Rahim AlHaj - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

KEXP.ORG presents Rahim AlHaj performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded March 17, 2017.
Rachel Pearson (violin)
Victoria Parker (violin)
Heather Bentley (viola)
Rajan Krishnaswami (cello)
Stephen Schermer (bass)
Issa Malluf (percussion)
Songs:
Letter 5. Going Home
Letter 6. Unspoken Word
Letter 4. The Last Time We Will Fly Birds
Host: Darek Mazzone
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Jim Beckmann
kexp.org
www.rahimalhaj.com

[@zeinm.7391]

The last time we will fly birds made me cry... as a Syrian 24 years old girl who had dreams, home and stability.. now all I have is the memories.. away from my home and my brotheres.. I didn't choose to live in this war but war has chosen me.....

[@drMuaz-qw7co]

we can feel you , hear you . all of us are your brothers and sisters .

[@fooo2241]

May you and your family be blessed with safety and good health, and may Syria soon find peace.

[@maxlimbo007]

Stay 💪❤️🌹 🙌 Salaam.

[@vickychristopoulos8614]

I feel your pain, courage dear

[@stepricoc]

Send you love Zein

[@TheScarletSpeedster1]

The content is of course amazing but as an audio engineer, I have to acknowledge the incredible audio quality of every single KEXP video I watch. Huge props to your engineers!

[@bokvansurfer5052]

Reminds me of ECM back in the 80s. None better

[@locksh]

Kevin Suggs. Dude is apparently a genius, his work is next level, uncanny.

[@also6741]

God bless

[@theothertonydutch]

So true.

[@worldofblacksea]

Kevin Suggs is a LEGEND!

[@mehranzand2873]

from iran with love to all of my friends in iraq and syria, i wish peace and friendship in near future.

[@PB-lo6xu]

🤜✨🤛❤️

[@PB-lo6xu]

🤜❤️🤛

[@rakingrachid8748]

As far as we stay away from politics everyone is welcome , friendship is between real simple people, we are tired of wars and politicians, greetings from an Algerian, art is beautiful war and blood are ugly

[@arwaa.m.r4714]

Amen

[@HA-vy9ow]

Amen

[@77gregorymoey]

KEXP, you provide me salvation from the idiocy of VEVO. Amen

[@Soudafloresta]

best comment. lol

[@samuelterkperahuno5294]

Hahahahha! Are you a priest? :)

[@manapdlr19]

Word.. Good Sir.

[@myxom-2820]

@tyvek05 well come to the music industry

[@myxom-2820]

fucking amen

[@VelvetProductions]

I was a refugee who have lived in the refugee camp for about 10 years and of course it's horrible! I was a young kid then and it was the hardest life I can remembered. Music was all I had and I a broken acoustic guitar that gave me a sense of comfort. War is destruction and the chain reaction and pain it causes is unimaginable! Just like what he said, everybody lost!

[@veranikarouse5666]

I am so sorry ! With love from Belarus .

[@DScott-pc7rd]

BELARUUUUS!!!

[@CHRISTChrysalisInManhaim]

God bless you brother...I pray your heart sheds every bit of hurt it has recieved..and is healed by truth and true love. Be well..and never stop shining your light. Shalom

[@willowtree6966]

Hi there, I'm curious as to where you lived and what concentration camp.

[@LeenaStark]

I hope you are in a much better place in life today. 🙏 All _wars_ being orchestrated after WW2 are based on *GREED* by the major CORPORATIONS who truly rule + control the world. We are no longer a league of _Nations_ in which _leaders_ ( _such as Prime Ministers & Presidents_ ) preside over the people through the power of _voting_ --- we are now a global *CORPORATOCRACY* + people are nothing more than _currency_ to be "traded" between these *Corporate Slave Masters* who truly control us & the world. Im sorry you had to suffer + endure the *horrors* of this world at such a young age. During times of _war_ the only victims are the innocent children. _"War does not determine WHO is right --- only WHO is left!"_ --- Bertrand Russell

[@irubf]

0:27 Going Home 9:22 Unspoken Word 16:14 The Last Time We Will Fly Birds

[@davidtamezm]

Unspoken Word is incredible. I love it!

[@iagovalle3579]

In my opinion this is the most emotional performance on KEXP live, so beautiful so real and so authentic!

