The Baghdad Rain Project is a group of musicians who have collaborated on a CD entitled "A Call To Heal," which consists of 13 original songs relevant to events in the Middle East. These songs, which include elements of Eastern and Middle Eastern music, attempt to empathize with all parties involved in the conflicts of the region.
We began recording in the fall of 2005. One of our early sessions involved Rahim AlHaj, an outstanding Iraqi oudist. Rahim studied at the Institute of Music in Baghdad (now destroyed) under the legendary musician, Munir Bashir. Rahim received a Grammy nomination this year for his Smithsonian Folkways release - "When the Soul Is Settled."
Ann Marie Calhoun (violin) is featured throughout the CD. She has recorded or performed with a number of well known artists, including the Dave Matthews Band, Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart, Steve Vai and Jethro Tull.
Kevin Sites, veteran war correspondent and author of "In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars," contributed liner notes for the CD.
Check out The Baghdad Rain Project on Myspace.
"I founded The Baghdad Rain Project to promote a mutual understanding and respect of Western and Middle Eastern cultures through music. In writing songs for "A Call To Heal," I decided to avoid politics and focus on more important themes common to all people: love, loss, family, justice and faith. Although our religious faiths may be different, the concept of faith is the same for all and is not limited to faith in a higher power. It includes faith in our selves, and faith in each other, to protect and honor all life regardless of faith."
James English
Founder, The Baghdad Rain Project
"No armed conflict is without innocent human suffering. Headlines with casualty numbers don't tell the story of the lives utterly devastated and the families torn apart. More than anyone else I can think of, these are the people who deserve dignity and help to rebuild their lives. The wounds of war can heal only with our collective compassion."
Sarah Holewinski
Executive Director, Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict
The Baghdad Rain Project captures in song the same truth of war I had hoped to capture in my Hot Zone reporting. “A Call To Heal” is a series of hauntingly beautiful songs (including the work of Iraqi musician Rahim AlHaj) that speak not only to war’s tragedy, but also to the healing process that we must all work to be a part of -- if we are ever going to find a sense of true peace in society and in our selves.
Kevin Sites
veteran war correspondent and author of the Harper Perennial book, “In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars.”
A Word From Kevin Sites >>
