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Previous performances



Thursday 17 December 2009
Tzavta, Spiro Ark’s Israeli Cultural Department, presents
A HANUKKAH CELEBRATION WITH RIVERS OF BABYLON

Come and celebrate Hanukkah with Rivers of Babylon in a musical feast of Songs and Instrumentals
from Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel and India.

Join us in singing your favourite Hanukkah songs.
Seasonal refreshments of Samosas and Sufganiyot (doughnuts) provided! 7.30pm (doors open at 7pm)    
Spiro Ark Centre
25 – 26 Enford St
London W1 1DW
Tel: 020 7723 9991
Tickets £10 (concessions £8, for full-time students and children up to the age of 13) (+£1 booking fee)
Nearest Underground: Marylebone Station
education@spiroark.org    <www.spiroark.org>

Rivers of Babylon @ Tzavta-Spiro Ark
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), David Burman (keyboard), Keith Clouston ('oud),
Camille Maalawy (vocals), Saeed Nathan (Druze and Indian pipes, sba’ten, vocals),
Raphael Rasooly (vocals, violin), Barry Solomon (vocals, oboe, cor anglais, sba’ten),
Pamela Solomon (vocals, tambourine), Solly Solomon (vocals), Susan Verney (violin)


Sunday 17 May 2009 
Rivers of Babylon, in partnership with the Spiro Ark, in
An Evening of Eastern Promise
– From Baghdad to Bollywood
with special guest, Sohaib Al-Rajab (joza: spike fiddle)

at the Harrow Arts Centre, Travellers Studio                 

An exciting programme of music in the Babylonian (Iraqi) and Bene Israel (Indian) Jewish traditions, sung in Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic and Marathi. Arabic folk songs, Middle Eastern instrumentals and Vintage Bollywood songs.

7:30 pm
£10 (concessions £8)
Group Bookings: Buy 10 tickets, get 1 FREE; Family tickets £30

Harrow Arts Centre, Travellers Studio
Uxbridge Road, Hatch End
Middlesex, HA5 4EA
Tel. 020 8416 8989

www.harrowarts.com

To buy tickets in advance:

http://www.harrowarts.com/events_music_The-Rivers-of-Babylon_46.html

Rivers of Babylon @ Harrow Arts Centre
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), David Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (mandolin), Keith Clouston ('oud), Saeed Nathan (Druze and Indian pipes, sba’ten), Naomi Rasooly (tambourine), Raphael Rasooly (vocals), Barry Solomon (vocals, oboe, cor anglais, sba’ten), Pamela Solomon (vocals), Solly Solomon (vocals)


Wednesday 11th February 2009
Tune into
Rivers of Babylon on Resonance FM (104.4 FM)
on the London: Diaspora Live! programme
6pm - 7 pm

Rivers of Babylon is happy to share this programme with Igbo Voices
on Cultural Cooperation's weekly live broadcast
featuring live music from around the world and discussion from network members

http://www.culturalco-operation.org
http://resonancefm.com/schedule


Sunday 21 December 2008     
Celebrate Hanukkah!
with Rivers of Babylon @ the Spiro Ark
Join us in songs for Hanukkah from Israel and Iraq.
Jewish & Arabic songs and instrumentals from Iraq & the Middle East.
Songs from Jewish India.
7:30 pm
£10 (concessions £8, for full-time students and children up to the age of 13)
Presented by Tzavta at The Spiro Ark
The Spiro Ark Centre, 25-26 Enford Street, London, W1H 1DW
Tel. 020 7723 9991, Fax 020 7723 8191
Underground: Marylebone Station
education@spiroark.org    <www.spiroark.org>  


Sunday 28 September 2008
Music Music Music with Rivers of Babylon and Guests
Sohaib Al-Rajab (joza)
Ehsan Al-Emam ('oud)

@ the Marriott Hotel, Marble Arch

8 pm (doors open 7:30 pm)
Marriott Hotel, Marble Arch
134 George Street
London W1H 5DN
Tel: 020 7723 1277 (for general enquiries about the hotel -- directions, etc. )
Tickets £ 20 includes light refreshments: tea, coffee, biscuits.)
To book tickets in advance: telephone Danny Sasson on 078 130 22 770

Tickets available at the door on the night.