[@islandgroovies1444]

25:20 can you see how emotional he gets by his music? seriously, this man is amazing. The interview was touching and the music was great. Thank you, KEXP and thank you Rahim.

[@leonorbarragan131]

I just cry feeling his emotions. he is a pure soul.

[@mahmoudmahmoudi3217]

imagine giving rahim the microtonal banana lol

[@MoezHajji]

Rattle that snake.

[@jedmann2170]

Very much. His music is so sober and sombre

[@V__31371]

12 Bar Bruise

[@TigerPrawn_]

"The opposite of war is not peace, it's creation" Johnathan Larsson ♥

[@MomentMosaic]

From Iran with lots of love to Iraqis and Syrians.This music talks to our souls the shared experience that we all went through.war, migration, always being homesick and rage is what i feel while I listen to this beautiful emotional music.love it.listened to it many time.Thanks Rahim Alhaj!

[@SuperElmoDelmo]

I love you KEXP!

[@moomidi]

No words can express how I feel. A flawless masterpiece can be seen as tragedy, and soul in every single note. It can be clearly seen that every musician understands this music and knows what they are playing. Infinite love, from Iran.

[@AncientOfDays]

25:20 My God... my dear God... Sublime, beyond everything material, everything of this world.

[@gQuaresma07]

For anyone who is interested, first song is on the middle eastern scale of Kurd (on D) and the second song, unspoken words, is on the scale of Hijaz (on D)

[@gQuaresma07]

The third song ( On 17th minute) is on the scale of Saba

[@annacsillag7247]

Abdul Gemayyel I'd love to know more about what you've described!

[@gQuaresma07]

well, in western music, you have the major and minor scale. lets take the note C C major: C D E F G A B C C minor: C D Eflat F G Aflat B C C Kurd: C Dflat Eflat F G Aflat Bflat C C Hijaz: C Dflat E F G Aflat Bflat C C Saba (has micro tonal): C D-half-flat Eflat Fflat G Aflat Bflat C

[@FinalCurve]

thanks!

[@gQuaresma07]

Most welcome

[@ksalanpang]

KEXP's studio is actually pretty damn good, even string instruments can sound this good recorded. Never thought there's so much humanity and stories there could be from a musician.

[@kentneumann5209]

Yep. Good sound studio. Pro crew.

[@littlejack2233]

This performance is just sublime. I love the setting - it looks almost like they're playing under the stars. Rahim speaks so passionately at the end. You can tell the radio presenter is just blown away. I can't stop listening to this album. 'Any women I hear about that don't have rights, I will fight for. Any children I hear about that don't have rights, I will fight for.'

[@felix4093]

great to hear acoustic music around here

[@user-rt1et3zw1d]

True.

[@diem7492]

Oud is very powerful tool , that sound i hear in my whole body, it's really amazing instrument, of course with violin get more akcent entirety.

[@samwarner9418]

14:25 - 15:46 watching them enjoy violinist Victoria Parker's solo is such a pleasure! And Rahim AlHaj thanking them after the song is over! My god! "Oh God that's good. That's wonderful, Tori! Thank you. You know my heart, Jesus Christ."

[@EsatBazaar]

العبق القديم من بغداد التاريخ.....الذكريات

[@dinosaurbabycolour6865]

نعم

[@trnobles]

Great arrangements! Props especially to the lead violinist for really getting those microtones right, a lot of western classical musicians miss that when playing middle eastern music

[@lifeisclimbing]

What are microtones, pardon my ignorance?

[@CynicsGuideTV]

Blame the piano. I do. ;-) Smaller pitch intervals than the half step, but can be defined as any tuning system that's outside the Western 12 tone equal temperament system. So many unfrettered subtleties with microtones. Imagine blues guitar playing without string bending - no, don't do that. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtonal_music

[@GuyLame130]

Unspoken Word just about made me break my office chair. The hauntingly beautiful rhythms are causing involuntary body movements. And the melancholy and emotion of the following piece...Wow.

[@TockaMea]

If i only came into this world with the desire to hear this... i made a wise decision.

[@abdonabdo]

Arabic and Islamic culture have a great music heritage. Aoud, Quanon, Arabic flute (nai) directly speak to the heart... And capable Arabic musicians like him can go for hours leading a group of musicians, the same in concherto in orchestra. Proud to be descendent of this once great civilization

[@dickstryker]

Still great. Just in a rough patch.

