In the company of Zade
Yesterday, we attended the Zade Dirani concert at the Palace of Culture, where Zade performed some of his compositions as well as covers with a 30-piece orchestra.
As the concert was rather pricey (ranging from 10 to 30 JDs), I did not expect there to be much of a crowd, and I was very surprised to see that the Palace of Culture, one of the biggest of such venues in Jordan, was completely full. It was crowded with men and women of all ages, with their children and parents, all semi-dressed up and ready to enjoy the show. I was also surprised to see Queen Noor in attendance, along with Princess Alia AlFaisal.
As for the actual show, I will go ahead and give Zade the credit of being a very talented individual. He is also rather charming, I really enjoyed how he personalized each piece he played with a little personal story, it helped me feel his music. He also is very passionate about what he does, and it is always wonderful seeing passion.
Otherwise, I am a lot more impressed with the fact that he composes and orchestrates his music than with the music itself. Maybe it is just that I do not have much of an appreciation for this type of style, which reminds me of the music played at business receptions and wedding buffets. Or maybe its that my ears are fresh with the sounds of the Music Matbakh, which was such a fantastic performance. I would not buy his CD.
Here’s a little video of Zade performing:
What do you think?
All in all, it was a lot of fun though, and I greatly enjoyed myself. I decided that I really like the Palace of Culture, and the company I was with was awesome. It was also fun seeing so many people.
Wasim
July 25, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Zaid (Yani of Jordan)
This is how I feet to call the guy “Yani of Jordan”, brilliant performer and what a great concert yesterday. It deserved every “kirsh” I paid even more.
Some of those pieces touched the bottom of my heart, I wanted to cry when I heard “Si tu n’existais pas” this is one of my favorites on all times, “Mon Amore” was great, when I heard this one I discovered who brilliant Zaid is, “Comes to an End” is another story and you’ll never imagine how much I loved that Lebanese Singer’s voice. “Awal Mara” was a great end.
Zaid is a Jordanian guy, I am very proud of him, he deserves people care and support, and I think we shall all work to have more than one Zaid in Jordan, Parents should encourage their kids to discover the hidden talent in each one of them, and I think we shall all be patient on ourselves and when we believe in something we shall try to reach it with all our guts.
Things I hate about him (These things do not mean that I hate the guy, he is a great)
1- When someone is talking to a crowd of people and especially in front of a Queen, He shall stand up and not to keep sitting on his place, even if this accepted to keep sitting try to sit properly (ma et2soa3)
2- He talks too much, I do not care if he isn’t married or looking for a girl friend (I believe him 100% by the way), great people keep their personal life un-reveled, and do not talk too much.
3- He is Jordanian and talks like a Lebanese “Mjaoz == Metjaoz” I did not feel comfortable with his accent
At the End great performance, great concert and great Jordan!
Killer Bee Bop
July 25, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
Quite right, you know I am starting to believe lissa feeky amal regarding music. :P
P.S. Yanni sucks too. :)
mohammad
July 25, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Eh, Roba was there! all Ammanies were there :) sad that we didn’t meet again :)
Wasim, thank you for your positive feedback, indeed Zade is another Yani, actually he’s a good friend with Yani, and they worked together once.
regarding the things you hate, plz allow me to tell you my opinion:
1. No, not necessary. he’s a pianist, why to stand up he’s a very good friend with queen Noor, so i guess he became more comfortable in front of her.
2. for me it was ok, but its your opinion
3. Zade was born in Jordan for a Syrian father & mother, and they speak “shami” all the time. so that was a Syrian accent not Lebanese.
Wasim
July 25, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
Thanx Mohammad
Event he is a good friend with Queen Noor, Prestige is needed between public, this is still an opinion. About his accent I will forgive the guy, Oh god I criticized Zaid’s accent and forgot mine, you don’t wanna know what my accent looks like!!!!!
Khaleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeele
;)
Ahmad Humeid
July 26, 2007 @ 1:35 am
Good review Roba. I was there too (as you know) but mainly because my wife and I invited our mothers to the concert. They really liked it, which was the most important thing.
But for me, I just find it strange how in love Zade is with music that ranges from mainstream/overused to somewhat cheesy.
I am not saying every musician should be experimental. I too respect his talent and passion. He also seemed genuine in what he does. THe personal connections to the pieces were heartfelt.
