Without Words: Rain People in Concert

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Rebroadcast: May 29

This show was originally broadcast on October 30, 2008




Intro: Agua que va a Caer / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua que va a Caer

1. Beijos de Côco / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
2. Venha Cá / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
3. Que Dia Bonito /Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
4. La Canción del Amor / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua que va a Caer
5. A Linguagem do Amor / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Tristeza e Beleza
6. Cadê Você / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
7. Duas Almas Perdidas / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Tristeza e Beleza
8. O Acarajé / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
9. Não Pode Ser / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Tristeza e Beleza

Agua Santa Translations

La Procesión (The Procession)

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Brotherhood is coming
Those who walk in the Light
The light of faithfulness

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The procession is coming
Those who walk in the shade
The shade of reverence

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Brotherhood is coming
Those who walk in the Light
The light of charity

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Fraternity is coming
Those who walk in the shade
The shade of antiquity

Chorus: “Step to one side when they pass through here!
For those who paved the way for us, the crowds will part!”

Ad lib: “Hear the song of the procession, the procession is arriving!”


Buscando y Pidiendo (Searching & Asking)

I am searching for a tree,
I don’t need to shade myself from the sun!
I asking for its beauty,
A prayer to nature!
I am searching for a tree,
Because I want to make a drum,
I am asking for the soul of the tree,
I want to make a drum!

Chorus: Aña, Aña, Aña, Aña,

I am searching for a goat,
That I don’t have to feed!
I asking for its beauty,
A prayer to nature!
I am searching for a goat,
So that my drum can speak!
I am asking for the voice of the goat,
So that my sound may astound!
I am searching for a goat,
So that my drum can speak!

Nadie me habló (Nobody Spoke to Me)

I can still hear, all of my sons crying
I can still hear, the women screaming
I remember that day, when my life thus passed
There, How I recall that day, when thus I died
And nobody spoke to me, when my life thus passed
Chorus: And nobody spoke to me!
I recall that day, when my life thus arrived
And nobody spoke to me, when thus I died
When they put me in the ground, nobody spoke to me
I recall that day, when the hour thus ended
I recall that day
Chorus: When nobody spoke to me!
There, How I recall that day
Chorus: When thus I died!
They buried me in the ground but nobody spoke to me
Where my book thus closes, they buried my in the ground
But nobody spoke to me
Chorus: when my life thus passed!
They gave me to the silence, nobody spoke to me
I waited in the ground
But nobody spoke to me!

Give the Gift of Music

OUR BIG HOLIDAY SALE
ON CD BABY

Our Holiday Season Entertainment Stimulus Plan

Rasheed Ali & Rain People Sale at CD Baby!


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2008 Emmy Awards

In the past year I have written music for several television projects. Among those projects, I scored the music for the 2008 Rose Parade Telecast for KTLA-CW. The telecast also featured: Backstage at the Parade and Parade Countdown.

I am very happy to report that Parade Countdown recently won a 2008 Emmy Award!

I am equally proud that the two-hour news documentary: Planet LA, for which I also wrote the score, was also nominated for an Emmy Award.

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Episode 12 Playlist

1. Intro: O Acaraje / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
2. Nao Precisa Ainda Nada / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
3. Pela Internet / Gilberto Gil / Quanta
4. Cru-Cre Corroro / Ivan Lins / Awa Yio
5. A Cara Que O Mundo Ve / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Beijos Azuis
6. A Danca da Moda / DJ Dolores & Orch. Santa Massa / Contraditorio
7. Mariana D’Angola / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Thunder in the Jungle
8. Acredite ou Nao / Lenine e Suzano / Olho de Peixe
9. Quartro Meninas / Daude / Daude
10. Falar sem Parar / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Tristeza e Beleza na Cidade Negra

If You enjoy the One Tribe, Many Voices Podcast, it's free and easy to become a subscriber!