Rivers of Babylon  @ the Marriott Hotel
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), Money Azuelos (‘oud), David Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (mandolin), Anna Hirst (tambourine), Camille Maalawy (vocals), Saeed Nathan (Druze and Indian pipes, sba’ten), Barry Solomon (vocals, oboe, cor anglais, sba’ten), Pamela Solomon (vocals), Solly Solomon (vocals), Susan Verney (violin)


Thursday 17 July 2008
Date Palms and Tabernacles
Rivers of Babylon @ the Ark Gallery
Jewish & Arabic Songs and Instrumentals
From Iraq & the Middle East.
    8 pm
    The Ark Gallery
    The Old Stables Block  
    Longfield Avenue 
    (behind Ealing Town Hall)   
    London W5    2UQ
    Tel. 020 8810 1987
Suggested donation at the door on the night: £10, includes refreshments.


Sunday 9 December 2007 
Rivers of Babylon: Songs for Hanukkah and More! at the Spiro Ark
Join us in songs for Hanukkah from Israel and Iraq.
Also, Jewish & Arabic songs and instrumentals from Iraq & the Middle East.
Songs from Jewish India and Bollywood.
    7:30 pm (doors open 7pm)
    £10 (concessions £5, for students and under 13s)
    Presented by Tzavta at The Spiro Ark in association with the Jewish Museum, London
    The Spiro Ark Centre, 25-26 Enford Street, London, W1H 1DW
Underground: Baker Street

    Tel. 020 7723 9991, Fax 020 7723 8191
education@spiroark.org    www.spiroark.org
www.jewishmuseum.org.uk
Rivers of Babylon @ Tzavta-Spiro Ark


Thursday 11 October 2007
Rivers of Babylon at the East Finchley Arts Festival
Jewish and Arabic Songs and instrumentals from Iraq and the Middle East;
Bene Israel song from India; vintage Bollywood songs:

Dedicated to the Sixth Annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days.

7:30 pm

£10; concessions £8; children under 16 £1
All Saints, Durham Road, East Finchley, London N2.
The East Finchley Arts Festival supports the North London Hospice.
Tickets in advance from:
*Les Aldrich, 98 Fortis Green Road, London N10. Tel: 020 8883 5631
*Black Gull Books, 121 High Road, London N2 8AG. Tel: 020 8889 7112
*<http://www.eastfinchleyartsfestival.org.uk>
Underground: East Finchley


Evening in Baghdad,’ Rivers of Babylon with guest ‘oud virtuoso, Ehsan Alemam
Sunday 12 November

Ohel David Eastern Synagogue
Broadwalk Lane
London NW11
7:30pm

Tickets £15 must be purchased in advance.
Further details and tickets from the synagogue office: 020 8455 3491


Rivers of Babylon in a celebration of religious and secular Iraqi-Jewish musical traditions
as part of the celebrations marking the 350th Anniversary of the re-admittance of Jews to Britain
at
Trafalgar Square: 'Simcha on the Square' (full details on www.jmi.org.uk)
Sunday 17 September
1-7pm
 

Guest dancer, Deborah Rosenberg, joins Rivers of Babylon for part of our programme.
Don't miss us -- we are scheduled for a 20 minute spot, between 2:30 and 3 pm.

 Rivers of Babylon at Simcha on the Square
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), Dave Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (mandolin), Camille Maalawy (vocals), Saeed Nathan (Druze pipe, sba'ten), Barry Solomon (vocals, oboe, cor anglais), Pamela Solomon (vocals), Solly Solomon (vocals). Guest dancer: Deborah Rosenberg.


Thursday 6 July 2006
faithsounds III
In memory of Miriam Hyman
A concert of sacred music, including  
Rivers of Babylon: music of Jewish Iraq & Jewish India
and other sacred sounds from the world of faith
7.45 pm

South London Liberal Synagogue,
1 Prentis Road, Streatham, London SW16 1QB

Last year's faithsounds II was scheduled for 7 July, and had to be called off because of the bombs across London that day. Yet thanks to the determination of ordinary people of different faith communities, it went ahead at a later date in 2005.

This year, faithsounds III honours the memory of Miriam Hyman, a young Jewish woman who lost her life on 7/7. Miriam was linked by family background to South London Liberal Synagogue and to the Jewish community of Calcutta.

