Avaaza
Vashon, Washington, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
Summer Concerts in the Park
UPDATE! CONCERT WILL BE HELD AT VAA DUE TO WEATHER!
Saturday, June 23, 6:30 pm – 9 pm
Vashon Park District, in collaboration with Vashon Allied Arts, opens Summer Concerts in the Park with a double bill of internationally-inflected music from Island group Avaaza and Seattle-based Manooghi Hi.
Avaaza (ah-va-ZAH), derived from the Persian word for voice, opens the series. Influenced by music of the Mediterranean region including Flamenco, Gypsy, Arabic, Persian and North African, Avaaza members are also fans of music found along the ancient silk trade routes. The eight-member band includes: Azula Phillips, vocals; Islanders Jason Everett, bass and Charles Reed, guitar; Terri Garrett, clarinet; Michael Nageub, flute and keyboard; Tracy Helming, violin; George Sadak, drums and S. Chandra Naraine, percussion. Together they capture flavors of both traditional and current world music with innovative arrangements. Listen to Avaaza on Facebook.
Manooghi Hi began when singer and Bombay native Mehnaz and her Northwest accomplices constructed a new breed of rock music. Reviewer Jonathan Zwickel (Austin’s South by Southwest) said of them, “To oversimplify, it’s like this: panoramic rock ‘n’ roll fronted by a petite, beautiful Indian woman scat singing in Hindi. The cross-pollination is dizzying — East and West, ancient and modern, pop and classical, ecstatic spiritualism and headbanging rock.” Since their initial performance at Seattle’s Triple Door in spring of 2007, the band has been featured on KING TV Channel 5's Northwest Evening Magazine, KCPQ Q13's “Morning Show,” Seattle Channel’s “Art Zone,” KZOK radio’s “The Bob Rivers Show,” KEXP and more. They made their first Vashon appearance when they headlined VAA’s World Music Festival in 2009. Listen at manooghihi.com. - Island Arts
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Hear world music when VAA New Works Series brings Avaaza to stage. Influenced by music from the Mediterranean region, including Flamenco, Gypsy, Arabic, Persian and North African, Avazza (Persian for ‘voice’) is also inspired by music of the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. The eight-member band includes: Azula Phillips, vocals; Jason Everett, bass; Terri Garrett, clarinet; Charles Reed, guitar; Michael Nageub, flute and keyboard; Tracy Helming, violin; George Sadak, drums; S. Chandra Naraine, percussion. Together the group captures flavors of both traditional and current world music through their own innovative arrangements.
“This concert will combine music that is appropriate to sit and enjoy,” says Everett, “everything from meditative to lively.” The group, half Islanders and half from Seattle, meets twice a month to rehearse. “We inspire each other; we each bring so many different elements to the music,” says Phillips. “We’re pushing our creative envelopes. The band’s vibe is fantastic, and there’s a high level of musicianship,” adds Everett. “Covering other composers’ music has helped us define our sound.”
Azula studied classical vocal training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura. She moved to Europe where she learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.
Everett, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and back-up vocalist, plays stringed and percussive instruments including seven-string fretted and fretless bass guitars and an electric sitar of his own design.
Garrett, professional clarinetist and teacher, is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and freelances with the Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet and more.
Reed has sung and played guitar for three decades, from folk and country to jazz and rock. Nageub studied nay (Egyptian flute) and keyboard at the University of Helwan Arabic Music Institute, and then performed at the Cairo Opera House for 4 years before moving to Seattle where he teaches.
Tracy Helming received a master's degree in violin performance from the Yale School of Music and has performed with artists from Itzhak Perlman to John Denver. A passionate performer of Middle Eastern dance, she has won numerous national competitions.
Born in Egypt, Geoge Sadak, internationally recognized drummer and Egyptian tabla (doumbek) player, has played professionally for most of his life in a variety of music styles including Middle Eastern, jazz, Balkan and Arabic.
S. Chandra Naraine, born in Guyana, South America, plays instruments including the darbukkah (Egyptian tabla), duff, tar, bendir and doira framedrums and Riq.