But man.. the guy is 27 and I expect a bit more than those tired tunes.
As for Wasim’s comments on “standing up”, “talking” and “accent”.. I am actually speechless. Instead of getting annoyed about these things, what about all iJordan and TV staff that kept on whizzing across the stage!
طفيلي( ahmad)
July 27, 2007 @ 5:35 am
Does anyone know if he has released CD? Where can I find them in Amman?.
Thanks
Firas
July 27, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
I thought his music is somehow an imitation of Omar Khayrat
I just don’t get it how music: Brings people together, peace on earth,friendship between nations (you know the old broken record that naive bubble head people babble). Because people who are actually making wars won’t be interested in attending his pricey concert or buying his CDs
Hala
July 31, 2007 @ 11:54 am
What Zade is trying to convey by music bringing people together is that in the music world they all read the same notes, that that is a language by itself. And no teh people making wars won’t be there, but if enough people with a brain in their heads can say enough is enough then you make a mark. One person can’t do it alone, but we can ALL at least try.
Hala
July 31, 2007 @ 11:54 am
CD’s are available at Prime Mega Store at the Mecca Mall
Hala
July 31, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
What Zade means by bringing people together through music is this: Everyone in the world that reads music, speaks the same language. They can all talk together using music. And n,o the people making the wars aren’t going to be interested, but if they don’t get the support of people then they really can’t do anything.
If each person can reach out to one other person to try to get along and understand each other, this could be a wonderful world.
This world can never change if people are willing to stand up and try.
God Bless Zade for trying to do a small, yet important part. We can all learn something from him.
nidal
July 31, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Sounds to me like there are a great many people who are jealous of what Zade is doing. Personally he made me proud to be a Jordanian. He is out there spreading a good word about his people, his culture and his heritage.
Instead of being petty and jealous, we should try to make something of ourselves and contribute to the greater good instead of taking one of our own and trying to bring him down. He makes us look great. So if we do anything we should be supporting him.
Look at the big picture and do your part to make this world better.
Khowaiter
August 1, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Ok.
I know that Zade must seem really nice in on stage, and that eve though most people can recognize that his music isnt so great that it seems his message and passion is…
but I just want to say:
I know personally and from accounts from friends that Zade and his organization are just talkers, not doers…
they treat their musicians really badly.
Even at this particular concert in Amman he cheated some of the international musicians out of reenbursment for their travels after they had come a very, very long way and rehearsed for hours.
On his past tours he has not fulfilled promises that he’s made to the musicians, and he and his assistant, Betsey Kamel, spread gossip and lies in order to confuse their so-called “coleagues” in order to confuse them into believing that the unethical actions are necessary.
I hate to say it, because I dont think anyone who comes in contact with him wants to think badly of him (he’s very charming), but he is really not a very good pianist, and the way he treates musicians in his orchestra who are far more talented and experienced than he-is just not right.
I just want to say this not because I wish to slander Zade and his oranization, I still believe that music can bring the world together and that some things that he has organized and worked on have made a difference in people’s lives (this is definately true), but I dont think it is right for him to treat fellow human beings in this way and receive no criticism for his behavior. It really defiles his message for him to make clear his need for celebrity and desire to look good no matter the cost…
Perhaps if people are aware of this he will change his ways.
Killer Bee Bop
August 4, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
All that matters is that his music sucks!
Raffi
August 19, 2007 @ 9:00 am
Well speaking as someone that has worked with Zade, he has treated me and everyone that I know very well. He is very demanding, but rightfully so, it is his show after all and we are paid musicians. I am not sure what Khowaiter is talking about and I doubt that he has ever even met Zade. And speaking as one of the international musicians that played in the Amman show, everything was paid for. Our airfare, hotel, food and transportation was provided for us. Further more some of the international musicians left rehearsal because of illness not because of Zade treatment of them, please. People who spread these stories and lies are just jealous because the guy has talent and is making his dreams come true. Instead of trying to knock someone down, why don’t you focus on your own dreams. You will never get anywhere in this world with jealousy in your heart. I personally wish him the very best. I will happily work with him again and so would anyone that I know. Mabrouk on your concert Zade. Inshalla, many more habibi.