TICKETS £7 (£4 concessions) Refreshments included
On sale on the door from 6 pm
For more information: (020) 8769 4787
rabbi@southlondon.org



An opportunity to support the Miriam Hyman Memorial Fund, part of Orbis International,
combatting blindness in India and around the world:
www.miriam-hyman.com  

Rivers of Babylon at Faithsounds III
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), Dave Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (Mandolin), Saeed Nathan (Druze and Indian pipes, sba'ten), Barry Solomon (oboe, cor anglais), Pamela Solomon (vocals), Solly Solomon (vocals).

Part of Iraqi Music Week 19-23 June
at the School of Oriental and African Studies,
Russell Square, London WC1 (full contact details below).

1    Monday 19 June

Lecture: The maqamat of Iraqi music

presented by Yeheskel Kojaman author of ‘The Maqam Music Tradition of Iraq’ (London 2001)

6.30-9pm Khalili Lecture Theatre

 

2   Thursday 22 June
Illustrated Lecture: Music in the Iraqi Jewish tradition
presented by Sara Manasseh
6:30-8:30pm, Room L61

 3   Friday 23 June
Concert: A Musical Atlas of Iraq,
6-10 pm
(Admission free -- Donations welcome)

6-6:45pm Rivers of Babylon performs Iraqi Jewish song

                Sara Manasseh (leader, voice, dumbuk), David Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (mandolin), Camille Maalawy (voice), Barry Solomon (voice, oboe, cor anglais), Pamela Solomon (voice), Solly Solomon (voice), Susan Verney (violin). 

7-10pm    Arabic music from
Suhaib Al Rajb (joza)
Karim Hussein (singer)
               Ahmed Mukhtar ('oud) and Hassan Falikh (qanoun)
Abid Falak (singer)
the Sumer group
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre

All events at:....
School of Oriental and African Studies
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG

For full programme of Iraqi Music Week at SOAS please see:http://www.soas.ac.uk/summermusicschool/iraqi_music_week.html

It is possible to attend individual events.
£15 per lecture (concert free), and tickets must be booked in advance:
Tel: 020 7898 4515, Fax: 020 7898 4519
email:
worldmusic@soas.ac.uk
http://www.soas.ac.uk/summermusicschool
 


Sunday 11 June 2006

        Rivers of Babylon and Special Guests @ artsdepot

        ‘Oud solos by the virtuoso musician Ehsan Alemam,
        Middle Eastern dance by the fabulous dancer Deborah Rosenberg

        A concert of
        Iraqi-Jewish, Arabic, Bene Israel and Bollywood song, instrumentals
        7:30pm
        artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley,
        London N12

                www.artsdepot.co.uk             tel: 020 8369 5454
        tickets: £12 in advance £15 on the day

Rivers of Babylon
Sara Manasseh (leader, vocals, dumbuk), Dave Burman (keyboard), Solomon Elias (Mandolin), Camille Maalawy (vocals), Saeed Nathan (Druze and Indian pipes, sba'ten), Barry Solomon (oboe, cor anglais), Edward Solomon (vocals, tambourine), Pamela Solomon (vocals), Solly Solomon (vocals), Susan Verney (violin).

For public transport, the nearest underground stations are West Finchley and Woodside Park, both on the Northern Line, and about half a mile away from artsdepot.

The most convenient bus link is from Finchley Central, also on the Northern Line: the journey on buses 125, 460 or 82 along Ballards Lane takes approximately 5-10 minutes.

artsdepot is also served by buses 134, 263, 221.


Tuesday 22 November 2005 

Rivers of Babylon @ City University

with Guest dancer Deborah Rosenberg
 Evening in Baghdad and Bollywood: Music and Dance

Rivers of Babylon celebrates Iraqi-Jewish and secular Arabic song from Iraq, middle-eastern instrumentals, Bene Israel and vintage Bollywood song from India. Instruments include violin, flute, oboe, 'oud, mandolin, keyboard, drums and tambourine.

7pm, City University

Department of Music, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB

£5 (£2-50 concs.)
Tel: 020 7040 8284
http://www.city.ac.uk/concerts
 


Wednesday 16 November 2005

Rivers of Babylon @ The Sephardi Centre

with Guest soloist Ehsan Alemam ('oud)

 "The Jews were pioneers of Iraqi modern music and Rivers of Babylon are a renowned ensemble performing Iraqi-Jewish music. They have toured widely overseas and featured in BBC World broadcasts."