-by Janice Randall
VAA New Works Series
Avaaza
Saturday, March 10
7:30 pm
Tickets: $12/$15 VAA, Heron’s Nest, Vashon Bookshop, brownpapertickets.com
- Island Arts
Hear world music when VAA New Works Series brings Avaaza to stage. Influenced by music from the Mediterranean region, including Flamenco, Gypsy, Arabic, Persian and North African, Avazza (Persian for ‘voice’) is also inspired by music of the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. The eight-member band includes: Azula Phillips, vocals; Jason Everett, bass; Terri Garrett, clarinet; Charles Reed, guitar; Michael Nageub, flute and keyboard; Tracy Helming, violin; George Sadak, drums; S. Chandra Naraine, percussion. Together the group captures flavors of both traditional and current world music through their own innovative arrangements.
“This concert will combine music that is appropriate to sit and enjoy,” says Everett, “everything from meditative to lively.” The group, half Islanders and half from Seattle, meets twice a month to rehearse. “We inspire each other; we each bring so many different elements to the music,” says Phillips. “We’re pushing our creative envelopes. The band’s vibe is fantastic, and there’s a high level of musicianship,” adds Everett. “Covering other composers’ music has helped us define our sound.”
Azula studied classical vocal training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura. She moved to Europe where she learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.
Everett, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and back-up vocalist, plays stringed and percussive instruments including seven-string fretted and fretless bass guitars and an electric sitar of his own design.
Garrett, professional clarinetist and teacher, is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and freelances with the Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet and more.
Reed has sung and played guitar for three decades, from folk and country to jazz and rock. Nageub studied nay (Egyptian flute) and keyboard at the University of Helwan Arabic Music Institute, and then performed at the Cairo Opera House for 4 years before moving to Seattle where he teaches.
Tracy Helming received a master's degree in violin performance from the Yale School of Music and has performed with artists from Itzhak Perlman to John Denver. A passionate performer of Middle Eastern dance, she has won numerous national competitions.
Born in Egypt, Geoge Sadak, internationally recognized drummer and Egyptian tabla (doumbek) player, has played professionally for most of his life in a variety of music styles including Middle Eastern, jazz, Balkan and Arabic.
S. Chandra Naraine, born in Guyana, South America, plays instruments including the darbukkah (Egyptian tabla), duff, tar, bendir and doira framedrums and Riq.
-by Janice Randall
VAA New Works Series
Avaaza
Saturday, March 10
7:30 pm
Tickets: $12/$15 VAA, Heron’s Nest, Vashon Bookshop, brownpapertickets.com
- Island Arts
Hear world music when VAA New Works Series brings Avaaza to stage. Influenced by music from the Mediterranean region, including Flamenco, Gypsy, Arabic, Persian and North African, Avazza (Persian for ‘voice’) is also inspired by music of the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. The eight-member band includes: Azula Phillips, vocals; Jason Everett, bass; Terri Garrett, clarinet; Charles Reed, guitar; Michael Nageub, flute and keyboard; Tracy Helming, violin; George Sadak, drums; S. Chandra Naraine, percussion. Together the group captures flavors of both traditional and current world music through their own innovative arrangements.
“This concert will combine music that is appropriate to sit and enjoy,” says Everett, “everything from meditative to lively.” The group, half Islanders and half from Seattle, meets twice a month to rehearse. “We inspire each other; we each bring so many different elements to the music,” says Phillips. “We’re pushing our creative envelopes. The band’s vibe is fantastic, and there’s a high level of musicianship,” adds Everett. “Covering other composers’ music has helped us define our sound.”
Azula studied classical vocal training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura. She moved to Europe where she learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.
Everett, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and back-up vocalist, plays stringed and percussive instruments including seven-string fretted and fretless bass guitars and an electric sitar of his own design.
Garrett, professional clarinetist and teacher, is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and freelances with the Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet and more.
Reed has sung and played guitar for three decades, from folk and country to jazz and rock. Nageub studied nay (Egyptian flute) and keyboard at the University of Helwan Arabic Music Institute, and then performed at the Cairo Opera House for 4 years before moving to Seattle where he teaches.
Tracy Helming received a master's degree in violin performance from the Yale School of Music and has performed with artists from Itzhak Perlman to John Denver. A passionate performer of Middle Eastern dance, she has won numerous national competitions.
Born in Egypt, Geoge Sadak, internationally recognized drummer and Egyptian tabla (doumbek) player, has played professionally for most of his life in a variety of music styles including Middle Eastern, jazz, Balkan and Arabic.
S. Chandra Naraine, born in Guyana, South America, plays instruments including the darbukkah (Egyptian tabla), duff, tar, bendir and doira framedrums and Riq.