Hala
August 19, 2007 @ 9:10 am
Hey Killer Bee Bop,
You can hate Yanni, but he is laughing all the way to the bank. There are enough out there who do love him. I’m one of them…..hehehehe
Khowaiter
November 5, 2007 @ 12:06 am
Well,
It just so happens that I was on a tour with Zade for weeks…and that I know personally from one of the international musicians on the Amman show that he was cheated out of repayment promised him on his trip back, and ended up in the middle of a city he had never been in with no money because Betsey Kamel-the tour manager for Zade-didnt give him the correct payment on purpose.
On our tour rumors were spread that were untrue about various members were spread in order to cause disent, and i can honestly say that every member of the group was a better musician than Zade and yet they were all treated disrespectfully, even though they were not paid, but vollunteers who had been promised a harmonious and peace-directed tour (which was why they chose to do something huge like that for free).
Things were not taken care of for them.
Zade is a fraud and I dont want to see anyone write that I dont know what Im talking about or what I am saying.
I can say for a fact that I have seen Zade treat some people well for various reasons. If he has treated you well-then you are lucky…but if you continue to work with him it may not always be so.
What Im really trying to say is: his initiative…what he says he believes in…is not true. He only cares for his own popularity and the money he makes, he does not care for his music or the world (notice that he has not changed the repertoire of his tour in years and that his cds repeat many of the same songs…he isnt even the arranger…he simply makes up the melodies, which are simple and reasonably lame.)
I hope I dont insult anyone-I am just saying what I know to be true.
K.
Raffi
December 24, 2007 @ 1:12 am
Hello Everyone,
I find it interesting that Khowaiter seems to have so much inside information considering I have never heard of him and I am sure that no one that has ever worked with Zade has heard of him either.
According to your statement then I guess I would be one of the lucky ones. Zade has been nothing but gracious and kind. Betsey was tough but she had a great deal on her shoulders and had to keep a bunch of unruley musician, tech head and staff in line and on schedule. That isn’t an easy job. So lighten up Khowaiter and please get your facts straight before you start spreading lies.
Curious…..what songs from his cd’s are on more than one? I have all of his CD’s and there isn’t a single song repeated. Let me ask you a question, do you write music? Do you perform your own music? Most tours for the first year or two keep the same play list. Have you ever been to a big concert? Do you know how many YEARS some bands have to play the same songs. That is what the audiance wants to hear. The ones that they know. Sounds to me like you are jealous. If you can do a better job or do more good out there, then do it. If not leave this poor guy alone who is trying to do something good in the world. Grow up.
Happy Eid everyone. Good luck to you Khowaiter.
Hala
January 4, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
I have to agree with Raffi. This guy wasn’t on tour with Zade ever. I went through the archive and there is no Khowaiter listed anywhere. This guy is just a jelousy jerk. It is sad when people have nothing better to do that try to hurt good people. Kil sineh wa antom salmeen!!
Raffi
January 4, 2008 @ 7:10 pm
That is funny Hala. I know that one of the international musicians walked out on a rehersal and didn’t show up for the final rehearsal so if that is the person that Khowaiter is talking about then he doesn’t deserve to be paid at all. We are paid for rehearsal and the show, so that would justify any missing pay. Besides I personally saw Betsey paying all the international musician and we got our pay from the sound engineer. I think this guy is just trying to start trouble. It is very sad. Hala, kil sineh wa antom Salmeen to you as well.
Evan Gutierrez
March 17, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
Hey folks,
I happened to stumble across this blog regarding Zade and his summer ‘07 concert in Amman, and thought I’d leave a comment. I’m a longtime friend of Zade. I was actually on stage that night. I’ve played drums for Zade for the last couple of years, and thought maybe my intimate knowledge of his character, organization and professional conduct could shed some light on the subject.
Zade cares immensely about peace and building bridges between peoples and nations. He also cares alot about his career. How many people do you think his message would reach if he didn’t? I’ve been a music industry professional for a very long time now, and I’ll tell you that it takes a very business minded person to get where Zade has gotten.
As too tension amongst the musicians, etc… well, when you get better than 30 musicians together and tour the states for weeks on end, guess what happens. People get under eachother’s skin, tensions rise, and Zade is an easy target, because he’s the leadership.
