Charlie Bisharat

(Al-Banzi) (oud, ney, percussion) was born to one of the old Andalusian families (in Spanish) of Tetuan, Morocco who trace their roots back to Al-Andalus. He grew up immersed in the Andalusian tradition. Tarik later lived in Madrid, Spain throughout the 80's & moved in Flamenco, Jazz, and Middle Eastern music circles. Tarik formed the group Al-Fatihah with Judeo-Spanish musicologist Dr. Javier Sanchez, which has been recognized in Spain as the first group of Middle Eastern music. At the same time Tarik was collaborating and recording with flamenco masters such as Paco de Lucia, Manolo Sanlucar, Enrique Morente, Jorge Pardo & Carlos Benavent where Tarik introduced such mainstays into the flamenco sound as the darbuka (clay or metal drum) and Udu (clay pot drum). In the late 80's Tarik & Julia formed the group Amal together with Maria Ahmed, Rasgui Boujemaa. Tarik & Rasgui's students Fain Duenas and Vicente Molina later went on to form the group Radio Tarifa. In addition to his musical leanings, Tarik is an accomplished visual artist who completed his Doctoral studies in Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain (Ph.D (a.b.d.). You can see some of his works on this website. Tarik is the artistic director, co-founder, and composer of Al-Andalus.

(flamenco guitar, viola, percussion) Ethnomusicologist (Ph.D.) and Flamenco Guitarist, Julia is one of a very few female flamenco guitarists worldwide. She began guitar studies in San Francisco and later relocated to Spain for a decade where she continued to challenge the status quo. In Andalucia's Granada, Sanlucar de Barameda, and later at Madrid's Amor de Dios studios, Julia has studied with some of Spain's finest guitarists including Isidro Muñoz, Manolo Sanlucar, David Serva, Felipe Maya, Juan Maya "Marote and Rafael Morales. She later immersed herself in Classical Arabic & Ladino music & language and Classical Andalusian Music. Julia recently completed her doctoral dissertation "Flamenco Guitar Innovation and the Circumscription of Tradition" (06) in Ethnomusicology Ph.D. at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). Her MA thesis "Women's Andalusian Orchestras of Tetuan, Morocco" is available through ProQuest Digital Dissertations(#1413956). Julia is also preparing a book on her interviews and photographs with the late master of Andalusian music, el Maestro Mohammed ben Arbi Temsamani. Julia is a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and teaches guitar at Reed College in addition to private lessons. As an Ethnomusicologists, Julia is especially interested in constructing historical ethnographies-that is seeking ways in understanding how the long past influences and shapes present musical changes. The two main geographic areas she explores are North Africa and Spain. Her special interest is the melding of varied cultures and religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) converging in Al-Andalus (711-1492). In Morocco, her focus is on women's Andalusian ensembles. In Spain, she has focused on the flamenco guitar tradition and the processes of when, why, and how performance traditions become obsolete. She also enjoys teaching courses on American popular music and culture as well as the business of music and music technology. She is a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar who teaches at Reed College.

(vocals) was born in Bombay, India. Ethnically she hails from the southern Indian state of Tamilnadu and lived many years in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates. Ranjani learned Carnatic music in the classical tradition from the esteemed Gowri Natarajan and was aided by her mother, a talented Veena player. Ranjani is a versatile singer who has studied languages like ancient Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, and Arabic in addition to her native tongue of Tamil and the more familiar English and Hindi.

is a native of Kingston New York , he started playing violin at age seven. In 1970, he studied with violin virtuoso Eugen Prokop at the International Academy of Music Palma de Mallorca, Spain and was awarded a professional diploma in violin and chamber music. He received his MA in music from Ball State University in Indiana. During the early seventies Billy headed the music department at Mt. Angel College in Oregon. He has played swing jazz with Oregon's Everythings Jake, violin/fiddle with the Irish group Nightnoise which he co-founded on the Windham Hill label. Billy recorded and toured the US and Canada with Al Andalus and much of our album "Illumination" was recorded in his studio. To date he has engineered/produced over 50 cds on several international labels.