[@BuddhistJihad]

Trying to search for that second instrument just brought me Q-Anon conspiracy results lol

[@brightworld7550]

@@BuddhistJihad الة القانون There you go :)

[@BuddhistJihad]

@@brightworld7550 Oh brilliant, thanks!

[@cyjuan6705]

Do not forget the older and great civilization the Arabs inherited a lot from, the Persians. This man definitely has the looks and the kind nature of a Persian.

[@priteshyadvendu802]

The amount of respect each artist gives to each other in this performance is amazing. My hope is one day our politicians learn this trait.

[@DScott-pc7rd]

" War is quite frankly, destruction. You kill. it's easy. But making beauty is hard." I have never heard of this man before, but thanks to KEXP, I have now. I am dumbfounded that there are veterans who fought in war in the middle east, who now have children who are fighting in the same "war", that they once (and some more than once) have. Let that sink in. We all live on Earth. Not in different countries, but on one planet. That's it. Thank you KEXP for giving me the opportunity to hear this mans voice. PEACE

[@walterdewald267]

Yes, we are all one - we need to act as such and ignore politicians and their hidden masters, reach out in peace and together create harmony on this planet.

[@ihabhassan2476]

I have alway been saying, "if there is a life somewhere else, I would say I am from Earth". Therefore, I feel that not only saying it, I am from allover the world, but "the group of interest" has been dividing us and living on the conflict that we have been its "firewood". Thanks D. Scott for your beautiful comment!

[@ramonvelasquez8431]

You say it as if someone had something against people from the Middle east. I think war has nothing to do with music and culture, especially a war that is not a unique countrie's fault. Let us just enjoy the music without mentioning war.

[@DScott-pc7rd]

Papa Ainz, if you listen to the entire recording, it is Rahim himself that mentions war, not I.

[@norberttietjen6506]

D. Scott ,👍

[@threehundredwords]

Don't often get to see a musician who is so obviously in charge, zero self-doubt in his architecture. Incredible ensemble. Incredible station, thank you again KEXP.

[@mariorivera2537]

World class musicians, high quality sound, incredible stories that are expressed through music, Just thanks for sharing this!

[@isabellaciocca1985]

very beautiful music and performance 17:17 to 18:10 reminded me "Gracias a la Vida" by Violeta Parra Saludos desde Chile!

[@danielrinobravo]

y tiene unas melodias de metallica por ahi

[@alanmonteiro2707]

I really need to hug this man

[@dagonline]

Damn, I never thought that music could make me cry...

[@peternorthe1912]

This is very special music. It's like a very emotional group therapy session with people who happen to be accomplished musicians.

[@blueyedream]

Powerful. Hauntingly beautiful. One of the more extraordinary performances in this wonderful series. The music captures so much that can't be spoken fully in words.

[@syedhashemi9787]

Soul touching

[@Klazyo]

ما اجمل الفن العربي احساس و روح

[@yesmadaoudi3111]

أنه الأكثر تعبيرا ،أنه يحاكي الروح

[@sranpopovic9413]

"Unspoken Word" was my favourite.Emotion,dynamics and perfect collaboration of lute and violins.10/10 for the whole performance.

[@marcosramoscelis7565]

La puesta en escena, es impecable. Demuestra que las bellas artes son la mejor expresión de la humanidad.

[@LuisBel02]

Impecable, cosa que no importo mucho al presentador, metido en su teléfono. Plop!

[@johnrieth6906]

It seems every time I stumble onto great music, KEXP has something to do with it... I am so happy to experience music like this!! Thank You, thank you, thank you!!

[@wsharnoff1953]

At Last I found a place that has The Eclectic music that I so much Missed

[@IrsidaSheshi]

Wow, this was seriously beautiful!!! Thank you KEXP for giving us access to such gorgeous music from all around the world. Truly grateful!

[@balsamkhalaf5498]

The first note of The Last Time We Fly Birds had my tears streaming down my face. I forgot how it felt to listen to such an emotional piece...

[@ggglat]

I've never not taken my eyes and ears off the screen for this long in a while

[@juanjogonzalez418]

Amazing music. AMAZING SOUND. Loving it from Spain.

[@MimikBanka]

I want to see more chamber music on kexp!

[@jmarvosa6x3]

Word up!