-by Janice Randall
VAA New Works Series
Avaaza
Saturday, March 10
7:30 pm
Tickets: $12/$15 VAA, Heron’s Nest, Vashon Bookshop, brownpapertickets.com
- Island Arts
An accomplished and well-traveled group of musicians will bring their new band, Avaaza, to the Blue Heron stage on Saturday.
Avaaza — named after the Persian word for “voice” — plays a world music amalgam inspired by the vibrant cultures and sounds of the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia.
According to band member Jason Everett, concert-goers can also expect to hear some Gypsy and Turkish tunes as well.
“The band’s intent is to be contemporary, danceable, accessible and really fun,” Everett said.
For Everett, who has a day job as a firefighter, recruiting the band’s personnel has been a musical treasure hunt.
He said he worked with Avaaza’s lead singer, Azula, to find players who were eager to share the group’s ecumenical approach to world music.
“One by one we started adding people,” he said.
The band now has eight members playing a range of exotic instruments, including the nay (Egypian flute), darbukkah (Egyptian tabla) and an electric sitar. Everett holds down the bass line in the band, plays the sitar and sings back-up vocals. He also contributes arrangements and composes songs.
Azula, who had classical training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura before moving to Europe in the 1990s, said she was thrilled to be a part of the band.
The Michigan-born songbird, who learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian while living in Paris and Vienna, enthusiastically dove into the local music scene when she moved to Vashon in 2010.
Coming to Vashon, she said, gave her a chance to reconnect with her own passion for performing — something she had put on hold in recent years while working as a consultant, project manger and organizer in the nonprofit world.
“(Vashon) was a very rich place to discover what was percolating and what I wanted to plug into,” she said.
Noting the talents of her fellow band members, she added, “I couldn’t be more humble to be involved with them.”
The band also includes Charles Reed on guitar and Terri Garrett, a clarinetist who is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and a freelancer with the both the Seattle and Tacoma Symphonies.
Everett and Azula also recruited flutist and keyboardist Michael Nageub and drummer George Sadak to be in the band. Both Nageub and Sakak were born in Egypt and have had long careers as musicians.
S. Chandra Naraine, another percussionist for the group, was born in Guyana, South America. Rounding out the group is Tracy Helming, a violinist who is also a professional belly dancer.
Everett said he’s looking forward to the show at the Blue Heron, which will be the band’s second gig. The first show took place at the Red Bicycle Bistro, where he said the dance floor was packed.
This time around, he said, the show will be only a little more sedate.
“We’re selected a repertoire that is a little more technical and challenging, that the audience can sit and listen to,” he said. “But if people want to get up and dance we’re not going to stop them.”
- Vashon Maury Beachcomber
An accomplished and well-traveled group of musicians will bring their new band, Avaaza, to the Blue Heron stage on Saturday.
Avaaza — named after the Persian word for “voice” — plays a world music amalgam inspired by the vibrant cultures and sounds of the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia.
According to band member Jason Everett, concert-goers can also expect to hear some Gypsy and Turkish tunes as well.
“The band’s intent is to be contemporary, danceable, accessible and really fun,” Everett said.
- Vashon Maury Beachcomber
An accomplished and well-traveled group of musicians will bring their new band, Avaaza, to the Blue Heron stage on Saturday.
Avaaza — named after the Persian word for “voice” — plays a world music amalgam inspired by the vibrant cultures and sounds of the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia.
According to band member Jason Everett, concert-goers can also expect to hear some Gypsy and Turkish tunes as well.
“The band’s intent is to be contemporary, danceable, accessible and really fun,” Everett said.
For Everett, who has a day job as a firefighter, recruiting the band’s personnel has been a musical treasure hunt.
He said he worked with Avaaza’s lead singer, Azula, to find players who were eager to share the group’s ecumenical approach to world music.
“One by one we started adding people,” he said.
The band now has eight members playing a range of exotic instruments, including the nay (Egypian flute), darbukkah (Egyptian tabla) and an electric sitar. Everett holds down the bass line in the band, plays the sitar and sings back-up vocals. He also contributes arrangements and composes songs.
Azula, who had classical training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura before moving to Europe in the 1990s, said she was thrilled to be a part of the band.
The Michigan-born songbird, who learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian while living in Paris and Vienna, enthusiastically dove into the local music scene when she moved to Vashon in 2010.
