DESERT KNIGHTS
Middle Eastern Belly Dance Musicians, Win Award

Adam Burke and William Warren formed Desert Knights in order to compose and perform new music for belly dancers and as part of their continuing exploration of music from other cultures.  They play many original compositions, as well as both popular and traditional Middle-Eastern pieces.

Both Adam and William play stringed instruments including oud, saz, mandolin, and guitars, as well as keyboards, drums, and other percussion instruments. They have collaborated in a variety of musical styles for over nine years. Desert Knights, their current project, has performed since 1997 in a number of settings such as bellydance events, restaurants, art galleries, and on local radio and television programs, including Cox Cable's The Joy of Belly Dancing, hosted by Yasmina. Currently, they are working on their second album as they continue to promote their first album released at the beginning of 1998.

Their first album, Desert Nights, was honored as the Winner of The 1998 International Academy of Middle-Eastern Dance Award for Best Music. It is available on CD and cassette.

Adam writes for Zaghareet! Magazine and the Arizona Middle Eastern Dance Association publication. He is a visual artist and musician and a lifelong resident of Phoenix, Arizona. William was also born in Phoenix and currently works and lives at Arcosanti, Paolo Soleri's environmental architectural experiment, north of Phoenix.

Desert Knights may be available for live performances in your area and may be  reached by writing to P.O. Box 15051, Phoenix, AZ 85060-5051 or email adamcburke@earthlink.net

Dedicated to the Bellydancers of America: The DESERT KNIGHTS album, "Desert Nights," features 11 new original instrumental recordings for belly dance and beyond. Also featured is their new arrangement of the traditional Arab song, "Ay Ya Zein." Combining traditional rhythms, exotic instruments and modern technology, it is world music at its finest. From fast beledi pieces, to sensual masmoudi, to the almost New Age, Desert Knights cover a broad spectrum of danceable sound.

It has been well received by belly dancers, and it continues to receive wider recognition both in the United States and abroad among belly dancers and fans of global music.

Desert Knights music featured on Carrie Konyha's NEW Belly Dance Instructional Video.

"As the founder of the bellydance music group, Desert Knights, I am happy to have our music featured on Carrie Konyha's new instructional video for beginners entitled "The Dance -- Volume I," especially so, because of the excellent production quality of this 80-minute presentation. The clarity of sound and video enables Carrie's thorough and effective demonstrations to shine through for the viewer.

Though I am not a dancer, I can easily see that this video would enable any aspiring bellydance student to not only get a good start, but to become an effective performer, due to the comprehensive material presented here. It would also serve as an useful "review" for more experienced dancers. Her introductory warm-up and stretch is given the importance it deserves as an essential component of effective dancing, and I especially enjoyed her holistic integration of techniques, such as those central to yoga practice, for a centered approach to the dance.

Carrie features over 24 individual moves in this single video (the equivalent of a full 12-week course), each clearly demonstrated, as well as the finest zill (finger cymbal) lesson I've seen. As a musician, I was pleased to observe Carrie's timing and understanding of the role that zills play in bellydance performance. I might even try playing them, now that I know the proper techniques!

I highly recommend "The Dance" to any serious student of bellydance, and I am pleased to play a part in this excellent presentation." -- Adam Burke/Desert Knights