[@diogenesjunior283]

Chamber music, please, everywhere

[@NnMm124]

nah you dont

[@ahmedneamah7479]

Chamber music please

[@jeremyacton4569]

YES!!!!

[@leeyan9049]

Okay, guys, this is a gorgeous perfomance we have over here. Moreover the interview is very strong too.

[@pamirbadakhshan9934]

I’m gonna get high-speed internet and share/spend these long lonely miles over the road with great music and songs. Thank you KEXP, great platform! Discovered many good unique musicians and artists here. ASalam-u Aleykum and Respect from a truck driver. Tajikistan Afghanistan Iran.

[@usernametaken2tekken]

Love and respect to you brother

[@ovmeygat]

Aleykum selam, respect from Turkey

[@pamirbadakhshan9934]

shambho Thosnk you! All the best

[@pamirbadakhshan9934]

Ahmet Can Waleykumsalam Turkey, thank you -- same to you

[@abdurrazzaq2314]

❤️🌷

[@geesloueese2330]

How is he thanking the violinist in between the pieces? Ive never seen that. Amazing. So friendly and close to each other, even during the sesson.

[@ucielsola]

It happened to me sometimes. When you play someone else's music, the usually feel very gratefull. As a session musician, you have to give a lot of yourself when playing other people's music, opening your head (excuse my bad english here) to their music ideas, and what they want to say with their music. So... the string players in this performance are outstandingly good. No wonder he is thankfull with them! It isn't easy at all to play eastern music for western musicians.

[@ucielsola]

In fact!!! They've just rehearsed one time!! They are trully amazing

[@janwera]

This music is exquisite. I am moved to tears putting this in the context of what his country has been through in recent years ... so emotive

[@sacredgeometrymusic3290]

this man is beautiful, so strong in its vulnerability

[@kerime.7861]

"its" ?

[@sacredgeometrymusic3290]

@@kerime.7861 "its" is a possessive adjective. it means the vulnerability of "it" which is the subject ( the man)

[@mouman]

The sounds of this music are beautiful

[@mahyar564]

Thank you so much Rahim Alhaji and other musicians and KEXP, from IRAN!

[@muthanakareem5826]

رحيم الحاج ابن الثوره البار دامت أناملك أمتعتنا بمعزوفاتك السماويه وروحك النقيه اتمنى ان تقدم لنا معزوفاتك هنا في ڤينا حيث اتابع ،، مجهود اكثر من رائع للحاج وفرقته ، كل التحيات والمحبه

[@H4mmerofD4wn]

I have never seen such a REAL performance in my life; he sobs -- SOBS! -- at one point! It's not real BECAUSE he sobbed but that he felt the need to express his emotions through sobbing, and he did so. There is so much emotion wrapped up in this worthwhile session -- well worth half an hour! Thank you, Rahim AlHaj.

[@nurrealsupertramp8617]

Music is the reason why I still experience beauty

[@NazarethSandoArt]

This is wonderful. I loved when they dropped the bass.

[@AshrafEzzat]

Absolutely amazing music and orchestration. A wonderful musician from Iraq. "The last time we will fly birds" and "Unspoken words" almost made me cry.

[@taejun9017]

heart-wrenchingly beautiful, it all sounds like absolute yearning for something...

[@pacoshuman7642]

Thank you for waking my soul! How beautiful. I wish Americans would realize what they have allowed to happen...how much pain has been inflicted on a people they don't even know, cannot even imagine. They don't know the pain and they don't the beauty!

[@vivienlit1]

Música de beleza profunda e tocante. Somente coisas assim ultrapassam as fronteiras do tempo e do espaço. Música que eleva a nossa espécie, lembrando-nos de que somos capazes de transcender a barbárie que nos caracteriza em tantos momentos da história humana!

[@also6741]

Thank you all so much! God bless you Rahim AlHaj... God bless us all

[@DemisLima]

Belíssima interpretação: técnica e emotiva! Bravo!!!!!!!!!

[@andreachavez9535]

This made my day. Glad to hear such wonderful music and interview, the world needs more of this.

[@palitroka]

Que linda música :)

[@asenathalexandrabarcenas2026]

¡Cierto! Totalmente de acuerdo contigo. Llegué aquí por una recomendación de youtube y me alegro mucho de haberla seguido.

[@albinobeach]

Masterful, The Last Time We Will Fly Birds is just spectacular, thank you.

