Born in 1963 in Kerbala, Iraq, Farida Ali is a leading Iraqi concert artist who tours regularly with the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble. Farida studied with Munir Bashir, Hussein Al-Athami and Mohammad Gomar. She graduated from the Institute of Music in Baghdad, mastered nineteen maqams and became the first woman to teach classical Arabic music, maqam, in Iraq.
She has performed at festivals throughout the Arab world, Europe and the United States. Farida has established a reputation throughout the Arab world and Europe for her brilliant performances of the classical Iraqi maqam, highly improvisational music that is traditionally sung by men.
Discography with the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble
Classical Music of Iraq (Music and Words, 1998)
Iraqi Mawal & maqam (Samarkand, 2000)
Departure (Soly Luna, 2001)
Tradition (Munir Bashir Foundation, 2002)
Voice of Mesopotamia (Long Distance, 2003)
Baghdad Eternity (Poems & Maqamat) (Iraqi Maqam Foundation, 2004)
Ishraqaat (Snail Records, 2005)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