Coming to Vashon, she said, gave her a chance to reconnect with her own passion for performing — something she had put on hold in recent years while working as a consultant, project manger and organizer in the nonprofit world.
“(Vashon) was a very rich place to discover what was percolating and what I wanted to plug into,” she said.
Noting the talents of her fellow band members, she added, “I couldn’t be more humble to be involved with them.”
The band also includes Charles Reed on guitar and Terri Garrett, a clarinetist who is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and a freelancer with the both the Seattle and Tacoma Symphonies.
Everett and Azula also recruited flutist and keyboardist Michael Nageub and drummer George Sadak to be in the band. Both Nageub and Sakak were born in Egypt and have had long careers as musicians.
S. Chandra Naraine, another percussionist for the group, was born in Guyana, South America. Rounding out the group is Tracy Helming, a violinist who is also a professional belly dancer.
Everett said he’s looking forward to the show at the Blue Heron, which will be the band’s second gig. The first show took place at the Red Bicycle Bistro, where he said the dance floor was packed.
This time around, he said, the show will be only a little more sedate.
“We’re selected a repertoire that is a little more technical and challenging, that the audience can sit and listen to,” he said. “But if people want to get up and dance we’re not going to stop them.” - Vashon Maury Beachcomber
An accomplished and well-traveled group of musicians will bring their new band, Avaaza, to the Blue Heron stage on Saturday.
Avaaza — named after the Persian word for “voice” — plays a world music amalgam inspired by the vibrant cultures and sounds of the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia.
According to band member Jason Everett, concert-goers can also expect to hear some Gypsy and Turkish tunes as well.
“The band’s intent is to be contemporary, danceable, accessible and really fun,” Everett said.
For Everett, who has a day job as a firefighter, recruiting the band’s personnel has been a musical treasure hunt.
He said he worked with Avaaza’s lead singer, Azula, to find players who were eager to share the group’s ecumenical approach to world music.
“One by one we started adding people,” he said.
The band now has eight members playing a range of exotic instruments, including the nay (Egypian flute), darbukkah (Egyptian tabla) and an electric sitar. Everett holds down the bass line in the band, plays the sitar and sings back-up vocals. He also contributes arrangements and composes songs.
Azula, who had classical training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura before moving to Europe in the 1990s, said she was thrilled to be a part of the band.
The Michigan-born songbird, who learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian while living in Paris and Vienna, enthusiastically dove into the local music scene when she moved to Vashon in 2010.
Coming to Vashon, she said, gave her a chance to reconnect with her own passion for performing — something she had put on hold in recent years while working as a consultant, project manger and organizer in the nonprofit world.
“(Vashon) was a very rich place to discover what was percolating and what I wanted to plug into,” she said.
Noting the talents of her fellow band members, she added, “I couldn’t be more humble to be involved with them.”
The band also includes Charles Reed on guitar and Terri Garrett, a clarinetist who is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and a freelancer with the both the Seattle and Tacoma Symphonies.
Everett and Azula also recruited flutist and keyboardist Michael Nageub and drummer George Sadak to be in the band. Both Nageub and Sakak were born in Egypt and have had long careers as musicians.
S. Chandra Naraine, another percussionist for the group, was born in Guyana, South America. Rounding out the group is Tracy Helming, a violinist who is also a professional belly dancer.
Everett said he’s looking forward to the show at the Blue Heron, which will be the band’s second gig. The first show took place at the Red Bicycle Bistro, where he said the dance floor was packed.
This time around, he said, the show will be only a little more sedate.
“We’re selected a repertoire that is a little more technical and challenging, that the audience can sit and listen to,” he said. “But if people want to get up and dance we’re not going to stop them.” - Vashon Maury Beachcomber
An accomplished and well-traveled group of musicians will bring their new band, Avaaza, to the Blue Heron stage on Saturday.
Avaaza — named after the Persian word for “voice” — plays a world music amalgam inspired by the vibrant cultures and sounds of the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia.
According to band member Jason Everett, concert-goers can also expect to hear some Gypsy and Turkish tunes as well.
“The band’s intent is to be contemporary, danceable, accessible and really fun,” Everett said.
For Everett, who has a day job as a firefighter, recruiting the band’s personnel has been a musical treasure hunt.
He said he worked with Avaaza’s lead singer, Azula, to find players who were eager to share the group’s ecumenical approach to world music.
