Wadi Al-Safi

Great Lebanese singer and composer Wadi Al Safi vocalizes gentle, warm and measured phrases. Safi learned songs originally from his grandfather, beginning at age four in his home village of Niha at the Chouf in Lebanon. "These were folkloric songs," he says. "When I came to Beirut, I had singing lessons and was taught by great musicians like Michel Khayyat and Salim Helou. All my family were good singers, but I was the only one who became a professional."

In his long career, Al-Safi has not lacked faith in his own ability. "I have an outstanding voice equal to 20 good voices. And, of course, I choose words that penetrate the hearts of the people." Now over 80, Safi has learned how to adapt his singing as he's aged. "My voice used to be better, but now it has more wisdom, "like old wine," he says, smiling.

Safi and young gypsy artist José Hernandez blend Lebanese songs and Spanish flamenco music, trading couplets in both languages and across the 500 years separating the two styles. Eight of Safi's most popular songs have been translated into Spanish, and the great singer has no doubt that music needs only very little translation to attract ears in other cultures. "Flamenco is very close to Arab music," he says. "The Arabs were in Andalusia for a long time and the forms were hybridized".

Al-Safi is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Sabah Fakhri on a recording called The Two Tenors, which traversed a mixture of Arabic styles from the classical and folk ends of the spectrum. These two artists were joined by Qantara, an instrumental ensemble led by oud player Simon Shaheen. —Courtesy Calabash Music