As too the ‘mystery musician’ who ended up in the middle of nowhere with no money… The first violinist took off during a rehearsal and didn’t show up for the dress rehearsal. I personally wouldn’t have paid him at all.
Repertoire? How many Jordanian musicians are on the Billboard charts? If you don’t like it, cool. Write something better.
I would like to personally thank the folks that came to the show. I’ve gotten the opportunity to travel to Jordan on a number of occassions now (with Zade) and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Amman is a beautiful city, with wonderfully hospitable people. I pray that we’re able to return and perform more often. I think that summer ‘07 show was a huge success, and would be proud to repeat that success as often as possible.
thanks for listening.
Evan Gutierrez
Gobriel
November 1, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
I don’t think it’s fair to discuss a musician’s commitment/payment without allowing him to defend himself. Maybe it is possible that Khowaiter is using an assumed name because he doesn’t want to be any more embroiled in all of this stuff than he already was. I heard about this from friends, and I think it’s a pretty sincere letter…and that no matter what rehearsals a musician misses, there is still a way to handle that kind of situation so that things are ethical.
Dear all,
Please allow me to take ten minutes of your time to offer some advice regarding Zade Dirani and Betsey Kamel. I believe that all of you have had some contact with these two, whether you have worked with them before, or might work with them some time in the future. If you are considering working with them at any time in the future, I would strongly urge you to reconsider. Please bear with me, as I explain a recent episode which will demonstrate my case (my apologies for the lengthiness):
I auditioned for Zade’s new international musician’s assembly, the “Roads to You” ensemble, two years ago. I was excited about the prospects of meeting musicians of different disciplines, as well as honing my own leadership skills through the program. After the first series of concerts, there were many rough moments and unfortunate occurances, and I saw some things about Zade and Betsey’s personalities which were alarming, but because I believed in the originality of Zade’s program, and of the messages he was publicly spreading, and because of the opportunities it might present for my own career, I decided to stick with it.
Last summer, Zade offered me a leadership position within his organization. I was put in charge of musician recruitment and artistic advising. From September to May, I volunteered hundreds upon hundreds of hours posting advertisements, making calls, reading resumes and biographies, listening to demo tapes, marking leadership questionnaires, editing legal documents, revising instrumental parts for Zade’s songs, offering Zade advice on a myriad of artistic issues and acting as the chief communication correspondant between Zade/Betsey and the other members of the international musician’s assembly. Although I at times let Zade and Betsey down, I can say with no hesitation (and many who are receiving this e-mail can testify) that I logged more hours of volunteer work than any other musician from the assembly for Roads to You.
A few months ago, the opportunity came about for a full-length concert in Amman, Jordan. Since I was to be in Aspen for the summer, and knew that it would be costly for Zade to fly me from Aspen to Amman, I offered instead to take an express bus from Aspen to Denver, which would save Zade and Betsey several hundred dollars of travel expenses. In addition to the bus tickets, I would need a hotel in Denver on the night of the return trip, since my plane would not arrive there until after the last bus for Aspen would depart. A few days before I was to leave for Amman, I was surprised to receive a phone call from Betsey, saying that an express bus from Aspen to Denver could “not fit in the budget.” She asked me for alternatives. Since I do not have a driver’s license, and could not rent a car, the only alternative was to take a gruelling, time-consuming Greyhound route. This would make the total trip time from Aspen to Amman 34 hours in each direction, but I was already committed to the concert, and agreed to this taxing route. The day before leaving, Betsey phoned again, saying that she could not pay over the phone for the Greyhound tickets, so it was agreed that I would be given cash upon arrival in Amman for the bus tickets. She also told me the name of a hotel in Denver where a room was reserved for me on my return trip.
On being invited on this trip, I was told that we would make a side-trip to Petra, the fabled ancient Roman city, during our stay in Jordan. Upon arriving in Amman, I was disheartened to see that this trip had been cancelled, or rather that the musicians’ inclusion in the trip had been cancelled. I was also alarmed to note that the money for the bus tickets was not given to me. Instead, I was confronted with three full days of rehearsals. Most of the musicians were Jordanian and Lebanese, and they were particularly stubborn and unopen to musical suggestions. I found it quite difficult to work with them. Despite having much more experience with Zade’s music than these regional musicians, they refused to follow my lead, which caused the rehearsal process to be very long and irritating. I was already fatigued from my long journey, and after one five-hour session with only a five-minute break on the day before the concert, I was exhaused, both physically and psychologically. I asked Zade if I could skip the next rehearsal session, but he insisted that he needed my help.