 An interval will include traditional refreshments.

8pm, The Sephardi Centre, Lauderdale Road Synagogue, 2 Ashworth Road, London W9

£25

Call 07765413858
http://www.harif.org


"Remembered Rhythms": A festival of diaspora and the music of India
2-22 February 2005
Lecture-performance tour of
7 cities in India
 

Click here for sights and sounds of this amazing tour.


Sara Manasseh and Rivers of Babylon have been invited by The Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology and the American Institute of Indian Studies, New Delhi, to participate in this amazing three-week tour of seven Indian University cities. The event is supported by the Ford Foundation. A short, introductory lecture precedes each concert. The events are open to University students and the general public. Admission free.

Here are details of the lecture-performance dates and venues:
Delhi: Sunday 6 February, Pearey Lal Bhavan, 7pm
Kolkata (Calcutta): Tuesday 8 February, Birla Hall, 6:30pm
Hyderabad: Thursday 10 February, University of Hyderabad: D S T Auditorium, 7pm
Chennai (Madras): Monday 14 February, Music Academy, 7pm
Bangalore: Thursday 17 February, A D A Ranga Mandira, 6:30pm
Pune (Poona): Sunday 20 February, Symbiosis: Vishwabhavan Auditorium, 6:30pm
Mumbai (Bombay): Tuesday 22 February, Patkar Hall, 8pm

For the full programme, including details of an introductory Seminar and other participating groups, please check out the website dedicated to the festival:
http://www.musicdiaspora.org
which will have up to date information, including any changes.


 

Middle Eastern Harmonies: A Concert for Peace

Thursday 21 October 2004
7pm
St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation
78 Bishopsgate
London EC2N 4AG

Admission free, though donations are welcome

020 7496 1614
www.stethelburgas.org

St Ethelburga’s was a small medieval church in the heart of the City of London, largely destroyed by a bomb in 1993. It is now rebuilt and dedicated as a Centre For Reconciliation and Peace. It hosts seminars, lectures and cultural events all focused on conflict transformation.



Evening in Baghdad: Jewish and Arabic Song
Sunday 3 October 2004 6pm
Clare Hall, Cambridge


Tuesday 29 June 2004 at 8:30 pm
Evening in Baghdad and Bollywood
Jewish, Arabic, Indian song and instrumentals

The Back Room Club, Torrington Arms,
4 Lodge Lane (off the High Road),
North Finchley, London N12

Tickets at the door: £6 (£5 concessions)

Relax in an informal atmosphere. Drinks available at the bar.
No smoking.


Sunday 16 May 2004 at 7.30 pm
From Baghdad to Bombay in Jewish and secular song

Following their appearance at the "Spirit of the Tigris" event last year,
RIVERS OF BABYLON return with a new programme to:
St Mark's Church, Myddelton Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 1XX

Further details and advance tickets, available soon, from:
http://www.onion.org.uk/Goodwill.htm

 

Sunday 26 October 2003
   Living in Harmony: A concert celebrating Arabic, Jewish and Muslim music
    Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music
    Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT
    7:30 pm   Tickets £10 on the door
Rivers of Babylon performs Iraqi-Jewish and Arabic songs for a 15 minute spot, in a programme shared with a number of artists.
All proceeds to: Neve Shalom ~ Wahat al-Salam, a village in Israel established jointly by Jews and Palestinian Arabs and engaged in educational work for peace, equality and understanding between the two peoples.
 
For further information on the concert, please contact the organisers:
Jeremy Haneman on 0780 372 9215 or Khaled Almalki on 0776 509 4374 or info@livinginharmony.org.uk
 


 Wednesday 5 November 2003 
Jewish and secular songs from Iraq and India, including Bollywood classics.
    The Nehru Centre,   8 South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF
    7pm Admission Free.
    Tel : 020 7491 3567; Fax : 020 7409 3360; E-mail : nehrucentre@btconnect.com; Website : www.nehrucentre.org


Sunday 23 November 2003
Artsdepot at The Bull
    68 High Street, Barnet EN5 5SJ
    8pm   -    £10/ £8 conc
    Rivers of Babylon with guest 'oud soloist, Ehsan Alemam.
    Our last concert at The Bull was sold out. Book early to be sure of a seat.
   