Maria Jose Franco: In Spain, we have been collaborating with flamenco dancer MaJose Franco. She belongs to the contemporary young Andalucian elite. Flamenco dancer from a very young age, MaJose began her formation under Angelita Gómez and Manolo Marín with later studies with Carmen Cortés, Matilde Coral, El Güito, Manolete, La Yerbabuena, Antonio Canales and Mario Maya.

Maria Jose Franco is premier dancer for Paco Pena (www.PacoPena.com). She began performing alongside Antonio El Pipa, but has now been touring with her own company for quite some time (www.mariajosefranco.com)

(violinist/singer) Famous throughout Morocco, the Chekara's are among the most faithful interpreters of Arab-Andalusian music. Through his musical collaborations with musicians such as Yehudi Menuhin, Michael Lyman & Enrique Morente, the famed Abdesadek Chekara ensemble has long received international recognition. In addition to his participation as the youngest member in the Chekara ensemble, Noureddine has been a professor of Andalusian music at the Tetuan Conservatory of Music since 1983. Besides the learning he received at home, Noureddine studied and indeed later joined the orchestras of with Mohammed L'arbi Temmsamani, Mohammed Harazam, Mohammed ben Aid, Haj `Abdelkrim Raïss, & Mohammed El Brihi. Tuly the giants of Moroccan Andalusian music!

Of equal importance is Noureddine's lifelong participation in the Sufi Zawia Al-Harraqiya, a religious brotherhood recognized as one of the most influential Sufi orders connected to Andalusian music traditions in Morocco. Sufism, like Buddhism, is a way of life. It develops an inner way to mystical union with God. Noureddine's unfailing participation as a musician in the Zawia which connects with God through Andalusian music has been a constant affirmation of music as something with profound implications. Spirituality fills Noureddine, transmitting a calm and tranquil search, reaching out to bring us closer to the divine.

(vocals) from Conil de la Frontera, Spain. Conil is located in cradle of flamenco, southern Andalucia. She is part of a new wave of vocalists that is descending upon Andalusian folk music, ready to defend and to enrich different schools of cante. Her voice combines her Andalusian heritage, flamenco, canto Lirico Espanol as well as her classical vocal training she received later in life at conservatories in Conil, Sevilla and Madrid. Marrying tradition and progress, this young cantora presents varied offerings with a capacity to look outward toward other terrains while her musicality and sense of rhythm project a clear intention to maintain Andalucia's vitality by marrying tradition and progress with skill and know how.

Past and ongoing Touring roster

(dance) is the youngest member of al-Andalus and was 'born dancing' Zahra was fortunate to have spent her infancy in the studios of Mary Oslund & Co and begin formal studies at age four as a classical ballet scholarship student at the Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) and later at Dance Unlimited in Santa Barbara, California. Zahras professional carrier began at age 13 when she danced and choreographed for the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance Teen Choreography Showcase. She has since gone on to performed at the Smithsonian Museum, National Building Museum, Ford Center and more. Enrolled at the Los Angeles High School for the Arts (LACHSA) where she is fortunate to study under Lois Hunter (Senior Program Specialist Dance/Theater), Ka-Ron Lehman, Mr. Almaguer (Cuba), Reggae Brown (lyrical modern), Danashanti Harter (ballet),Beth Hirschhaut-Iguchi (ballet), Don Martin (Horton), Rebecca Newport (ballet), Vera Ninkovic (ballet), Lawrence Rosenberg (ballet) She spent her summers between Tangier, Morocco and at DADA, studio of academy award filmstar, dancer & choreographer Debbie Allen and Master Teacher Adrienne Dellas Thorton of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (home of the hit television series and reality show Fame). Zahra trained under Nina Kolenskinov (Kirov Ballet) Vitaly Artuishkin and Alla Khaniashvili former principal dancers with the Bolshoi Ballet, Stephen Smith and Karen McDonald (modern), Ava Bernstein (hip-hop), Titus Fotso (African), Sarah Anindo Marshall (Dunham) and Janson Samuels Smith (tap).

