Friday, March 9, 2024 (11:45 pm – 12:45 pm) (Scofield Hall 109)
Performance by Bayati: Bayati is a band formed of musicians local to Kansas City focused on playing classic songs from the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece. Percussion is a large part of the music, and rhythms are intricate, with many types of drums and drummers playing at once. All members of Bayati came together through their membership in the Traditional Music Society of Kansas City, a non-for profit aimed at providing music and dance classes and showcases to the community, and care about the core values of sharing these musical and dance traditions with the public. For Bayati, music and dance act as a way to build community and come together. Drumming and dance traditions in these cultures act as a way to form bonds and share experiences. The group aims to provide beauty to the community and a shared experience by introducing the community to another cultural tradition that can be shared. An experience based on music and dance stands in defiance of economic violence and social decay.
Amory Bottorff is a multi-instrumental musician based in Kansas City with a Bachelors in Music Performance from Western State University of Colorado. Violin has been his primary instrument for over 3 decades and he has branched out into the rest of the string family, Turkish oud, and a variety of Arabic percussion. He spent many years composing and arranging original music, as well as tributes to new and old music, concentrating on the Mediterranean region. Amory is also a member of the Shining Heart Sufi community as a regular musician. Most recently, Amory helped found the Bayati ensemble, performing tributes to the canon of Arabic classics.
Ashraf Imad is a multitalented percussionist from Iraq, who is now located in Kansas City. He learned Arabic percussion growing up, and focuses mainly on the doumbek. Ashraf has played for top middle eastern acts such as Arab-Iraqi superstar singer Mohamed Alsalim, located in Dubai, and pop star Dali from Iraq (now located in Michigan). He currently plays with the local musical group Bayati, and also with Sawa Company in Houston.
Nicholas Baker is a percussionist and multi-instrumentalist from Kansas City, MO who is devoted to the study and performance of traditional music from around the world. He has toured nationally and internationally with Iraqi oud player, Rahim AlHaj and latinx band, Baracutanga. Nick has nearly 20 years of experience as an music educator. He is currently director of bands at KIPP Legacy High School, and teaches private lessons in drum set and percussion at Kansas University and the Kansas City Rock Band and Guitar School. He holds music degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of New Mexico, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from UMKC.
Wisam Sarraji hails from Baghdad, Iraq, and has been living in the US for 15 years. He holds a Master’s degree from UMKC in electrical engineering, and works as Engineering Manager with B&V. Sam has been playing oud for 4 years, his primary instructor, Ahmed Burrow, is based out of Morocco. Sam is a core member of the local musical group Bayati.