Music and Comedy Send Global Thursdays Audiences to Entertaining Destinations

posted on: Aug 10, 2011

Indigenous American jazz forged in Detroit. Syrian-influenced hip-hop made in Los Angeles. Traditional music from Armenia and indie folk informed by life in Jordan and Ann Arbor. Fresh comedy infused with American roots and international sensibilities. These are the featured destinations on the 2011 Fall Season of Global Thursdays at the Arab American National Museum (AANM), 13624 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn.

Since 2005, this multicultural performance series – a sister to the annual summer Concert of Colors world music festival in Midtown Detroit – has offered high-quality musical and spoken-word presentations for fans of traditional and world music and those with adventurous cultural tastes. Enhancing the Global Thursdays experience are the Museum’s intimate 156-seat Auditorium and the after-show artist “meet and greets” and CD signings. The $10 ticket price ($9 for Museum Members) and free, lighted parking makes Global Thursdays a great value for everyone.

The Sept. 8 Global Thursdays performance by Syrian American hip-hop artist Omar Offendum is also part of a weekend of special programming related to the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001 being presented by the AANM and its parent organization ACCESS. U.S. Rising: Emerging Voices in Post-9/11 America is a series of discussions and performances taking place Thursday, Sept. 8 at Wayne State University and the AANM; Friday, Sept. 9 at the University of Michigan – Dearborn; and Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Arab American National Museum. Visit www.usrising.org for information on the schedule, speakers, venues and cosponsors.

For complete Global Thursdays information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.arabamericanmuseum.org. Tickets are also available at the door.

The Global Thursdays 2011 Fall Season is made possible by DTE Energy, MASCO and Comerica. Accommodations for Global Thursdays artists are provided by DoubleTree Hotel Detroit/Dearborn.

<b>2011 Fall Global Thursdays @ Arab American National Museum</b>

<b>Omar Offendum
7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 8, 2011</b>

Omar Offendum is a Los Angeles-based Syrian American hip hop artist/producer who was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Washington, D.C. He started his musical career as half of The N.O.M.A.D.S., co-produced the critically acclaimed FREE-THE-P mixtape, participated in The Arab Summit project, co-authored the Brooklyn Beats 2 Beirut Streets performance-lecture and was featured on many major news outlets including BBC, Yahoo, ABC News, Al-Jazeera, Reuters and Gulf News. Offendum helped raise thousands of dollars for humanitarian relief organizations such as Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Islamic Relief, American Near East Refugee Aid/ Kinder, and has toured the world to perform his groundbreaking music. His debut solo release, SyrianamericanA, came out in 2010.

www.offendum.com

<b>An Evening of Armenian Music
7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, 2011</b>

This salute to traditional Armenian music includes three artists who are masters of their craft. Ara Topouzian has been featured in multiple PBS documentaries, performing on kanun and various other Armenian and Middle Eastern instruments. Joining Topouzian is oud virtuoso Joe Zeytoonian, who has toured the U.S., Latin America, Japan and Europe, and recorded for Estefan Enterprises and Sony Music. On percussion for the evening is Myriam Eli, a multi-talented touring percussionist playing the darbuka, riqq and bendir.

www.aratopouzian.com

<b>Arab American Comedy + Music
7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 3, 2011</b>

Talent abounds in the Arab American community and this new wave of young creatives will leave you begging for more. Director/producer Mike Mosallam and producer/actor Sarah Bazzi bring you a night of hilarious sketch and stand-up comedy from several local talented performers AND special surprise appearance by some local Internet sensations. Rounding out the bill is the music of Hana Malhas, who is inspired by the contrast of her childhood home in Jordan and current base in Ann Arbor, while staying true to her brand of borderless indie folk. Malhas’ music is lyrically driven and showcases an expressive vocal delivery that fluctuates between soft soulful intensity and bold clarity.

www.hanamalhas.com

<b>Wendell Harrison with special guest Amp Fiddler
7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 8, 2011</b>

Tribe Records co-founder and renowned Detroit jazz saxophonist Wendell Harrison celebrates his first new release in seven years with this Global Thursdays gig. It’s About Damn Time employs a plethora of funky guests including Detroit music legend Amp Fiddler, who joins the saxman on this bill. Harrison has jammed with important jazz artists such as Eddie Harris and Sun Ra, as well as Motown artists Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. Driving bass lines, high-energy guitar, and Harrison’s signature tenor saxophone all bear testament to his legendary style.

www.wenhajazz.com
www.ampfiddler.com

Global Thursdays tickets, $10/$9 Museum Members, are available in advance at www.arabamericanmuseum.org and at the door.

All Global Thursdays performances take place in the Lower Level Auditorium at the Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Ave. just west of Schaefer Road in Dearborn. Free, lighted parking is available in the municipal lot north of the Museum.

Complete information at www.arabamericanmuseum.org or by calling 313.624.0215.