Zahra is currently a second year student the California Institute for the Arts, Walt Disney School of Dance (www.CalArts.edu).

(ney, vocals, kamanja, percussion) hails from Marrakech, Morocco, where he studied the ney with local masters. He made his first public appearance as flutist with the Marrakech Orchestra of Modern Music and went on to play in different groups accompanying national singers of Morocco. Rasgui first joined Tarik & Julia Banzi in Madrid in 1987 and has since gone on to perform in a wide variety of performance settings throughout Spain, Morocco, France, Canada and the United States.

was one of the earliest members of Al-Andalus. She had first exposure to Spanish dance through her mother, a pianist at a Spanish dance academy in Monterey, Mexico. As a child she studied Spanish dance with Luisa Galiano in Mexico and later trained in classical ballet, she is an experienced professional in the world of Spanish dance, both in flamenco and in Spanish classical dance. She has performed with such prestigious dance companies and artists as Jose Greco, Gisela Noriegaís Ballet Espanol, Eduardo Montemayor Fantasia Espanola, La Chiquiís Compania de Arte Espanol, Jose Molina, Sara deLuis and Manolo Rivera. and has trained with dance masters such as Jose Molina, Sara de Luis, Nana Lorca, Jose Greco, La Cintia, Paco Romero, Ciro, Carmen Linares ìLa Chiquiî and Teo Morca.

(dance) has been acclaimed as "brilliant and charismatic." She has been dancing since she was 9, training in classical ballet and is now known one of the West Coast's foremost female flamenco dancers. Her flamenco studies started in Sevilla where she has studied under Angelita Vargas and José Galván. In Madrid, Ana studied with many of the most well known and respected flamenco artists including Ciro, La Tati, El Güito and Merce Esmeralda. Ana danced professionally in the US with Rosa Montoya Bailes Flamencos and in Spain, Europe, and Mexico where she danced professionally for 7 years. These years include dancing with the Ballet Español del Camborio, the Ballet Español de Fernando Romero and El Burrero Peña Flamenca in Madrid. Ana has been performing, producing shows and teaching from her studio Flamenco Danzarte in downtown Seattle since 1991.

(percussion) was born in Lima, Peru, where, after traveling around the world for much of his youth, he began to study drum-set and hand percussion at age thirteen. His professional music career began at age fifteen in Portland where he met the group Al Andalus with whom, he traveled, performed, and recorded. In 1996, he won a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA), from where he now holds a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor's Degree in Drum-Set Performance. He has traveled as a performer to Europe, Canada, South America, and within the U.S.A., performing alongside Simon Shahin and Jamey Haddad amongst others. Martin is now one of the principal drummers for Pink Martini, amongst others.

began Classical piano lessons at age seven and continued through to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a teenager with further studies in Europe. Joe has toured and recorded with a wide variety ofwell known artists such as Quincy Jones, Robben Ford, Robert Cray, Archie Shepp, Eddie Harris, Steve Miller, Ronnie Montrose, and many more. He toured, recorded with the Steve Miller's Blues Band, where Joe wooed crowds and press reporters as a featured soloist. His first CD recently won him top ten honors in Jazziz Magazine's Keyboards On Fire national contest. He is currently appearing with the Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band, and the Patty Austin Band.

CHARLIE BISHARAT (violin) While you might not recognize the name, you would instantly identify the violin artistry of Charlie Bisharat. His work has graced the albums of such pop phenoms as Alanis Morisette, The Rolling Stones, Jane's Addiction, and Aerosmith. His diversity can be heard on the works of Jazz and World Music artists Strunz & Farah, Don Grusin, and Oscar Castro-Neves. And his accomplishments have been featured in scores of soundtracks from Swordfish, Texas Rangers, Steal Big Steal Little to on-screen performances of Austin Powers Gold Member, The Drew Carey Show and Friends. A Grammy Award-winning performer, Mr. Bisharat has toured the world time and again with Jazz and New Age groups as varied as Shadowfax, Kitaro, Yanni and John Tesh.