I stayed on, but soon into the next rehearsal a heated session arose with a Jordanian musician, in which four times in a row he outright told me that I was incorrect to my face, not listening to what I was saying. I could no longer control my anger. I would have exploded in front of all the musicians, so I opted to save everyone else such a fiasco, and decided to leave for the time being.
I did not return to rehearsals until later the next day, missing two hours of the dress rehearsal. I was the only musician to miss rehearsal, and expected some sort of reprimand, but received none. In the concert, I performed with the utmost integrity and spirit in the concert, despite my less than optimum state of being.
After the concert, I received an envelope of money from Betsey, but she quickly said “shhhh” to me, indicating that I should subtly put the money in my pocket, as if some of the musicians were not being payed. What I did not realize was that the money for the bus tickets was not included in the envelope, and that she was hoping I would not look in the envelope until I would not see her anymore. I spoke to Zade briefly after the concert, and asked him if we could talk on the phone in a couple of days (as I wished to discuss with him the over-worked nature of the scheduling). He said that would be fine.
It was on the return journey to Aspen that I realized the extent of Zade and Betsey’s ill-doings. I arrived at the designated hotel in Denver late at night, more fatigued than ever, only to discover that there was no reservation in my name, nor in Zade’s or Betsey’s. I called both of them to try and find out what was going on, but neither answered (or ever responded to my voice message). They had knowingly sent me through the streets of Denver, a foreign city to me, well aware that I would not arrive until late at night, and therefore that it might be impossible to find a room, with my Greyhound bus not leaving until 7:20 AM.
It is unclear to me whether they never booked the hotel room for me, or decided to cancel the reservation because they were upset about my missing some of the rehearsal time. Either way, I find such an action completely despicable, demonstrating no care for the well-being of a fellow human being.
Upon arriving back in Aspen, I called both of them again, but they did not answer. I sent them an e-mail, asking again for the money owed to me, and about the situation with the hotel. In a response e-mail, they offered no explanation or apology for the lack of a hotel reservation, and claimed that they were withholding my transportation pay for my missing rehearsals (despite the fact that they had promised that payment UPON my arrival to Amman). They reprimanded me for my actions, saying they did not want to work with me anymore, whilst covering up their own lies with yet more lies.
After all the hundreds of volunteer hours I put in for them, this is how they end up treating me. I shiver to think how they treat other musicians.
This is not an isolated incident, but one in a series of many maltreatments of musicians. I could offer other stories, but out of the respect for others’ privacy, I will withhold from doing that. To those of you who are receiving this e-mail and know what I am talking about, I would strongly urge you to share your stories to all recipients of this e-mail as well.
To those of you who had a wonderful experience in Louisville, and are probably thinking that I am completely out of my mind right now, I would urge you to consider this point: Louisville was a success as a result of the incredible work of the local organizers. Their wonderful efforts, and the contributions of all musicians involved, made it a beautiful thing.
Zade and Betsey have created an organization with some wonderful concepts, and the potential to accomplish great things, but they act maliciously towards many of the musicians they hire, using them for what they can get out of them, and them shamelessly throwing them to the wayside when they feel that they can get nothing more out of them.
I have personally recruited or invited many of you to the Roads to You project, and therefore I feel that it is my responsibility to let you know about Zade and Betsey’s terrible treatment of musicians. To all of you who I sided against in the past, please accept my sincere apology. I was blinded by the prospects of future celebrity and exotic travel destinations, when I should have listened to my inner instincts. Zade and Betsey go around with a message of peace, trying to build bridges of dialogue between some of the most war-torn regions in the world, but they cannot even deal with their own musicians with honesty and decency.
Therefore, I strongly urge all of you to avoid any future collaborations with Zade and Betsey, to spread this message to other musicians, and to warn any potential recruits about past abuses.
Thanks very much for your time and consideration,
Gobriel
November 1, 2008 @ 11:49 pm
by the way-the above letter is, apparently, from the musician you are all talking about.
just in case this wasn’t clear.