Ecstatic Syrian Singer Gaida Celebrates National Release of "Levantine Indulgence"

posted on: Mar 8, 2010

Singer/songwriter GAIDA is a familiar name in the increasingly vibrant New York City Arabic music scene. The gorgeous and thoughtful singer’s impeccable musical intuition and velvety yet crystalline voice is captured beautifully on her debut record “Levantine Indulgence.” A set of songs as rich and subtle as the Fertile Crescent oasis of ancient Levant. With her voice as a common denominator, Gaida has found the soulful sweet spot where complex Levantine rhythms synch up with breezy hints of bossa nova, pounding belly dance beats, and that certain swing found only in jazz.

Gaida’s songs, refined over a decades-long journey, unite the elegance of Arabic poetry and the refined ornamentation of Middle Eastern vocals with the sophisticated urbanite sensibilities of her adopted home. They translate the elevated tarab (ecstasy) into the indulgence of a personal passion that made a name for Gaida in the New York music scene. Gaida performed in prestigious national venues like the Kennedy Center and in major feature films, including Jonathan Demme’s 2008 drama “Rachel Getting Married.”

The Syrian singer will take the stage at Greenwich Village hotspot Le Poisson Rouge on the Arabic Mother’s Day. Says Gaida, “My mother sang to me like a bird throughout my childhood and she is the one who taught me how to sing. And on March 21, which marks the first day of spring and the Arabic mother’s day, I will celebrate her voice in me.”

Performing with Gaida on this special show are Johnny Farraj (rig) Zafer Tawil (durbakeh/oud), Amir Elsaffar (trumpet), Jennifer Vincent (bass), Arturo Martinez (flamenco guitar), George Dulin (piano), Tony Rio (congas and drums), and Cinan Yusuf (buzuq).