Rasheed Ali & Rain People Podcast Playlist

1. Elegba / Bobby Sanabria / NYC Ache
2. The Prince’s Wedding / Rasheed Ali / The Empty Vessel Speaks
3. Imari Bayo / Mongo Santamaria / Afro Roots
4. The Dance Circle / Rasheed Ali / The Empty Vessel Speaks
5. Solo: Giovanni Hiladgo / Batacumbele/ Hijos del Tambo
6. Criollo / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua Santa
7. Bricamo / Mongo Santamaria / Afro Roots
8. The Secret of the Drums / Rasheed Ali / Thunder in the Jungle
9. El Mensanjero: Patato Valdes / Batacumbele / Hijos del Tambo
10. Oye Lo / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua Santa
11. Cabiocile / Los Munequitos de Matanzas / Oyelos de Nuevo
12. Lleva’ Me / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua Santa

Podcast Episode 9 Playlist

1-Artist: Los Nani
Song: El Santissimo
CD: Espiritistas a Cantar

2-Artist: Rasheed Ali & Rain People
Song: Agua Santa
CD: Agua Santa

3-Artist: Saikouba Badjie
Song: Kujeleku
CD: Bougourabou: Solo Drumming of Casamance

4-Artist: Rasheed Ali & Rain People
Song: Baba
CD: Agua Santa

5-Artist: Sabu Martinez
Song: Asabache
CD: Palo Congo

6-Artist: Rasheed Ali & Rain People
Song: Africa
CD: Agua Santa

Independent Record Company

All of my friends are constantly reminding me of how prolific a composer and song writer I am. I could also be accused of being a musical compulsive because I'm always creating music. As a result, I do have a truckload of unreleased material in my personal inventory that may never be available to the public. For me, making music in my studio is like going to a factory everyday and putting in overtime. That's how my studio was given the name The Digital Rain Factory. Eventually when we were thinking about a name for my independent record label it was an obvious choice. As I write this post we are in the midst of creating the Digital Rain Factory website. The company has expanded its base to include film & television music licensing as well as consumer CD sales and downloads.

Blue Kisses from Bahia

This video is only a sampling of Bahia, Brasil.



My new CD is gradually coming to market.
At present,it is only available for sale at CD Baby.com

The name of my new CD is "Beijos Azuis".
For those who do not understand Portuguese; 'Blue Kisses'.

Only in Bahia could such a simple phrase have such deep meaning.
Salvador is a city who wraps herself in blue and white; the colors of (the Yoruba orisha) Yemanja. She represents the feminine principle.
She is the image of the mermaid who beckons seductively to lonely sailors.
When a person sends you 'blue kisses', it is a kiss from the deep blue sea of romance. It is a kiss with saudade (a reflective romantic longing).

"Beijos Azuis" is my musical love letter to Salvador da Bahia. I hope that I've done my job as a creator, to paint a magical portrait of Brasil's most magical city.

In coming weeks I will go into greater details about Bahia.
Please visit the links to "Beijos Azuis" so that you can hear the music.
If you want to keep Bahia in your heart as I do, buy the CD today!

The Proud Parent of Two New CDs!

It has been quite a long time since I posted my blog on a regular basis. I'm sure that I will have to recreate interest in this blog and in my music in general.
Out of sight really does equal out of mind in today's' hyperactive world of electronic media.
Though I felt guilty for abandoning my podcast and my blogs I must say that my time away from this blog was spent wonderfully!

In the year 2007 I concentrated on recording two entire Cd's.

This work was at times grueling but always extremely rewarding.
The birthing process for music culminates in the pain and exhilaration known to mothers and fathers everywhere. My joy was doubled as I gave birth to twin Cd's: "Agua Santa" (Holy Water) and "Beijos Azuis" (Blue Kisses) .

In the coming weeks and months I will have a treasure trove of new content that should be interesting to those who found this blog interesting in the past. I also hope to win the hearts and minds of new music and culture fans.

Had No Beginning, Has No End; Simply Is!

I want to wish all of those you have shown a keen interest in my "One Tribe, Many Voices" blog a very prosperous 2008!

Though I feel exceedingly guilty for having virtually "abandoned" all of my internet projects, I must say that I will return 'bearing gifts' in 2008.

