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2008 is the thirtieth anniversary of the release of DREAM DANCER, the first album I recorded of music for belly dancing.  (Some of you may be shocked to learn that I've composed music for BELLY DANCING!)  I recently wrote The Dream Dancer Story, telling about the album’s creation and some of the adventures she's experienced in the last thirty years.  Part I of the story was published in the most recent issue of a beautiful magazine called The Chronicles.  The Chronicles is dedicated to the art of belly dancing. Here is a short introduction and the opening to the story:http://www.isisandthestardancers.com/CHRONICLES/Chronicles.htmshapeimage_16_link_0
2008 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the album’ Dream Dancer’, said to be the first album of belly dance music composed and performed entirely by North American musicians.  It was on the forefront of the genres that came to be known as ‘New Age’ and ‘World Beat’ music.  Regardless of where it might stand on the constantly shifting landscape of musical styles and classifications, there is no doubt that the music of ‘Dream Dancer’ has touched the lives of listeners and dancers around the world.  In this story Doug Adamz, producer, violinist, and principal composer for ‘Dream Dancer’, reflects on its creation and history.    De Ann asked, “How about recording the music you play for me?”   She was referring to the tunes I wrote for her belly dance performance. I had never dreamed of meeting an exotic belly dancer and playing music for her when I left my hometown of El Paso in 1973 with my essential possessions (guitar, violin, recorder, granola) crammed into the clichéd Volkswagen Van.  No, my plans were very different.  They involved a high school sweetheart and rock and roll stardom, and at the time they seemed as certain to happen as anything fate could cook up. If God laughs when we make plans, there must have been some chuckling going on in heaven the night I crossed the Bay Bridge to enter the glittering lights and murky shadows of San Francisco. I found myself alone in a big city where no one was wearing flowers in their hair and no one cared about yet another newcomer stepping out of a VW van with a guitar and a notebook full of songs.  For a while, the van was the only thing that kept me from being homeless.  Fortunately some fellow tex-patriots, Bobby and Suzi Davidoff, also arrived in San Francisco and helped me get a tenuous toehold before the VW van and most of my other hopes broke down for the final time. When I found myself feeling that I had nothing left to lose, it seemed a good idea to go to see the belly dancers at The Holy City Zoo, a folk music club where I had failed to get hired.  That was where I met De Ann, and within a week I was in her troupe playing violin, recorder, and dulcimer.  She was among the very first in California who heard something special in my music. We started at The Holy City Zoo, then took it out on the streets and played for tourist’s coins tossed in the tambourine.  One of our street shows was captured on film and included in the movie ‘Gameel Gamaal’ (recently released as ‘Classic Stars of Belly Dance’).  The tunes I played in that film are embryonic versions of the pieces that I would later record. De Ann was also a featured soloist in the fabulous, and now historic, troupe Bal Anat, led by Jamila... If you find this interesting, I encourage you to order a copy of The Chronicles; the July-August-September issue (one issue, three months).  It has Part One of the Dream Dancer story including many classic photos of the era.  I might add that it is a wonderful, tasteful publication filled with delightful images and news about the fascinating culture of belly dance, here in the United States and around the world. to be continued in: The Chronicles P.O. Box 210787 Bedford Texas 76021 888-918-4747http://www.isisandthestardancers.com/CHRONICLES/Chronicles.htmhttp://www.isisandthestardancers.com/CHRONICLES/Chronicles.htmshapeimage_17_link_0shapeimage_17_link_1
He is an excellent guitarist.... a terrific guitarist! Harold Bradley (Country Music Hall of Fame) DANCERS OF LIGHT RAIN new! >>