Hello everyone,

I want to share information with you about an fantastic performance
coming up as part of the Minnesota sur Seine Music Festival. I have
copied the press release describing this event to the bottom of this
message.

This year the festival is bringing to the Twin Cities the
Moroccan/Berber women's ensemble, B'Net Houariyat. They are an
amazing group of 6 women who sing, dance, play percussion and chant
in a traditional style. In addition to their traditional music, B'Net
Houariyat have also done some interesting experiments with musicians
from other genres, including Minneapolis' own free jazz trio, Happy
Apple. The lead singer has also recently performed with Pat Metheny.

B'Net Houariyat will be performing here on Saturday, Oct. 21 at
O'Shaughnessy Auditorium as part of the College of St. Catherine's
Women of Substance series. In addition to a set of more traditional
music, they will be joined that evening by local jazz trio Fat Kid
Wednesdays - meeting and working together for the first time in the
days prior to their show. It should be wonderful event.

Tickets are $24 and can be purchased through the O'Shaugnessy box
office. See our website www.surseine.org for more information on
ticket puchases.

I am a volunteer and board member of MN sur Seine [as well as a lover
of music of the Middle East, especially Turkey which is my own
heritage/background] and am trying to spread the word as widely as
possible about this very special show. Please feel free to forward
the information widely!

Thanks.

Melis


******************************
For immediate release:


The Moroccan/Berber Women of B'net Houariyat with Fat Kid Wednesdays
at O'Shaughnessy on October 21 as part of Minnesota sur Seine Festival

St. Paul, MN, October 10, 2006 – B'net Houariyat will perform
as part of the Minnesota sur Seine Festival, co-presented with
the "Women of Substance" series, at The O'Shaughnessy in St. Paul on
Saturday, October 21, 2006 at 8:00 pm. Hailing from Morocco, each of
the six Berber women in the group sings, plays percussion and dances,
entrancing audiences with their energy, humor and topical
spirituality. The O'Shaughnessy is located at 2004 Randolph Ave on
the College of St. Catherine campus. Tickets are $24 and can be
obtained by calling (651) 690-6700 or by visiting www.surseine.com.
Complete schedules and information on the more than 20 Minnesota sur
Seine Festival performances are posted on the website.

B'net Houariyat is an ensemble of six women musicians whose
traditional song, dance, chant and drumming are rooted in sub-Saharan
Africa and the Berber oral tradition. Living in the region of
Marrakech in Morocco and led by singer Khadija El Ouarzazia, B'net
Houariyat is one of the rare groups including the Houari Tqil from
Marrakech and the Houari Farda from Houmada. B'net Houariyat perform
dances traditional to their own tribe, the Houari, as well as dances
from other Berber traditions. Their vocal repertoire includes Aïta
(feminine seduction call) and chaâbi (a popular style from which raï
music originated). With humor and energy, B'net Houariyat are also
transgressing the clichés of the condition of women in Islamic
countries. They are denouncing arranged marriages with an old and
rich man; they are mocking false pride and condemning fanaticism
(that they also find in the Western music world). The group's
innovative style has been recognized by top musicians. Lead singer
Khadija recently performed with Pat Metheny in Morocco. Their
exhilarating performances have moved audiences far and wide.

Joining the women of B'Net Houariyat in this evening of
musical exploration is the local jazz trio Fat Kid Wednesdays. Fat
Kid Wednesdays are true musical storytellers, weaving frenetic sound
pictures with revealing musical spaces. Michael Lewis (saxophone)
counts Happy Apple and Fog among his associations. With a keen sense
of melody and superb technique, Lewis' vein-popping reed work
exhilarates. Adam Linz (acoustic bass) is a member of GloryLand
PonyCat, among others. JT Bates' résumé includes drumming for the
Motion Poets and Dean Magraw. To call Adam and JT a rhythm section
fails to give them credit for their conversational style.

For complete schedules, information, artists biographies and
tickets, please visit www.surseine.com or call (651) 292-9746.