2007 was a very prolific creative year for me. I was able to record (2) new CDs that have yet to be released into the music marketplace. I am very proud of this colossal effort to record back-to-back projects! This recording effort was driven, in part, by the energy created by my involvement in this worldwide on-line community of cultural expression.

This blog, my podcast and my other on-line media portals are all driven by real content. Even though I have previously recorded (5) CDs that are available on iTunes and many other such outlets, once I started sharing them on MySpace,etc. I felt as if my 'supply' couldn't meet the 'demand' for more content!
It's really quite a job to oversee multiple media sources (blogs,podcasts,websites,etc) without "a cast of thousands".
It was truly impossible to maintain a normal life plus daily posts to two blogs while answering an increasing volume of interesting e-mails from around the world!
It was super exciting but I felt as if I was already existing in a "second life" experience.
Of course, on one level my self expression was at an all time high with regards to the written word. On the other hand, I was not writing any new music!
If the eternal question is: which comes first? The chicken or the egg?...
Then I must say that without the excitement of new music to share,this blog or any website that I have cannot sustain itself.

So, that is my big apology to those who care to listen and/or read my work and my big explanation as to the current state of affairs with Rasheed Ali & Rain People.

Anyway, I hope that all of you who have shown a keen interest in blog will explore the archives. There are more than 100 posts on this blog!

If you read Spanish,my Spanish blog also has many interesting posts.

Rasheed Ali Update: Recording Studio Exclusive!

Rasheed's podcast

One Tribe, Many Voices!



Rasheed Ali & Rain People Podcast Radio.





Enjoy! -- Rasheed Ali

This podcast features the new musical experiments and journeys that have occupied my time in the past few weeks.
I hope that all of you who have enjoyed my blog will continue to support my endevours.
I am very committed to my blogs and all of my pages (MySpace,etc.)but I am feeling the creative muse in the recording studio which is occupying all of my time.

My podcast allows you to "be there" with me as I record new songs direct to disc for the podcast. It's like being there when fresh bread comes out of the oven!
Normally, when you go into the recording studio to record a CD you will record more songs than you need and then decide which ones to re-record, finish or edit.
This time around I am being very free and open-minded. I tend to record "concept albums"; CDs that are based around a theme. There is no central concept in my mind right now though I have a strong desire to complete a CD based upon the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Stay tuned!

Rasheed Ali & Rain People $9.99 on iTunes

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All Rasheed Ali & Rain People CDs: $11.99

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My Next CD is Inspired by Katrina

"Katrina"

For us, Caribbean People, hurricanes are not para-normal events. You grow up hearing stories about devastating hurricanes and you get to experience a few yourself.

In fact, there have been a few hurricanes that have contributed to the migration of Island People to the States!

True fact is...most hurricanes develop off the coast of West Africa, churning through the Middle Passage. Many an African met their demise along that route of kidnapped and enslaved people. One of my good friends said it was a strange irony that storms come up from this watery burial ground to reek havoc on the Americas.

"The Invisible made Visible"

Katrina stripped America naked, exposing the world to the stark realities of an invisible economic underclass that toils within the shadows of America's opulence. Many people navigate the daily treachery of Urban America with profound ingenuity but "the roof was torn off the house" and even the strong could not survive!

"The Rain Does Not Fall On One Roof"

-Ewe (Ghana) Proverb

African Wisdom reminds us that we are all subject to the sovereignty of the Earth's Elements.
___________________________________________________________________

"Hurricane on the Horizon" was inspired by Katrina and some other world issues. Unlike my last few CDs this CD will be entirely in English.

Documentary Segment

"Fica no Brasil" (Stay in Brasil) Underground Version

Artist: Rasheed Ali & Rain People CD:Tristeza e Beleza na Cidade Negra (Sadness & Beauty in the Black City) Label:Digital Rain Factory 2005 Rasheed ali composed and recorded this music in Salvador da Bahia, Brasil in 2005.

Tristeza e Beleza (Underground Version)

Artist:Rasheed Ali & Rain People CD:Tristeza e Beleza na Cidade Negra Label:Digital Rain Factory