlen-piano and accordion, and Zafer Tawil-violin, oud, and percussion. Gaida also known as DUNIA.
Ammar and Ghayeb-Recorded at Oustaz Studios
Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Adel Hinawi
Influences
Influences:
My mother, Sabah Fakhri, Damascus breeze, the rain, the birds, Um Kulthum, Fairuz, Najat Al-saghera, Janice Joplin, Sufi music (zikr), The call to prayer (Athan), Salat el Eid (the prayer before the Eid), the Blues, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, the sounds of strings and the nay, Hamza Shakoor, Mussaher Ramadan, Abdul Halim Hafez, and the people in my life...
Sounds Like
Sounds Like: “The depth of the expression that you emit goes so very far. Like an old soul in a young and beautiful form. Hearing your voice makes one reflect and think of all of the experiences lived and the ones that we will live”. Suzana Peric-Film Music Editor
Gaida is a vocalist and composer working at the intersection of the New York Arab and improvised music scenes. Her compositions draw at once on classical Arabic song, Syrian folk traditions, and free improvisations that expand on traditional Arabic maqams (modes) to produce an original and highly personal style marked by great emotional intensity. An acclaimed singer from an early age, Gaida was raised in Damascus and later lived in Kuwait, Paris, and Detroit, where she received classical voice training at Wayne State University. Now settled in New York, Gaida works with leading Arab and creative-music artists such as Amir ElSaffar, Brahim Fribgane, Tareq Abboushi, and Rufus Cappadocia. She also is a member of other New York based groups including Ayyoub, Zikrayat, and Tarab Ensemble. Gaida has recorded for major motion pictures, including Jonathan Demme's Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains, in which she recorded with Gillian Welsh and Alejandro Escovedo. Gaida also maintains a parallel career as a speech pathologist.
In recent work she appeared on Jonathan Demme’s latest film Dancing with Shiva, composed and recorded a song for The Hennegan Brothers' documentary film "The First Saturday in May", and currently performing with her ensemble throughout the United States.
"Syrian vocalist Gaida keeps one foot in the Arabic-music tradition, evoking the emotional storminess of legendary figures like Warda and Om Kalthoum. But her filigreed singing—not to mention the broad, if restrained, palette afforded by her expert band (including sharply talented trumpeter Amir ElSaffar and, this time out, bassist Omer Avital)—suggests all manner of exotic new possibilities".
hey there...i'm a singer songwriter guitarist from melbourne australia...songs from my new cd 'in the breeze' and photo videos are up and ready to listen to and look at...let me know what you think! i will be in new york january 2010...love to do a show with you?!?!?
Gaida, Last night at the stone was amazing! You were absolutely soul stirring and Amir was mesmerizing! And the cellist, Rufus, I have never seen anyone play like he does! Thank you for such a great show! Hope to see you again soon!
Dear Gaida, pleasure to have you as a friend on my space. Your music is a new world for me, but I like it. Thanks for being in my world. See ya love from Ann
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