A reviewer writing for the Chicago Reader once noted that, “Seffarine’s music can melt the coldest hearts.”
The band’s warmth comes from the melding of the voice of Moroccan vocalist Lamiae Naki with the multi-instrumental talent of Nat Hulskamp. The duo will perform at the Pendleton Center for the Arts on Tuesday, January 9. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the couple takes the stage at 7:00 PM.
At a momentous first meeting at a coffee shop in Fez, Morocco, Lamiae and Nat composed their first song, Another Chance, which Lamiae sings in French and Arabic. Not only did the first meeting end with a song, but over the course of the two hours, the two decided to get married. They brought together by their deep knowledge of the music of both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar — Spanish flamenco and Moroccan Arabic music — and created Seffarine.
Seffarine takes its name from the ancient metalworking square in Fez, which is famous for the complex rhythms that ring out from the blacksmiths’ hammers, and where Lamiae’s family is well known as masters of the tradition. Seffarine’s music embraces and extends Morocco’s musical collision between Arabic, Iberian and West African cultures, forging vibrant original music deeply rooted in their backgrounds in flamenco guitar, oud and Arab Andalusian music.
Though based in Portland, the couple’s music has taken them around the world, from touring Indonesia and Europe to receiving grants to study Ottoman singing in Turkey, to recording with top flamenco musicians, including Diego del Morao and Latin Grammy Award winner Antonio Rey, in Spain.
The Pendleton performance is made possible through support by the Western States Arts Federation and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as local support from Drs. Dan and Connie Marier.
Tickets are $15 and available online at PendletonArts.org, by calling PCA at 541-278-9201, or at the door. The Pendleton Center for the Arts is located at 214 North Main St.
