Hejira is one of Seattle’s most creative, unique
and appealing World Music ensembles.
Hejira blends Middle-Eastern and
Western music to bring audiences a
unique and appealing sound.
Hejira music not only entertains, but also educates
audiences about the diversity of music, dance & culture.
...Petra Martin. South Whidbey Commons
Be the first to review Hejira Nation
Price Range: $200 - $600
Gig Length: 60 - 120 minutes
Languages: English
Narayan & Janet Baltzo
Greater Seattle Area
"Don is a world class composer. He also teaches as he performs.
The joy in his music bubbles out and directly effects the audience."
Dennis Zyvoloski
Music Coordinator at Salmon Bay Eagles
Greater Seattle Area
"I hired Don to deliver World Music for the enjoyment of my club and the music was unique and powerful. All who attended were greatly impressed. I would hire him again, but he moved to the other coast! Best wishes to him and his future endeavors."
Service Category: music director
Year first hired: 2012 (hired more than once)
Top Qualities: Expert, Good Value, Creative
Jon Scherrer 1st
Founder/Director, Seattle Teen Music"Don is an old soul on a young man's journey to educate and bring the joy of music and culture to all. I had the fortunate opportunity to work with him on a few gigs and a longtime (32 year old) Seattle music festival and enjoyed every minute of it. Don is a great artist in that he incorporates his love and passion of music along with opportunities to teach. He is comfortable fitting the level of teaching to the audience. In some cases he would dive a bit deeper into some of the middle-eastern constructs of what he was playing to help our teen musicians understand the roots of what they were hearing, and in other cases he delivered an awesome concert where the focus was on the performance.
Don also is an open thinker and collaborator when it comes to problem solving and building ideas and programs that f
Don Baragiano composes and performs non-traditional world music. This music is in Arab minor scale (Hijaz). He’s usually accompanied by a Middle Eastern percussionist on dumbek, a belly dancer & sometimes a vocalist.
Hejira has performed at many world music and international culture festivals throughout the Pacific Northwest, as well as in New York City, Sedona, Phoenix, Colorado City, Cincinnati, Bloomington, and more.
Mr. Baragiano (guitars) is the Founder and principle Composer for the group. He studied music theory at Aiken High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music.
For three years Don lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia immersed in their culture where he was an audio engineer with the ministry of finance. Don's long-time love of world music was solidified when he was invited to a private audience/master class with HRM King Faud's master musician, Hamzah Mohammed Al-Bashir.
When Don returned to the States, he joined the New Europa Troubadours and toured with them for 5 years. In 2001 he moved to Seattle and formed Hejira. He’s recently moved to the Ithaca, NY area.
“Hejira Nation” is a compilation of Don’s original compositions recorded during the last 10 years in Seattle, with many great world musicians.
For the 3rd year, Hejira has been asked to perform in NYC at (link hidden) on 6/21/13
1 announce mic
1 D/I if possible (if not, a boom instrument mic) for guitar
2 boom mics for drums
Hejira Set List – Summer 2012
<All music composed by Don Baragiano>
1. Hejira
2. Love is a Miracle
3. 9/8 Karshlama
4. Night in Budapest
5. Miserlou (traditional, our arrangement)
6. Brazilian Breeze
7. Under a Crescent Moon
...............Break..............
8. Flight of Mohammad
9. Andalusian
10. Garoon (traditional, our arrangement)
11. Persian 6/8
12. Major Distraction
13. Zaar (spiritual cleansing)
14. Keep Walking (Reggae - w/Rumi Lyrics)
15. 7/4 Eastern European tune
16. Al-Hambra
17. Moroccan Roll
...............Break.................
18. Trance-Fusion
19. Collision Theory
20. Raq of Gibraltar
21. New York to Seattle
(phone number hidden). Let Yourself (w/Rumi Lyrics)
Additional song info:
Hejira - Hejira means;
1 - starting off on a new path or direction,
2 - a flight or journey to a more pleasant or desirable place.
Inspired by the 2 years Don lived in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. He'd hear the minarets blasting out 'prayer call' 5x/day in Arab minor scale.
Morraccan Roll - This song's intention was to blend Western rock with Middle Eastern rhythms & scales.
"What would it sound like if we gave a Marshall stack & a Stratocaster to an oud-playing, goat tending, mountain dwelling, Middle Eastern shepherd ?" Listen to Moraccan Roll & you'll find out.
ZAAR ... Our present American culture is approximately 250 years old. The ancient Egyptian civilization dates back to 4,000 BC. They had generations to develope & evolve their culture. This Egyptian ZAAR rhythm was used in their temples for spiritual cleansing rituals.
Under a Crescent Moon - This tune mixes Middle Eastern rhythms, open guitar chords & even 4/4 & 6/8 tempos.
Al-Hambra ... Refering to the famous Al-Hambra Palace in Granada, Spain. Moorish influences, flamenco.
Karshlama - A traditional Turkish 9/8 rhythm upon which we have created our own melody & arrangement
Night in Budapest ... A haunting tune in Hungarian minor. Don wrote the first simple melody when he lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and then finished the song years later when he was back in America. This is a slow 'veil dance' piece for belly dancers.
LOVE IS A MIRACLE ! After a particularly bad relationship break-up in 2002, Don was in agony and his mood intensely dark. Those feelings of pain began to work themselves into a new song "Love is a Miracle". This music was healing - as it evolved he worked through his grief.
| Don Baragiano | Founder/Leader/Composer |
| Yasmin | Dancer/Percussionist |
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at least an 8 channel mixer
monitor system
4 mics, 1 D/I
6x10" stage area
at least 15" with a horn. PA speakers, 400 watts
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