Ishtar happenings in February and March!

[Melissa K Murphey]

Hello Friends, Fans and Family of Ishtar!

Shake off those winter blues with a little BellyRock!

Thursday February 28, 2008: Ishtar will be playing LIVE on the radio promptly at 9PM!  That means all of you who live far away can finally listen Ishtar!  WRCT radio broadcasts live on the internet at www.WRCT.org  just click on High Quality or Low Quality in the upper right hand corner of the screen. If you live close to the Carnegie Mellon campus, WRCT is at 88.3 on your digital FM dial. Ishtar is playing an hour long show and I (Melissa) will be the DJ!  I was a college DJ back in the days of my misspent youth. Tune in to hear the epic version of Nubar Nubar, the Surf-Funk version of Nihavent Oriental, the trippiest version of Misirlou, and the rockinest versions of Garoon and Hadouni!

Friday February 29, 2008: Ishtar plays at the Andy Warhol museum at 8PM. We are part of the Sound Series for February. Ishtar is opening for accordion duo Alan Bern and Guy Klucevsek who take the instrument to new levels while staying rooted in traditions of jazz, klezmer and other Eastern European motifs. Ticket prices are $12 and available online. The Warhol Museum is on the North Side at 117 Sandusky St, Pittsburgh 15212.

For more information about the Warhol Museum show visit: www.warhol.org/calendar/events_detail.php?eventID=965&dateYear=2008&dateMonth=2&dateDate=29

Saturday March 1, 2008: Our friend Carmine T Guida (www.carmine.com) will be teaching a one hour Middle Eastern Rhythms Workshop at 6PM. This workshop is designed to help ALL drummers, musicians and dancers learn the top 10 Middle Eastern Rhythms. Participants who are already familiar with the rhythms can work on technique. The workshop is $15 online at www.jalsah.org/sites/Jalsah/Locations/Pittsburgh/ At the door the workshop is $20.  Please bring a drum of any kind. Loaner drums will be in limited supply. Free entry to Jalsah Pittsburgh VII with purchase of Carmine’s workshop.

Both Carmine’s workshop and Jalsah Pittsbugh VII will be at Your Inner Vagabond 4130 Butler St Lawrenceville, 15201. www.yourinnervagabond.com

Saturday March 1, 2008: Jalsah Pittsburgh VII at  8PM (www.jalsah.org)! The ultimate community participation music and bellydance event! Everyone can play music with Ishtar and Carmine. Bring your drum, bring your instrument, join us!  I will have limited sheet music available. Please email Melissa at  Mel...@ishtar-music.com to be sure I will have sheet music for you. The dancing is open floor all night, so please bring a hipscarf and bring a friend and show off those bellydance moves to Live Middle Eastern Music!  The Jalsah is all ages,  BYOB and smoke free. Your Inner Vagabond is open for business, so bring extra funds to buy sumptuous drinks and snacks! PS. This is my birthday, so come help me celebrate!

***TEACHERS*** Have 3 of your students sign up for Jalsah tickets in advance at: www.jalsah.org/sites/Jalsah/Locations/Pittsburgh/  make sure the students include your name and you can attend the Jalsah for FREE!

Sunday March 2, 2008: Otantik will be playing for FREE at Your Inner Vagabond. Otantik is a trio comprised of Nick Rahgeb, Melissa Murphey (that is me) and Carmine T Guida. Performing mostly Turkish folk songs in a tradtional style, Otantik lives up to its name as an "authentic" Middle Eastern musical group. Nick Ragheb, percussion, recently returned to Pittsburgh from Istanbul, Turkey where he was studying music. Carmine T Guida, oud, is from New York City where he plays regularly with his Middle Eastern Fusion band Djinn. These three performers from different cities will combine their musical talents to play tradtional style Middle Eastern music as the group Otantik. Also featured on March 2 is Buddy Nutt, Americana Mastermind, playing all sorts of interesting instruments.

Tuesday March 4, 2008: Ishtar will be the opening act for Shtreiml, Toronto’s Klezmer-Turkish fusion group. This amazing show is only $7 at Howler’s 4509 Liberty Ave in Bloomfield. 21+ only. Listen to Shtreiml at: www.myspace.com/shtreiml

Ishtar stickers are now available. Purchase them at our shows or through the mail. Visit our website www.ishtar-music.com for more information. Every little bit of financial support helps us to record a CD this spring.

Whew! That seems to be it!

Thanks for supporting Ishtar and live Middle Eastern music in Pittsburgh and beyond!

Hope to see you out there!


~melissa the clarinet chick
www.ishtar-music.com
www.jalsah.org

_____________________________________________________________
Click now for accounting software that's a huge plus!