Refugee Week @ Jubilee Library: June 21st

Thanks to everyone who was involved, in organising, sharing, supporting and collaborating, including all the fantastic musicians, community organisations, library team and over 250 people who came by on the day to enjoy the music. We hope to post some recordings soon.

Live music from around the world, by people seeking sanctuary in Brighton & Hove. Music from Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Palestine, Persia and Afghanistan. Plus community stalls from local organisations and allies in the city.

Click the links below for music programme and community organisations;

Music Recordings

These are some of the artists recorded on the day. Recordings are live, so not studio quality and are for listening and documentation purposes only, and not for commercial purposes. We hope you enjoy as much as the audience did on the day.

Gallery

Images from Manal Gharez Eddin

Images from Best Foot Music

Saturday June 21st, Jubilee Library, Brighton. 12.00 – 4.00. Free: All Welcome

Part of national Refugee Week, with support from The National Lottery Community Fund and Brighton and Hove City Libraries.

Music Programme

12.00: The Network of International Women One Voice Choir, with Ken Wakia.

12.25: Svitlo Amal – Syrian Ukrainian Fusion.

1.05: Bashir Al Gamar – Sudanese Songs.

1.40: Kourosh Kouchakpour – Kurdish/Persian Strings.

2.20: Viv Mugunga – Songs from Rwanda.

2.45: Kareem Samara – Palestinian Melodies.

3.30: Sulaiman Haqpana & Ajmir Nikzad – Songs from Afghanistan.

Sulaiman Haqpana & Ajmir Nikzad Duo – Songs from Afghanistan

Sulaiman Haqpana (Tabla)

Ajmir Nikzad (Vocal & Harmonium)

Viv Mugunga – Songs from Rwanda

Kareem Samara – Palestinian Melodies

Kareem Samara is an improviser and composer from London.

He has worked extensively in theatre as a composer and his various projects have seen him tour across the United States and Europe. He combines the Oud and Arabic percussion, with loopers and samplers to create a new dialogue between himself and technology, between the past, the present and the future. Honouring all his musical traditions, he challenges the empty political posturing of the music industry and uses his music to advocate for a free Palestine through collective liberation.

Currently he is the Arabic music advisor on the forthcoming musical ‘The Shadow World’ based on the award winning arms trade expose book and film.

Theatre credits include ‘Hakawatis’ Shakespeare’s Globe, ‘A History of Water in the Middle East’ Royal Court, ‘You Bury Me’ Bristol Old Vic, ‘The Chronicles of Majnoon Leila’ The Gate Theatre, ‘Wipe These Tears’ Camden Peoples Theatre.

Kourosh kouchakpour – Kurdish/Persian Strings

Kourosh is a Kurdish musician from Iran, he plays Tar (A Persian stringed instrument ‘Tar’ means ‘String’ in Persian). Here he plays a compilation of Kurdish and Iranian folk songs as well as a piece from the Lorestan region of Iran.
Many of the songs have not been written down, but are passed through generations by memory. They are well known to people from the region and the diaspora. The music is performed in different keys, depending on the mood and subject matter of the songs.

Kourosh also plays percussion instruments and performs with several musicians at concerts. He works with community projects to promote integration and greater cultural understanding.

Bashir Al Gamar – Sudanese Songs

Bashir Al Gamar was born in Sudan, he came to England in 1993, after being imprisoned for his poem ‘Patience on a beach’ Since then he has lived in Brighton. He is a poet, songwriter and composer, since 1991 he has written and composed more than 40 poems and songs, mainly in Arabic. Most of them are well known in his home country, Sudan. Some of his songs have been recorded by Sudanese National TV and radio. At present he is working on a new collection of poetry called ‘Rhythm and Resonance’ He is also planning to perform his poetry in several countries with a Sudanese singer. Bashir has taken part in several art exhibitions and poetry readings in the UK, in Cardiff, Liverpool & Bristol. Bashir has a new CD release, in aid of people affected by the war in Sudan. Details are here

Svitlo Amal/Light & Hope – Syrian – Ukrainian Fusion Group

Svitlo Amal formed in 2023 when Ukrainian and Syrian duo’s Dina and Polina and Jamal and Alaa met after being booked to play the same gigs together in Sussex.

They first worked together on a project with Music Action International, making music with young people from refugee backgrounds.

Collaborating on shared songs, they took an interest in each other’s music and decided to create something that reflected their diverse musical histories and interests.

The group draws upon the rich cultural heritages of the musicians involved, fusing Arabic and Ukrainian rhythms and melodies. They play popular folk songs as well as their own compositions.

Svitilo Amal are

Alaa: Oud and vocal

Dina: Vocal and guitar

Polina: Flute

Special guest Nazreen: Vocal

The Network of International Women One Voice Choir