[@marius5982]

I thank God, The Most Mighty and Most Merciful, for the beautiful talent of music he has given each performer. May He be pleased with how they use this gift to glorify Him.

[@estudiom142]

Amazing !! Thanks for shearing!!

[@shadedandjaded7948]

I love the cello. Everything is a miracle. Praise The Almighty.

[@awafy97]

I love listening to this Arabic musical instrument called Oud

[@stevenbriggs784]

this broke my heart and i don't know what to do about it .....I'm truly hurt, and i want nothing more than to help SOMEONE'S situation, and help stop your situation from happening to someone else.....and now, more than ever i really feel the inspiration to act.....thankyou Rahim ALHaj

[@also6741]

It`s what came to me as I red your comment: Mt 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ God bless you

[@janarmentrout1743]

Beauty comes from the heart....war is hatred

[@JohnDoe-bm5lp]

Let's get religious, let's get politica, that's way more important than appreciating this beautifull music

[@lucastimmm]

"what is done for (divine) love always occurs beyond (earthly concepts of) good and evil." nietzsche Mashallah!! No name, the words you said have no wisdon nor truth

[@sabotage6301]

no name : you are islam

[@Snowbound2643]

S A B O T A G E I fuck Allah in the ass

[@heitorvasconcelos1706]

Geezlouise!!! I´d fuck and shot every muthafucka who had guts to say the opposite!!! God bless America!!

[@samirabakli6096]

I’ve been displaced from my home in Baghdad on 2006. I remember when I saw the front door of my house for the first time after displacement was at the end of 2009 that was a real pain to my soul😢. The last time we fly birds is mine💔

[@PB-lo6xu]

✨✨✨ Behind the headlines , destinies are broken, children are crying, mothers are begging god, men are kiling, hope is dieing. We all should think about it. So sad.

[@staninjapan07]

I revisited this video today. Funnily enough, the music is as beautiful as it was the first time! Thank you.

[@eduardomenezes1447]

thank you so much

[@0sandra123]

Fantastic! Almost crying with delight... Thanks KEXP

[@manumercado1127]

that instrument that sound at 7:00 its peruvian, the cajon peruano. first time i hear it in such beautiful music like this one.

[@Sawseaska]

Thank you so much KEXP!

[@foxsixtailed3143]

Beautiful 🧡 Thank you KEXP for bringing this wonderful man in the studio 🙏

[@alisa_nikolenko_]

I’m from Ukraine, and this performance expressed me at 2016, when I lost my first home because of russian aggression. And now this them is relevant again. Because now we have a big war in our country, and I lost my home at second time… this music helps to live difficult feelings

[@EmilyGames]

Thank you very much.

[@ElPejerto]

I think it was the best concert i've ever heard from this channel.

[@artyomsidorvich4489]

wonderful! Thank you for producing this KEXP! Thank you to Rahim for the beautiful music!

[@claudiasansaya]

Thank you for the music.

[@montagealabira]

Utterly beautiful!

[@ignaciovonputlitz932]

Great program!

[@LaVictoria6751]

I love this kind of art and message. I am so pleased to hear it.

[@alexishalbert6936]

Excellent and so moving - thank you!

[@qaiysrosla]

Wow! Unspoken Word ! ... Thank you for the great music.

[@user-vv2yl2yk3x]

لقاء وموسيقى جميلة، هنا الكثير من المعنى والكثير من الجمال

[@smon93]

Great performance. Thanks for sharing!

[@hbourgeois1]

What a musical treat!

[@marysherhart9318]

Bless you Derek for bringing this extraordinary music and powerful interview.

[@cindyparker9911]

Such gifted musicians gifted to us, thank you.

[@joshthomas7999]

Thanks for the music, All.

[@janarmentrout1743]

this music tells a story from the heart...lovely

[@tristram6395]

I am in absolute awe. AMAZING- Thank you for baring your souls.

[@danielcastro1303]

Absolutely fantastic!

[@TheModernHermeticist]

Glorious

[@R2omusic]

One of the best thing i watched... Merci ! Merci !

[@alvinoetama]

this is so relaxing and intriguing at the same time

[@Kapitaen_Flauschbart]

No on could keep his composure after this!!! its amazing! nothin else! Thank you all!

[@RadityoPramAdi]

this is powerful. Thank you KEXP.

[@CofeeAuLait]

The performance and the mastering is flawless. Beautiful.