Omar Souleyman is a folk-pop singer from rural northeastern Syria. Like many Syrian musicians, he made his name as a singer for wedding parties in the region, with hundreds of cassettes and CDs documenting his performances distributed throughout the country. These, along with several studio albums, earned him legendary status in the Syrian dabke scene throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. After his 2005 breakthrough folk-hit Khataba, Omar gained wider recognition throughout the Arab world.
After collecting his tapes for a decade, Sublime Frequencies released the first compilation of Omar Souleyman tracks to be distributed in the West. The success of Highway to Hassake (2007), and the enthusiastic online reaction to the promotional clip for his track Leh Jani, led to Omar being invited to tour the UK and Europe in the summer of 2009. It would be his first time performing or travelling outside of the Arab world.
He and his group, comprised of two longtime collaborators – Rizan Sa'id on keyboards, and electric saz player Ali Shaker - set off on a six-week Sublime Frequencies tour with label-mates Group Doueh. By the end of 2009, Omar had proven that his unique and charismatic delivery of Syrian electrified folkloric dabke, Iraqi choubi and Arabic shaabi had the ability to appeal to the most diverse of western audiences. His success has continued, with further tours throughout Europe, America and Australia drawing rave reviews and leaving a trail of fervor across the globe.
The rise of Omar's success has transcended the wedding halls and cassette stalls of Syria and slipped into western popular consciousness. Despite there being no shortage of musical talent in Syria, dabke and otherwise, Omar Souleyman is the first Syrian musical export to have won the hearts of westerners and Arabs alike on this scale. His trademark checkered khaffya, sunglasses and elegant jalaba are not uncommon male attire in the Arab world, but for years in the west, it is that exact image which has been excessively demonized. Perhaps one of the most striking achievements of Omar's rise has been watching that iconic image transformed from comic book villainy to something positively regal.
The recordings on Haflat Gharbia – The Western Concerts, Omar Souleyman's fourth release on Sublime Frequencies, represent an hour of the best moments from the western tours between 2009 and 2011, captured in striking fidelity and intensity. Fans will recognize familiar songs, as well as previously unreleased material presented here for the first time, in what is the biggest sounding Omar record yet.
credits
released October 28, 2010
From Northeastern Syria -
From the Jazeera region, and the Hassake governorate -
From the villages of Ras Al Ain and Tal Amir -
A1 - Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. 2010
A2 - Tufnell Park Dome, London, UK 2009
B1 - Sonar Festival, Barcelona, Spain 2009
B2 - Kortijk Conge Festival, Kortrijk, Belgium 2010
C1 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK 2010
C2 - Kortijk Conge Festival, Kortrijk, Belgium 2010
D1 - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, Australia 2011
D2 - Atlas (Voxhall), Aarhus, Denmark 2010
D3 - Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, Berlin, Germany 2009
Thanks to: Qu Junktions (Mark Slater & Chiz Williams), Alan Bishop, Hisham Mayet, Tom Bugs, Raed Yassin, Rasha Shaheen, Upset the Rhythm, Mehdi Dawood, UK Arts Council, Kais Maliki, Pete Scott, Matt Wascovich and all of the venues, promoters and sound people that made these concerts possible.
SUBLIME FREQUENCIES is a collective of explorers dedicated to exposing obscure sights and sounds from modern and traditional
urban and rural frontiers via film and video, field recordings, radio and short wave transmissions, international folk and pop music, sound anomalies, other forms of human and natural natural expression not documented sufficiently enough by various communication channels....more
supported by 4 fans who also own “Haflat Gharbia (The Western Concerts)”
This record has such a magical flow to it, it seems to capture so directly the ups and downs of life, the joy of music and dance, and it's just so damn catchy and fun to listen to as well. Giles
supported by 4 fans who also own “Haflat Gharbia (The Western Concerts)”
I didn't think primitively recorded foreign language covers of very old rock songs was my thing - but apparently it is. Fadoul belts out the numbers with conviction, the Arabic sounds great, the backing band are faultless, and the hard stripped-down arrangements work nicely, adding a punk sensibility to the proceedings. zaclang
This international compilation raises funds for members of the LGBTQ+ community impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey & Syria. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 30, 2023
On his second full-length for Mad Decent, the dabke singer dabbles in EDM while keeping the joyous fundamentals of his art intact. Bandcamp Album of the Day Nov 22, 2019