What is Storytelling?

Last weekend I was invited for a meeting day by the Dutch Storytelling Foundation. About fifty people met at a neighbourhood activity center in Utrecht to listen to stories, discuss their meaning, call out the storyteller of the year and inspire the people on the scene to grow and develop this crazy art form we feel passionate about.I had not attended any of the previous meetings, but I was informed by mail I was one of the five nominated to be storyteller of the year, and it would be appreciated if I was present for the ceremony.

Though I feel honoured to be invited and nominated, I am also worried about how storytelling is seen and experienced in the Netherlands, especially after visiting the meeting day. Almost all of the participants were over fifty years old and almost all were white native Dutch. It did not help that the international storytelling theme of the year is “the Brothers Grimm” to commemorate the 200th year of the first printing of their stories. What I experienced is the type of storytelling that I’m developing an allergy to: audience members sitting on chairs in a row, and a storyteller sitting in a chair in front of them telling a children’s story in a slow… well pronounced… way. It is no wonder young people are not drawn to these type of stories, they think it’s childish (and that’s exactly the reason why this particular over fifty crowd is drawn to it, it reminds them of their childhood in a simpler more romantic time).

I’m not opposed to this type of storytelling, if it’s considered one of the many types of stories and ways that we can share our stories, but if it’s considered the main type of storytelling I have to protest. 250 visitors a month visiting the our storytelling nights alone shows there is an interest in different types of stories: Personal stories and confessions improvised on the spot, stories that are depicted on stage by a team of improvisers, stories that switch language mid-sentence, leap from teller to listener, inform us about political and social struggles. The list of possibilities is endless. In 8 years of experimenting with the format visitors have time and again surprised me with their contributions and I’m yet to reach the stage where I can say I’ve seen it all.

When we started our storytelling nights I was sad there wasn’t much of a storytelling scene in the Netherlands. However, it also felt exciting to be a pioneer, with a small band of dedicated die-hards, creating intuitively what we felt would inspire a storytelling audience. Now that there is a scene, represented by the Storytelling Foundation, I feel I can’t relate to it.

So the question is, dear storytellers and storylisteners, do we join the Dutch scene and try to teach them a thing or two, or do we stay away from them and create our own scene? I would be very curious about what you think.

Music Monday #4: Arab Fusion

This week’s Monday Mixtape brings you something very special. Fusion songs from the Arab world. Though the word fusion is very popular in the world music scene, we at the Mezrab think it only works when it’s not a bad fit between two different styles but when it creates something new and intense. When you listen to a song and can’t imagine it’s components ever having been separate that’s the type of fusion music that works.
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Anouar Brahem / The Astounding Eyes of Ritax

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvca5hD2wbk]

When Tunisian Oud player Anuoar Brahem learned everything there was to learn about Arabic classical and folk music his thirst for musical knowledge was not satisfied. He immersed himself in Jazz and over the years created his own delicate sound. Contemplative and enchanting, enjoy one of the masters of the Oud.
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Rabih Abou-Khalil / Tsarka!
Also mixing his Oud with Jazz is the virtuoso Rabih Abou-Khalil. Where Anouar frequently looks for fragile beauty in his music, Rabih is masterful at mixing the power of Jazzy and Arabic Rythms and dazzling melodies.
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Ibrahim Maalouf / Beirout

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x821uJ1Q0ME]

Ibrahim comes from an incredibly talented family. He’s the nephew of the great Lebanese writer Aamin Maalouf and his own father designed the 4-valve trumpet, an instrument that allows the player to play the oriental “quarter” notes not found on most regular European instruments. Ibrahim plays Classical, Jazz, Hip-hop, you name it, but when he incorporates his oriental roots in his music he really grabs you by the heartstrings. The song Beirout was inspired by a trip back to his home town and still seeing the scars of war. Take your time to listen to this song and dream away with the clip that accompanies it, all the way to the powerful climax.
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Tinariwen / Chet Boghassa
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrSWSsZ90gc]
Though many Touareq artists would object to being included in a list of Arab artists, it would be a shame to skip the funky tracks of Tinariwen in this week’s Mixtapes. The music is born out of ancient songs and rythms of the nomads of the Mali, Algeria, Libya, mixed with a healthy dose of American Rythm and Blues coming back to its African roots. The discovery of Tinariwen had a funny effect, record labels suddenly were looking in all these countries for any nomad with an electric guitar or bass to sign up on their label, and while some of the “newly discovered” funky nomads don’t sound too bad, none beat the original Touareq musical rebels.
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Souad Massi / Le Bien et le Mal
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3i4nqrEsNc]
Musically Souad Massi is not as innovative as the previously mentioned artists, but when someone sounds as good as she does there’s no need to be. What she delivers is a pile of great songs written for guitar and her angelic voice. Her music is also very much connected to the old Mezrab, where Mama Mezrab would often put on her CD on quiet days.
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Bendaly Family / Do you love me?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7F40MVG0Wc]
Saving the best for last, this one is a bit of an internet sensation: the Lebanese Bendaly Family. They mix their Arabic Schlager with beatles era rock ‘n roll. I don’t really know what else to write that does justice to the brilliance of this song. Just listen to it, it will brighten up your week!

This American Life

One of the most incredible examples of storytelling in the media is the radio show “This American Life”

It is not only very well written, but also shows that a good story doesn’t need much of flashy effects and when told well also doesn’t need to be too short to keep the audience attention. Episodes of This American Life are an hour long and often have little in the way of music to accompany the voice telling the story.

If you don’t know This American Life, go to their website. They’ve got hundreds of episodes up.

But the main reason to post about This American Life is that Ira Glass, the guy who makes the show, has a series of videos up on Youtube, where he talks about the art of storytelling for Radio. Whether you are a storyteller for radio or not, or a storyteller at all. These interesting and important points to listen to.

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxJ3FtCJJA]