Tel : 020 8449 0048; Website : www.artsdepot.co.uk



Sunday 8 June 2003
 Iraqi-Jewish and vintage Iraqi Arabic secular song
The Ark Gallery, 197a South Ealing Road, South Ealing, London W3, 7:30 pm.
Tickets £10-00, in advance from the Ark Gallery: tel. 020 8232 8213
or, if available, at the door on the night (limited seating).
 

Saturday April 12, The Spirit of the Tigris
An evening of Iraqi music and poetry
St. Mark's Church, Myddelton Square, London EC1, 8 pm.
Rivers of Babylon performs at 9:45pm.
Tickets 12-50. Tel: 020 7833 9615 or email tigris@onion.org.uk
Full programme details at: http://www.onion.org.uk/tigris.htm


Sunday 23 March 2003    SOLD OUT At: ORT House
126 Alberet Street, London NW1, 7:30 pm.

Event presented by The Jewish Museum, in association with the Jewish Arts Festival.
Sponsored by Mr N E Dangoor and the Exilarch's Foundation.

An evening of Iraqi Jewish and secular song. Oud solos by guest artist Ehsan Alemam.

 


Rivers of Babylon performs songs in the Iraqi-Jewish tradition,
at Diaspora Music Village:
Sunday 7 July 2002, Regents Park, Hanover Gate entrance
(near Mosque), approx 1pm. Free admission.

Full programme 12pm - 9pm featuring local and international artists.
For more information and brochure about events at Diaspora Music Village
26 June – 14 July, contact Cultural Co-operation: 020 7456 0404;
www.culturalco-operation.org
For more information about Rivers of Babylon, contact Sara Manasseh,
using the contact form.


 Concert: Iraqi Jewish song, Iraqi secular song, ‘oud solos,
vintage Hindi popular song.
on: Sunday 5 May 2002, 8pm

at: The Bull Theatre, 68 High Street, Barnet EN5 5SJ. Box office 020 8449 0048.
www.thebull.org.uk

Tickets £9/£7 conc


Yom Atzmaut service, music and refreshments with the Sephardi congregation of Bevis Marks

on: Tuesday 16 April, 2002
at: Bevis Marks Synagogue, 2 Heneage Lane, London EC3A 5DQ, tel: 020 7626 1274
Service: 7:30 pm, followed by
Refreshments and music: 8:30-10pm
Iraqi-Jewish and Israeli song
No charge
 


 Concert: Songs of the Jewish Babylonian (Iraqi) tradition,
as well as songs in the Bene Israel (Indian) tradition
and vintage Hindi popular song.
on: Tuesday 12 March 2002, 7-8:15pm
at: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies),
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

Open to all, no charge, no booking


Rivers of Babylon perform Iraqi-Jewish song at the National Theatre Foyer, South Bank, London SE1 on  Wednesday 12 December, 2001 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
as part of the "Festival of Light"series


 Musical Supper Evening: "From Baghdad to Bombay" 
on: Tuesday 27 February 2001 at 8 pm in the Conservatory
at: The Sephardi Centre,  2 Ashworth Road, London W9 1JY
 
tel: Shelley 020 7266 3682 fax: 020 7289 5957
A sumptuous supper of specialist Indian Jewish cuisine,
followed by musical entertainment from "Rivers of Babylon". 


Friday 22 September 2000 - Lunchtime 12-2
Rivers of Babylon performs a programme of religious and
secular music in Hebrew and Arabic,
at "Platfrom 12" a new cultural Oasis in Kings Cross. 
For further details about Platform 12,
please call: 020 7837 5982.


Sunday 9 July 2000, 12:40-1:00 p.m.
at the Round Stage, Greenwich. (Entrance Fee).
Jewish Culture Day at the Dome, 11- 6
(Jubilee Line, North Greenwich Station)
Booking: 0870 606 2000


Sunday 2 July 2000, 1 - 1:30 p.m., at the 
Sacred Voices Millenium Music Village
Regents Park, Hanover Gate entrance. Free Admission.
Local and International Artists 12:30 - 8:30 p.m.


Monday 26 June, lunchtime concert 1:30-2:30 at
the 3rd London International Jewish Music Conference
SOAS, Russel Square, London WC1. (Admission £3)