“One by one we started adding people,” he said.
The band now has eight members playing a range of exotic instruments, including the nay (Egypian flute), darbukkah (Egyptian tabla) and an electric sitar. Everett holds down the bass line in the band, plays the sitar and sings back-up vocals. He also contributes arrangements and composes songs.
Azula, who had classical training as a mezzo-soprano coloratura before moving to Europe in the 1990s, said she was thrilled to be a part of the band.
The Michigan-born songbird, who learned to sing in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian while living in Paris and Vienna, enthusiastically dove into the local music scene when she moved to Vashon in 2010.
Coming to Vashon, she said, gave her a chance to reconnect with her own passion for performing — something she had put on hold in recent years while working as a consultant, project manger and organizer in the nonprofit world.
“(Vashon) was a very rich place to discover what was percolating and what I wanted to plug into,” she said.
Noting the talents of her fellow band members, she added, “I couldn’t be more humble to be involved with them.”
The band also includes Charles Reed on guitar and Terri Garrett, a clarinetist who is a member of Northwest Sinfonietta and a freelancer with the both the Seattle and Tacoma Symphonies.
Everett and Azula also recruited flutist and keyboardist Michael Nageub and drummer George Sadak to be in the band. Both Nageub and Sakak were born in Egypt and have had long careers as musicians.
S. Chandra Naraine, another percussionist for the group, was born in Guyana, South America. Rounding out the group is Tracy Helming, a violinist who is also a professional belly dancer.
Everett said he’s looking forward to the show at the Blue Heron, which will be the band’s second gig. The first show took place at the Red Bicycle Bistro, where he said the dance floor was packed.
This time around, he said, the show will be only a little more sedate.
“We’re selected a repertoire that is a little more technical and challenging, that the audience can sit and listen to,” he said. “But if people want to get up and dance we’re not going to stop them.”
- Vashon Maury Beachcomber
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Azula began her vocal training in the opera (she studied classical vocal training as a mezzo-soprano colorotura at Hope College in Holland, Michigan). She became enamored with foreign languages and moved to Europe where she lived in France and Austria, and was exposed to the languages of Eastern Europe. She taught herself to sing in many different languages while performing professionally in Chicago Illinois and currently speaks / sings in seven different languages including French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic. She is studying independently to complete a sound healing certification course in the near future.
Charles Reed has been playing guitar (along with other stringed instruments) and singing, for over 30 years, in a variety of professional settings, from folk and country, to jazz and rock. He has recorded and performed with members of Jeff Lorber Fusion and has recorded with the LA-based group Boy Meets Girl. Most recently, Charles performed at the Tucson Folk Festival. His long-standing love for world music now comes to fruition in Avaaza.
Michael Nageub studied nay at the University of Helwan Arabic Music Institute, then performed on nay and keyboard at the Cairo Opera House for several years before moving to the United States. Michael represents the musical school of the Nile Delta in every way. He played in many bands in his home town Tanta, the biggest city in the Nile Delta, and all over Egypt between 2002-2008, and also played nay at the Cairo Opera House. He performed with the St. George Coptic Church Band for Coptic hymns from 1999 till 2007 when he moved to the US. He now teaches nay and arabic musical theory and, along with Tracy Helming, is the co-founder of the Seattle Middle Eastern Orchestra.
Tracy Helming received a master's degree in violin performance from the Yale School of Music, and was a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra for 7 years. She has performed with a variety of well-known artists ranging from Itschak Perlman to John Denver. She is also a Suzuki violin instructor, and teaches at festivals and institutes throughout the Northwest and Alaska. She began playing arabic music in 2009, studying with Simon Shaheen at the Arabic Music Retreat, and with Dr. Alfred Gamil and Saad Mohammed Hassan in Cairo. She performs with Shoruk, a Middle Eastern music ensemble based in Seattle, in venues ranging from elementary schools to Benaroya Hall. She is the founder of the Seattle Middle Eastern Orchestra. She is also a passionate performer of Middle Eastern dance, and has won numerous national competitions. She studies, performs and teaches around the country and in Egypt.
Geoge Sadak is an internationally recognized drummer and Egyptian tabla player (dumbek) who has played professionally for most of his life in a variety of styles including Middle Eastern music, Jazz, Balkan and Arabic music. He was born and trained in Egypt, and is considered one of the finest Egyptian tabla players alive today. George’s musical versatility has enabled
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