An update on the hafla: we'll be partying down on the west side at a picturesque home in Goodyear. There will be food, goodies to buy from Anaya Tribal and Fashionable Movement, and lots of rocking live music to dance to. Featuring Moroccan music-maker Rachid Halihal on oud, violin and vocals (his enchanting voice being his best instrument, IMHO) and a kickass primal percussion section led by Souhail Kaspar, we’ll be ready to rock the house! Bring some wine and a tasty snack and your best party gear and get ready to get your dance on. We’ll have some surprise musicians, both local and otherwise, and featured dance performances by the sensational Helena Vlahos, the sublime Carrie Konyha, and the lovely Lara Kymana.

The hafla is $15 in advance and will be $20 at the door (see below). Also, check out our cool classes. If you want to learn to rock the drum like Souhail or get tips on shakin your booty to the rhythm, or if you liked Rachid’s beautiful singing and want to learn a cool Moroccan ditty to sing or play later, there is a workshop there for you!

Registration details are on my website: www.phoenixhafla.com

I’ll be updating it more over the next few days, so if you don't see the info you want, please drop me a line.

Also, a reminder that Midnight Caravan II will be October 17th-19th, so if you’re working on an event for the fall or know someone who is, please pass the word. That weekend we’ll be hooking it up on the east side at the Mesa Women’s Club.

Can’t wait to everyone there!

(In case you're wondering, the hafla fees help cover the musicians’s airfare, food and hotel expenses, and occasionally there’s enough left over to compensate them for their time. I do my best to find cool, eclectic locations to have a fun, yet affordable shindig and share the talent and teaching skills of these amazing artists with my friends in Arizona. If you have access to a big, cool house or venue or nice space somewhere and would like to host in the future, let me know! I’m always on the lookout for fun locations).