Wahabibi (Part 1)
(Redfern)
Wa Habibi is a sung on Good Friday in the Christian tradition. Right now in the middle east many artists are choosing to cover this song to show their sympathy for the intense suffering of the people of Syria. Right now, whether they are Christian or Muslim (or Shia or Sunni) or Jewish or Yezidi or Druze, the diverse peoples of the region have become the sacrificial victims of intensely powerful and evil forces. Not since the crusades of the middle ages has such intense suffering been visited upon the people of the region. So I'm moved as an artist at least to write a lament for them and let them know I know what intense suffering is like and I cry for their pain.
شجر الزيتون يبكي وتناديه الشفاء
While my version is instrumental I wanted to share the lyrics the singer Fairouz created for her version of the song:
Wa Habibi (My Beloved)
My beloved, my beloved
What state are you in?
He who sees you, for you would cry
You are the one and only sacrifice
My beloved,
What blame have the nations put upon you?
They melted you with wounds,
To which no healing would do
When in the dark orchard at night
The God Creator kneeled and prayed
Life was praying with the One
Who gave life hope and prayer
The olive trees are crying
As the lips of men quiver
My beloved how will you go?
Has loyalty gone forever?
My beloved, my beloved
What state are you in?
He who sees you, for you would cry
You are the one and only sacrifice
Shams93 is the brainchild of composer/performer Brian Redfern. Brian graduated from CalArts in 1998, having studied composition with Nyoman Wenten, Kobla Ladzepko and Wadada Leo Smith. In 2005 Brian switched from guitar to the ancient middle eastern instrument, the oud, studying with virtuoso Yuval Ron.
Previously Brian had been the guitarist for Los Hermanos de Jazz who had opened up for bands such as the Stone Temple Pilots and performed sessions for Death Row Records, back in the wild and crazy early 1990s. Back then he also created a project called “Aleister’s Bastards” inspired by the work 777 by Aleister Crowley. However at the time, he had no idea he lived right down the street from the famous occult author, Lon Milo DuQuette.
Shams93 runs the gamut from purely acoustic solo oud to electronic music and live electric performance. Brian plays both acoustic and electric oud and uses the ancient system of “Maqam music” from the middle east to compose new material based on ancient patterns.
He is greatly inspired by recent John Zorn projects such as the Crowley String quartet, which explore occult concepts with instrumental music inspired by western classical and avant guard.
Besides having earned an MFA from CalArts Brian is an initiated Freemason, 3○, 32○,Thelemite and self-initiated Sufi/Ishmaeli. He’s also a 3○ in the OTO and a probationer of the A∴A∴, so occult practice and meditation are massive influences on the music of Shams93.
Follow Shams93 via
soundcloud.com/shams93
shams93.com
and anthology profile
hermetic.com/anthology/profile/shams93/ 
