Amazigh Film FestivalThe second annual Amazigh Film Festival, under the stewardship of director Helene Hagan, will present art, music and films of the Amazigh or Berber cultures of North Africa. Last year's event was highly successful and the second edition promises to be even more intriguing. Here's the schedule:

4:00-4:30 pm: Slideshow presentation, "Kabylia, the land, the people, the Arts" (10 min) - Welcome Address by Helene Hagan and presentation by Rachid Bouksim, Director of the Issni N'Ourgh Film Festival of Agadir, Morocco, on the recent development of the Amazigh Cinematography in Morocco.

4:30-6:30 pm: Documentaries "Pottery from the Rif" (27 min, 2003, Morocco, Dounia Productions, Ltd.) and "On Native Lands" (86 min, Canada/Morocco, 2007, Orbi xii).

6:30-7:30 pm: Art Exhibit and Reception with art by Moroccan artists Hassan Moumene (Atlas) and Abdallah Aourik (Souss). Traditional mint tea and tidbits catered by CHAMEAU, Inc. of Beverly Hills.

Kiosk at the ReyKiosk is known as an Iranian Blues/Rock/Jazz band, established by a few friends in a basement in Iran, now all living abroad. The band members are Arash Sobhani (guitar & vocals), Ali Kamali (bass guitar), Ardalan Payvar (keyboards), Babak Khiavchi (guitar), Shahrouz Molaei (drums). Kiosk is often noted for its biting critical social and political, but humorous lyrics.

This month the band releases their third album, “Global Zoo” or “Bagh e Vahsh e Jahani.”

The new album features ten tracks varying in music style from Gypsy Jazz to Waltz and from Argentinean Tango to Blues. Although the music of the album is a big departure from the Underground Blues/Rock soun of the previous two Kiosk albums, the lyrics of Arash Sobhani (lead vocalist , songwriter and guitarist) continue the social commentary on a wide variety of issues affecting the daily lives of Iranians all over the world.

Divahn: Jewish music of the Middle East in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Aramaic, Hebrew and Judeo-SpanishAnyone who thinks Jewish music equals klezmer needs to hear Divahn's Middle Eastern and Sephardic grooves. Fans first heard Divahn's energetic music deep in the heart of Texas. Today, this dynamic New York City-based quintet delights audiences throughout the country and has made numerous live radio appearances. Divahn infuses traditional songs with sophisticated harmonies and arrangements using tabla, cello, rabel, doumbek, violin and other acoustic instruments, plus vocals in Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish, Persian, Arabic, Aramaic and Turkish.

Their beautiful lyricism flows through an intense rhythmic drive. The group distinguishes itself as the only all-female ensemble performing Mizrakhi-influenced music (Jewish music from

the Middle East and North Africa) in the US, and has performed with some of the world's most renowned master musicians, including Glen Velez and Anindo Chatterjee.

The 4th Annual God Loves Beauty Festival, Nov. 12-20, 2008

The eclectic Al-Fareed aka Alfred Madain is a deejay, musician and ethnomusicologist in Los Angeles. A walking encyclopedia of traditional, folkloric and contemporary music of the Arab/Islamic world and Africa, he intimately “gets” and analyzes music ranging from ancient traditions to modern world techno, hip hop, western new wave, heavy metal and punk. Al-Fareed’s attuned feel for rock gives him the ability to reflect on the west from an eastern perspective and on the east from a western perspective. As a music historian he can explain the history and influence of ziryab (a musician of the Baghdadi and Andalusian courts) as well as the history and influence of Woody Guthrie, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Black Flag, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Velvet Underground and more.

No Borders: by Anna-Marie Lopez de LeonThis eclectic event benefitting Doctors Without Borders includes a silent art auction with work by dozens of contributing artists including Anna-Marie Lopez de Leon, and performances by the Middle Eastern-jazz fusion group Saffron Parade Arabesque Band, Tehran’s heavy metal band TarantisT, belly dancers, deejays and much more. Pic Vicious and Killsonic will perform later in the soirée.

Shams Ensemble with Whirling Dervishes: photo by John MontgomeryIranian composer Kaykhosro Pournazeri and his classical Shams Ensemble are touring the United States this month, with concerts in San Francisco, New York, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

The Shams Ensemble performs traditional Persian, mystic Sufi, and Kurdish music with the tanbour, daf (frame drum), and percussion instruments. The vocals feature the poetry of Rumi and other Iranian bards. Shams features Kaykhosro Pournazeri, Sohrab Pournazeri and Tahmores Pournazeri.

Before the 1979 Iranian revolution, which ushered in more conservative guidelines regulating music, the Iranian composer enjoyed a career in traditional Persian music. Even when the incoming Islamic regime thwarted his musical aspirations, Pournazeri said he never gave up hope.

Cairo in Hollywood, the MESTO experienceAn orchestra selection of Egyptian and world music featuring Nabil Azzam, conductor, Lilit Khojayan, qanun virtuoso and Anna-Suzette Eblen, vocalist.

MESTO, the Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra, was established to combine the traditions of many ethnic musical genres and those of Western classical traditions. Los Angeles lends itself as one of the most logical choices of cities to host this unique orchestra.

Best of Natacha Atlas: your purchase benefits LCC programmingNatacha Atlas has long been one of our favorite Arab fusion artists, though it’s been several years since we’ve seen her in Los Angeles. The London-based singer was born in Belgium of Egyptian and Moroccan heritage. She sings in Arabic, French and English. Natacha cut her teeth singing with the Transglobal Underground and has more than half a dozen solo albums to her credit. She’s also served as Good Will Ambassador for the United Nations and has always been an outspoken peace advocate.

The Silk Road Music & Dance Ensemble and the iST-West Ensemble will perform live with special guest vocalist Serpil Borazan. Featuring Rowan Storm on percussions, with Nyofu Tyson on saz, Neil Seigel on Azeri tar, Ergun Tamer on kanun and Robyn Friend performing dances of Turkey and Central Asia, plus additional musicians.