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Omar Souleyman
[Stuart Sevastos/CC]
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Omar Souleyman
Jazz Cafe
A SINGLE A-board sits outside the Jazz Cafe emblazoned with the words Global Dance Icon — Omar Souleyman. More of a nod to the dry humour of this most beloved of Syrian singers than a sign of an ego-tripping diva, though Souleyman truly has become something of a cult sensation.
Hailing from humble origins in the village of Ra’s al-’Ayn near the Syria–Turkey border, he began as a part-time singer at weddings where the dabke is performed, a traditional folk music performed during line-dances and popular on celebratory occasions.
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